It was just announced that Monica and Francisco, two comrades arrested in Barcelona in November, 2013, and accused of terrorism, just a couple years after being fully acquitted of similar charges in Chile, have been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, after having already been locked up over two years awaiting trial.
The specific charges that Spain’s Audiencia Nacional found them guilty of were damages with terrorist aims and injuries. Significantly, the charge of belonging to a terrorist organization did not hold, meaning no precedent is set for the over thirty anti-terrorism cases pending against anarchists in Operations Pandora, Piñata, and others.
At the trial, in early March, it became clear that the police had no convincing physical evidence. Video footage was blurry and nearly all from Barcelona, where Monica and Francisco were living, and several hours away from Zaragoza, where they are accused of placing a small bomb in an empty cathedral. DNA evidence on the bomb and on the payphone from which a call was made do not match them. The police witness who claimed to use advanced biometrics to identify them from footage based on the way they walked turned out to be a simple cop with no degree in biometrics.
I’ve already voiced my official support for Bernie Sanders as president of the U.S. for 2016. I will vote for him in the primaries against Hillary Clinton.
Yes, I do want to finally see a female president. And I can certainly see why many of my fellow women would be frustrated by the fact that it looks like we’re once again going to have to wait as a more popular candidate has come out of the blue who looks like he will pass right by her and sweep up the nomination.
I can also see that many of these particular women are white.
I find it annoying that I once again feel the need to remind people that Bernie Sanders is Jewish. That’s most certainly not nothing, especially with the recent resurgence of Nazism and antisemitism that’s going on, especially in Europe. But antisemitism definitely never went away. And we’ve never had a Jewish president.
But besides that, Hillary Clinton has a record of fucking over people of color so hard.
I’ve been inspired to write on this again after coming across a certain article written by a white woman:
An All-Caps Explosion of Feelings Regarding the Liberal Backlash Against Hillary Clinton
There are quite a few things wrong with this article, and as I have the white, gentile privilege necessary to be calm enough to list these things, I will.
It begins before the all caps start. The author appears to be painfully unaware that Bernie Sanders is Jewish.
Can you imagine how absolutely infuriating it must be for Hillary to have to work so hard to be likable, but strong? Hip, but above the need to be seen as cool? For everything she says to be perfect because she’d be crucified otherwise, meanwhile Bernie Sanders could say pretty much anything he wants and it would be seen as the goddamn revolution?
Ohhhhh no, you used the term “crucified.”
Yes, everything Hillary Clinton says is attacked by the right. And everything Bernie Sanders says is dismissed as too wild to even consider or ignored outright.
And how is it that you seem to have already forgotten that everything said by the current president, a black man, is attacked and ripped to fucking shreds by the right? The author’s point is dependent on the idea that only women suffer this kind of treatment. But Obama has been attacked for his race from the moment he entered the spotlight, and I have a feeling it’s only a matter of time before the right’s attention turns to Bernie and his axis of marginalization.
Because what you like about Bernie, what they like about Trump, she doesn’t get to do that. She doesn’t get to be all wild hair and yelling.
I’m pretty sure there’s a stereotype about Jewish people and hair. It’ll come around, if it hasn’t already.
And yes, it’s true that liberals and Democrats have been poking fun at Bernie’s hair in a playful, affectionate way, and even using his hair as an indication that the man isn’t all about appearances and how great is that? Meanwhile a woman could never dream of getting so far without immaculate hair.
It’s true that white male liberals need to shut the fuck up when it comes to attacking Hillary about anything except when boosting what people of color (preferably women of color) have pointed out about her epic willingness to bomb the fuck out of them and/or throw them all in prison. But this article’s author pointedly fails to make a distinction about whom she’s yelling at.
Speaking of yelling:
FIRST AND FUCKING FOREMOST, COOL, YOU LIKE BERNIE’S WISHES AND DREAMS APPROACH TO POLITICS. “FREE COLLEGE FOR EVERYONE AND A GODDAMN PONY.” YES, THAT SOUNDS FUCKING WONDERFUL BUT DO YOU THINK HILLARY COULD EVEN SAY THOSE WORDS WITHOUT FOX NEWS LITERALLY BURYING HER ALIVE IN TAMPONS AND CRUCIFIXES?
Crucifixes… Jewish people… money… Oh my god, do I really have to explain this?
