Ever since Valentine’s Day 2018, the day the Parkland, Florida mass shooting happened, this phrase has become ingrained in my mind.
These teenagers are taking over this sad American reality.
Like Emma, there are plenty others. There are those we know already by name who have been thrust into adulthood too soon. They have taken their role as serious as the reality is.
They are claiming their future as they should.
Here’s one of the many examples seen on March 24, 2018 …
Emma González honored the Parkland shooting victims at the March for Our Lives with six minutes of silence, the amount of time it took for the shooter to kill 17 people.
WOULD NEVER …
~~Emma Gonzalez’s POWERFUL March For Our Lives Speech~~
~~Published on Mar 24, 201 ~~
Emma González’s powerful six minutes of silence speech at the Washington DC March For Our Lives rally
Hail to the chief: cyclist gives Drumpf the middle finger
The ‘so-called president’ of the United States is used to being saluted but a cyclist in Virginia put her own particular slant on the tradition on Saturday when she was overtaken by Drumpf’s motorcade.
The woman on her bike was photographed raising her middle finger when Drumpf’s vehicles passed her on their way out from the Drumpf National Golf Club on the banks of the Potomac river, on the outskirts of Washington DC.
She repeated the gesture when she caught up with the motorcade.
As noted in the White House pool report, “POTUS’s motorcade departed the Drumpf National Golf Club at 3:12 PM, passing two pedestrians, one of whom gave a thumbs-down sign.
Then it overtook a female cyclist, wearing a white top and cycling helmet, who responded by giving the middle finger.
“The motorcade had to slow and the cyclist caught up, still offering the finger, before turning off in a different direction.
Motorcade is now gathering speed and heading for DC.”
Social media users responded to the image of the cyclist with messages such as “Heroine!” and “Her2020”.
I’ve truly never been a fan of rap music and Eminem hasn’t been one of my favorite performers. This time, IMHO, he’s plainly stated what many of Americans are feeling. It takes an artist to have the gall and balls to call out the ‘moronic idiot‘ who is leading the country.
Sure beats out the hell of a job those surrounding and enabling HIM to take this nation to the gutter, the spot it currently occupies, except in the minds of the IDIOTS who still support HIM.
It was time for someone to call it like it is.
I’m mad as hell!!
I find it difficult to follow the words of this genre of music. These are included below to that you don’t miss a word and get Eminem’s full message.
Thus far this week we’ve seen everyone from a Republican Senator to foreign leaders call out Drumpf for his, well, bullshit. But now one of the most devastating take-downs of Drumpf is coming from rapper Eminem – and it’s a moment you’ll want to pay attention to whether or not you’re a fan of Eminem or hip hop, because it nails Drumpf with a stunning level of detailed accuracy.
Eminem appears in a four minute video which first aired at the BET Awards on October 10, but has since been posted online. He starts off by quoting Drumpf’s “calm before the storm” line, but then proceeds to launch into his own blistering critique:
“We’d better give Obama props ’cause what we’ve got in office now a kamikaze that’ll probably cause a nuclear holocaust – and while the drama pops and he waits for shit to quiet down, he’ll just cast his plane up and fly around until the bombing stops.”
It gets more devastating from there, eviscerating Drumpf over his policies and his madness.
“The Detroit rap legend pulls no punches and covers a tot of turf in his cypher “The Storm,” from racism to white (or orange) male privilege, political distractions and nukes.”
Lars Brandle
LYRICS
This the calm before the storm right here
Wait, how was I gonna start this off?
I forgot … oh, yeah
[Single verse]
That’s an awfully hot coffee pot
Should I drop it on Donald Trump? Prob’ly not
But that’s all I got ’til I come up with a solid plot
Got a plan and now I gotta hatch it
Like a damn Apache with a tomahawk
I’ma walk inside a mosque on Ramadan
And say a prayer that every time Melania talks
She gets a mou — ahh, I’ma stop
But we better give Obama props
‘Cause what we got in office now’s a kamikaze
That’ll prob’ly cause a nuclear holocaust
And while the drama pops
And he waits for shit to quiet down he’ll just gas his plane up and fly around ’til the bombing stops
Intensities heightened, tensions are risin’
Trump, when it comes to giving a shit, you’re stingy as I am
Except when it comes to having the balls to go against me, you hide ’em
‘Cause you don’t got the fucking nuts like an empty asylum
Racism’s the only thing he’s fantastic for
‘Cause that’s how he gets his fucking rocks off and he’s orange
Yeah, sick tan
That’s why he wants us to disband
‘Cause he can not withstand
The fact we’re not afraid of Trump
Fuck walkin’ on egg shells, I came to stomp
That’s why he keeps screamin’, “Drain the swamp!”
