POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS SATIRE: “If Muhammad Replaced Trump” / DarkMatter2525 ☮

If the ideals of Islamism came out of Trump’s mouth, how would the Left & Right react? If any Muslims do respond to this cartoon, I have a couple predictions:
1. Some will respond by saying that the verses are out of context (standard response), but notice that none of these verses are actually justified by their context.
2. Some other verse will be presented that contradicts one of the verses I used, which proves nothing other than the fact that the Islamic texts in question are contradictory.

WHITE-WING CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN BIGOTRY: “Is the Religious Right Abandoning the Republican Party?” / The Ring of Fire / Farron Cousins ☮

According to the latest reports, the Evangelical wing of the Republican party is actually having quite a bit of trouble right now trying to identify with the GOP. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

POLITICAL COMMENTARY: “Richard Wolff: Capitalism in Crisis” / RT America / On Contact with Chris Hedges ☮

In this week’s episode of On Contact, Chris Hedges explores capitalism in crisis with Richard Wolff, professor of economics emeritus at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. From Brexit, to labor protests in France, to Italy’s financial woes, they discuss the effects of austerity on the working class. RT Correspondent Anya Parampil looks at the fallout of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.

ANTI-AUTHORITARIANISM: “Would We Have Drugged Up Einstein? How Anti-Authoritarianism is Deemed a Mental Health Problem” / Bruce E. Levine ☮

Albert EinsteinWe are increasingly marketing drugs that essentially “cure” anti-authoritarians.

In my career as a psychologist, I have talked with hundreds of people previously diagnosed by other professionals with oppositional defiant disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, anxiety disorder and other psychiatric illnesses, and I am struck by 1) how many of those diagnosed are essentially anti-authoritarians; and 2) how those professionals who have diagnosed them are not.

Anti-authoritarians question whether an authority is a legitimate one before taking that authority seriously. Evaluating the legitimacy of authorities includes assessing whether or not authorities actually know what they are talking about, are honest, and care about those people who are respecting their authority. And when anti-authoritarians assess an authority to be illegitimate, they challenge and resist that authority—sometimes aggressively and sometimes passive-aggressively, sometimes wisely and sometimes not.  

Some activists lament how few anti-authoritarians there appear to be in the United States. One reason could be that many natural anti-authoritarians are now psychopathologized and medicated before they achieve political consciousness of society’s most oppressive authorities.

Continue reading . . .

CRITICAL THINKING: “John Cleese on Stupidity: The Dunning-Kruger Effect”

John CleeseDunning-Kruger Effect

CHRISTIAN WHITE SUPREMACY: “Former KKK Leader David Duke Running for Louisiana Republican Senate Seat” / The Young Turks / Mark Thompson, and Elliot Hill ☮

Former KKK leader David Duke thinks the time is right for another senate run. Is Louisiana racist enough to elect an open white supremacist to its senate? Time will tell. Mark Thompson (The Edge Podcast) and Elliot Hill (The Lip TV), hosts of The Young Turks, break it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

“David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader, is running for U.S. Senate in Louisiana.

Duke is a well-established white supremacist, Holocaust denier and anti-Semite. He has endorsed Donald Trump for president.

In his announcement video, posted Friday morning to Twitter, Duke says he’ll fight for the rights of “European Americans” and that “The New York Times admitted that my platform became the GOP mainstream.” He touts his opposition to affirmative action and immigration, and cites his joy at Trump’s rise to power.

“A revolution is coming in the United States of America,” he says.

Trump disavowed Duke’s support in March, but his campaign has echoed many of the themes Duke’s announcement touched on, such as a distrust of immigrants and anger towards the media.

Trump and Duke also share common ground in their love of conspiracy theories. Trump has repeatedly suggested that the father of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R), his former presidential rival, was involved in President John F. Kennedy’s death. Duke, meanwhile, believes that “Jewish Supremacists” who secretly control the U.S. are attempting to commit some sort of “white genocide.”

POLITICAL COMMENTARY: “Chaos at the RNC, Plus Leaked DNC Emails Show Anti-Bernie Bias” / RT America / FishTank / Lindsay France ☮

The Republican National Convention is finally over. RT America’s Lindsay France reports from Cleveland with a recap of all the drama that took place, from delegates trying to go against party rules to Ted Cruz’s refusal to mention Donald Trump’s name during his speech. Then Ron Paul joins the FishTank to discuss the political climate and rise of Trump. Finally, RT America’s Simon Del Rosario sits down with RT’s Manuel Rapalo to discuss the latest WikiLeaks email dump, which includes emails from the Democratic National Committee, showing that DNC officials strategized against Bernie Sanders.

POLICE BRUTALITY AND EXECUTIONS: “Florida Police Shoot Unarmed Caregiver with Hands up in Front of Autistic Patient” / RT America / Marina Portnaya ☮

After four days, the North Miami police officer who shot behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey has been identified as Jonathan Aledda, a four-year veteran of the department’s SWAT team. The president of the Miami police union said that Aledda was “attempting to save Kinsey’s life” and was actually was aiming at the therapist’s client, who has autism. RT’s Marina Portnaya reports from Miami, Florida.