YOU DON’T LIKE THAT SHE HAD CERTAIN NOW-UNACCEPTABLE POLICIES BACK IN THE ‘90S? HEY, I GET THAT THAT SHIT SEEMS LIKE LAST WEEK, BUT IT WAS ANOTHER GODDAMN WORLD ENTIRELY. I GET THAT WE ALL THINK WE’RE THE UNIVERSE’S BESTEST HUMANS BUT MOST OF THIS COUNTRY JUST LEARNED TRANS PEOPLE EXIST, LIKE, YESTERDAY.
Ok, first of all, no, the 90’s weren’t that long ago. But regardless, it’s not about Hillary Clinton not knowing trans people existed until yesterday or whatever (not even sure if this is in regard to something or if she’s just using trans people as a prop here). It’s about the fact that she never seems to be on board the “giving people basic human rights” train until just enough liberals are to ensure she’s going to be electable.
And even if that’s not true, and she just happens to have had a change of heart at all the most convenient moments for herself, what really concerns me and concerns people of color much more than me is her current policies and beliefs.
Hillary Clinton has been and remains a warhawk.
She continues to express the belief that we need to have a “tough” foreign policy
, by which she means imperialism, invasion, bombing, and control.
In the speech, Clinton spent most of her time “talking tough,” as they say. She flatly declared that the deal did not signal “some larger diplomatic opening” and insisted that she would “not hesitate to take military action if Iran tries to obtain a nuclear weapon.” (If the president of Iran casually threatened to bomb the United States, there would be hell to pay, but no matter.) She also pledged to to arm the already-well-stocked Israel even further, and to expand the American military presence around Iran. Never mind that multiple American intelligence estimates have concluded that Iran suspended its quest for a nuclear weapon long ago; we can always use more ships in the Middle East.
This is from just a few months ago.
Now, if you’re unaware of how U.S. imperialism and violence of this nature has caused continuing destabilization of the Middle East resulting in the deaths of countless people of color in the region (aside from just our constant random bombings that kill civilians on a regular basis and have children being afraid of blue sky), you need to sit yourself down and read all about it.
Now, if you’re unaware of how U.S. imperialism and violence of this nature has caused continuing destabilization of the Middle East resulting in the deaths of countless people of color in the region (aside from just our constant random bombings that kill civilians on a regular basis and have children being afraid of blue sky), you need to sit yourself down and read all about it.
Does Hillary Clinton have to appear “tough” in order for men to take her seriously and have a chance at getting elected? I’m actually inclined to say “no” because honestly there is no way for a female candidate to act that will protect her from bullshit stereotyping and relentless attack from the right. One thing goes wrong and it must be female incompetence, right? Or something more cissexist. Can you say, “Benghazi”?
But either way, this has been Hillary’s policy all along, including as Secretary of State. Did she need to push for intervention in Libya which essentially ended in the implosion of the entire nation? And are we supposed to expect that she would go back on all of her tough talk if she got elected? Are we just going to hope that she doesn’t continue or even expand the policy of drone bombing the black and Arab people across the Atlantic into utter PTSD-ridden oblivion?
And that’s just her foreign policy.
Back to the article. For a bit, the author makes some good points.
THE DAY MY HUSBAND TOLD ME HE LIKED BERNIE, HE SAID, “I mean, how great is it to have a president who just doesn’t even care how his hair looks” AND I EXPLODED “DO YOU THINK THERE EXISTS A WORLD WHERE A WOMAN COULD EVEN CONSIDER THAT?”
Well yeah that’s true.
AND THE MOST MINDBLOWING PART? THIS ISN’T EVEN COMING FROM THE GOP! BECAUSE WHAT I AM SEEING IS THE SAME THING WE SEE WITH OBAMA ONLY ON THE MORE LIBERAL END OF THE SPECTRUM–PEOPLE WHO WOULD NEVER CONSIDER THEMSELVES BIGOTS IN ANYWAY BUT JUST KNOW THERE IS *SOMETHING* THEY DON’T CARE FOR ABOUT THIS PERSON. THEY REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING COULD BE SKIN COLOR OR GENDER BUT FOR VERY MANY OF THEM IT ABSOLUTELY FUCKING IS.
Oh definitely, that’s true.
I’M NOT SAYING THERE AREN’T REASONS SOMEONE SHOULD DISLIKE HILLARY OR PREFER BERNIE. THAT IS FINE. THAT IS YOUR JOURNEY. BUT LET’S NOT PRETEND FOR A SECOND THAT THERE WOULD BE *THIS MANY* ISSUES WITH HILLARY IF SHE WAS A GODDAMN MAN.