‘Cause he’s in quicksand
It’s like we take a step forwards, then backwards
But this is his form of distraction
Plus, he gets an enormous reaction
When he attacks the NFL so we focus on that in
-stead of talking Puerto Rico or gun reform for Nevada
All these horrible tragedies and he’s bored and would rather
Cause a Twitter storm with the Packers
Then says he wants to lower our taxes
Then who’s gonna pay for his extravagant trips
Back and forth with his fam to his golf resorts and his mansions?
Same shit that he tormented Hillary for and he slandered
Then does it more
From his endorsement of Bannon
Support from the Klansmen
Tiki torches in hand for the soldier that’s black
And comes home from Iraq
And is still told to go back to Africa
Fork and a dagger in this racist 94-year-old grandpa
Who keeps ignoring our past historical, deplorable factors
Now if you’re a black athlete you’re a spoiled little brat for
Tryna use your platform or your stature
To try to give those a voice who don’t have one
He says, “You’re spittin’ in the face of vets who fought for us, you bastards!”
Unless you’re a POW who’s tortured and battered
‘Cause to him you’re zeros
‘Cause he don’t like his war heroes captured
That’s not disrespecting the military
Fuck that! This is for Colin, ball up a fist!
And keep that shit balled like Donald the bitch!
“He’s gonna get rid of all immigrants!”
“He’s gonna build that thing up taller than this!”
Well, if he does build it, I hope it’s rock solid with bricks
‘Cause like him in politics, I’m using all of his tricks
‘Cause I’m throwin’ that piece of shit against the wall ’til it sticks
And any fan of mine who’s a supporter of his
I’m drawing in the sand a line: you’re either for or against
And if you can’t decide who you like more and you’re split
On who you should stand beside, I’ll do it for you with this:
“Fuck you!”
The rest of America stand up
We love our military, and we love our country
But we fucking hate Trump
Eminem
~~GRAPHICS SOURCE~~
DISCLAIMER
I do not own these images.
No intention of taking credit.
If anyone knows the owner of any, please advise and it will be corrected immediately.
~~Eminem Rips Donald Trump In BET Hip Hop Awards Freestyle Cypher~~
The Storm
~~Published on Oct 10, 2017~~
Eminem is back!
And he’s in classic bar-for-bar form blasting at Drumpf from his Detroit home.
The cyphers went crazy too. Peep.
Today, I feel his anger. Today I totally get Eminem. Today I thank him. His anger and indignation expressed my own. Today his facial expression has been my own since the 2016 presidential campaign began.
SNL Trolls Spineless Republicans Who Won’t Stand Up to Trump in ‘The TBD Story’
This is the story of the Republican who stood up to President Donald Trump
MARLOW STERN
03.05.17
There was plenty for Saturday Night Live to dig its teeth into this week, from Attorney General Jeff Sessions recusing himself over a pair of undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador to the embarrassing press tour of Trump’s alleged “man in Moscow,” Carter Page.
It is possible that the late-night sketch show’s plan was thrown into disarray due to President Trump’s series of unhinged tweets Saturday morning alleging that Obama wiretapped Trump Tower (a theory based on zero evidence, and probably culled from a Breitbart story based on an unsubstantiated rumor), but with the exception of an opening bit featuring Kate McKinnon as Jeff Sessions as Forrest Gump, the political satire was lacking this week the comedic talents of Melissa McCarthy and Alec Baldwin.
The GOP’s majority control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives means real, transformative opposition to the Drumpf administration will require Republican support.
The question is:
Who will grow a spine first and finally put country before party?
The “Republican Movie” trailer doesn’t dare to guess – beyond asserting that it won’t be Paul Ryan.
“IOTD” is image of the day, a concept I came up with. I teach visual meditative therapy – or in easy terms – a mini mental holiday. For some people it is very difficult for them to get their image right. I post an image a day for people to use in their mini mental vacay. Some are serious, some are silly, and some are just beautiful!”
Something happened to me when our relationship died,
Something happened to me right when we said goodbye.
I felt so different, I had no heart.
We had broken up before but I felt this was the end,
The end of ever being loved by her again.
What was I to do?
Without her I am so lost,
I feel that she should be paying the cost.
But she isn’t, I am.
I am afraid to love another,
But afraid I should not be,
For I will find another perfect for me.
I am a writer, editor, and marketing/communications professional.
I will also volunteer my services for some non-profits.
I earned my master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, worked as a reporter, and spent most of my career in public relations work for non-profits.
This Woman Protects Endangered Species by Hunting Poachers
The news has been full lately with stories about animals-wild and domestic alike, bringing attention to the consciousness of non-human species and their rights.
Right in sync with this trend a group of retired US veterans who are bringing their courage and expertise to Africa to help defend wild animals in a most unusual way. This special team of US veterans are trained and armed to hunt poachers.