Of course, can’t pretend that.
But then…
I LIKE HER! I LIKE HER POLICIES, I LIKE HER PLANS, I LIKE WHAT SHE STANDS FOR, I LIKE THAT SHE’S GROWN AND EVOLVED AS A HUMAN AND POLITICIAN! I LIKE THAT SHE WAS FOR MANY OF US MY AGE ONE OF OUR FIRST ROLE MODELS OF A SMART, PROFESSIONAL, KICKASS WOMAN AND THAT SHE ISN’T AFRAID OF THE WORD “FEMINIST” AND I’M SICK OF HAVING TO APOLOGIZE FOR LIKING HER, FOR HAVING TO QUALIFY AND SEE YOUR SIDE AND RESPECT YOUR OPINION WHEN I FUCKING DON’T AND YOU FUCKING DON’T RIGHT BACK. I LIKE HER!
Really? You like her policies and plans? What she stands for?
Do you realize what that all entails?
Let’s talk about her policies at home.
You talk about “Twitter” not liking Hillary, but how much of the stuff you’re all caps-ing about white Bernie fanboy shit and how much of it is black Twitter hating on her because she and Bill built an empire on mass incarceration, which is currently actively re-creating fucking slavery by disproportionately targeting black and Latinx and Native American people and making a shit ton of money off of them through privatized prisons that get more money the more fucking prison beds they fill?????????????????????
Do you even have the slightest iota of an idea of just how much Hillary’s policies and plans have harmed people of color in this country? Any idea of the hand she’s had in the black men and women being gunned down and otherwise murdered by the police? And all the black children being brutally assaulted in school for sitting or trying to defend themselves or whatever? All the traumatized black and Muslim kids whose futures may have been ruined? Entire generations of black boys who can’t play outside like a normal child for fear of being killed by cops? And on and on and on and on????
You may have your caps lock but I have so many question marks for you.
Courtney. White feminists everywhere. You all need to sit down and consider how much of the Hillary hate is misogyny and how much of it is
black people and other people of color who are desperate to survive
. How much of it is immigrants desperate to keep their families together and not be sent back to the hellscapes that the U.S. created with its war on drugs. Or black mothers terrified every time their children leave the house. Black people in general wondering just how much dignity they have to give up to keep from being murdered by police.
AND MOST OF YOU LIKE HER POLICIES AND PLANS TOO BECAUSE A) THEY’RE BASICALLY FUCKING OBAMA AND B) THEY’RE NOT THAT FUCKING DIFFERENT THAN FUCKING BERNIE.
No. That is your white ignorance and privilege talking. Sit down, Courtney.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY GUT WRENCHING THAT THIS BADASS, IMPORTANT WOMAN HAS BEEN DIMINSHED AND WRITTEN OFF AND HATED HER WHOLE CAREER, HER WHOLE EXISTENCE AS A PUBLIC FIGURE. YOU LIKE BERNIE BECAUSE HE DOESN’T PLAY THE GAME, BUT FOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, FOR A WOMAN, SHE HAS HAD NO OTHER CHOICE.
I don’t buy that. I’m just gonna throw this out there: Elizabeth Warren?
I want a woman to be president, too. But Hillary Clinton is not the one. I am not willing to throw people of color under the bus just so I can feel better.
Bernie Sanders is not perfect. His response to being confronted by the Black Lives Matter was not great, at least not initially. His stance on guns puts people of color and women in disproportionate danger. But he is not a war hawk and
he has spoken against police brutality and mass incarceration in a very direct way
. And generally, he has not been responsible for the deaths and suffering of people of color the way Hillary Clinton has.
I hope letting out that anger in all caps form helped you feel better. But don’t you dare deny people of color their anger toward Hillary Clinton. And the fact remains that standing with her includes standing with all of those policies, as long as Bernie Sanders remains as an alternative.
Stop. Check you privilege. Figure out that Bernie is Jewish. Listen to people of color. Then yell as an educated person, at least.
I will say, I was watching the early part of the show, and if I were in my car and getting ready to reverse and saw Donald in the backup camera, I’m not confident which pedal I’d push.
my brain: you could totally throw your phone out the window of this moving car right now. it is 100% possible for you to chuck your hundreds-of-dollars phone out the window and lose everything on it and have you parents scream at you for doing something so implausibly stupid. isn’t that fucked up? that could totally happen right now
me, externally:
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