Poaching presents serious problems for already vulnerable wild animal species across the globe and this is especially true in Africa,where many of world’s most rare and amazing species reside and originate. According to the African Wildlife Foundation, rhinos, elephants, and other types of African wildlife may go extinct in our lifetime. An example is the Black Rhino who’s natural population has decreased by a very disturbing 97.6% just since 1960. Some pretty drastic paradigm changes and conscious action must be taken to change the course of our current route on the planet.
~~GRAPHIC SOURCES~~
Google Images
~~GALLERY~~
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One such effort is a non-profit project is called VETPAW (Veterans Empowered To Protect African Wildlife). VETPAW activists enlist retired veterans to invest theiryears of training and experience by locating themselves in Africa to protectwildlife from poachers who seek to hunt and capture these creatures for avariety of reasons.
Grabbing headlines right away for VETPAW with a powerfully intense vibe and stature is Kinessa Johnson, a US Army veteran whose 4 years of service in Afghanistan equipped her well to serve wildlife through the nonprofit.
Kinessa is part of a team who arrived in March and she says “We’re going over there to do some anti-poaching, kill some bad guys, and do some good.”
On March 26th Johnson and the team arrived in Tanzania, launching immediately into action. The team reports that they have already seen a decrease in poaching because of the presence and reputation of the team. The team’s primary focus is to providetraining to the park rangers and to join them in patrolling the premises.
It is reported that park staff are in great need of help.
Johnson explains, “they lost about 187 guys last year over trying to save rhinos and elephants.” Johnson and the team will be training the rangers in marksmanship, field, medicine, and counter-intelligence, among other useful skills.
Johnson, like others on the team, joined with the VETPAW team as an expression of her love for animals and because of the obvious need for help in Africa in particular as it is the continent experiencing the highest rates of poaching across the world, leaving endangered and other species vulnerable to illegal human predation.
The political side of poaching in Africa is equally as dark and tangles as much of the capital gained from the black market trade of illegal endangered animal parts winds up funding war and terrorist activity in Africa. Helping to manage the poaching activity is hoped to bring decrease to conflict across the board.
Johnson says, “After the first obvious priority of enforcing existing poaching laws, educating the locals on protecting their country’s natural resources is most important overall.”
Using social media as a platform, Kinessa Johnson also supports the cause by raising awareness and funds does so through her large and well deserved Facebook and Instagram following which amounts to more than 44,000 people. On her profiles she shares beautiful and amazing photos of African wildlife as well as updates on the activity of her team.
Afghanistan veteran Kinessa Johnson leaves US to hunt endangered species killers
~Published on Apr 6, 2015~
A US Army officer has left the armed forces and is using her military skills to help train park rangers as an advisor and fight against wildlife poachers in East Africa, according to a Daily Mail report.
Kinessa Johnson, a Washington native who served four years in the army as a weapons instructor and mechanic in Afghanistan, decided to join Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife, or VETPAW, a nonprofit an anti-poaching organization last November.
The nonprofit organization’s website says its mission is to help end the poaching of endangered African wildlife by taking advantage of the skills of US veterans and getting them to help train park rangers.
Majority Female Ranger Unit from South Africa Wins Top UN Environmental Prize
The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, a South African and majority-women ranger group, has been announced as one of the winners of the United Nation’s top environmental accolade, the Champions of the Earth award.
With this award, in the Inspiration and Action category, UNEP is recognizing the rapid and impressive impact The Black Mamba Unit has made in combating poaching and the courage required to accomplish it.
UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said, “Community-led initiatives are crucial to combatting the illegal wildlife trade and the Black Mambas highlight the importance and effectiveness of local knowledge and commitment.”
“Their many successes are a result of their impressive courage and determination to make a difference in their community. The Black Mambas are an inspiration not only locally, but across the world to all those working to eliminate the scourge of the illegal wildlife trade.”
~~GRAPHIC SOURCE~~
Google Images
~~GALLERY~~
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Since being founded in 2013, the 26-member unit has also helped arrest six poachers, reduced snaring by 76 per cent, removed over 1,000 snares and put 5 poachers’ camps and 2 bush meat kitchens out of action.
The area that they protect, the Balule Private Game Reserve, is home to an abundance of wildlife – including not only rhino but leopards, lions, elephants, cheetahs and hippos. It is part of the Greater Kruger National Park, a network of over 2 million hectares of protected areas that is home to thousands of birds, impalas, giraffes, wildebeest, buffalos, antelopes, hyenas, crocodiles, fish and zebras.
Protecting the rhino is vital in South Africa, where 1,215 rhinos were killed in 2014 alone. This is an increase of over 12,000 percent since 2004 and symptomatic of a devastating epidemic that has pushed the rhino closer to the edge of extinction.
Leitah Mkhabela, a member of the Black Mamba rangers, said:
“I am not afraid, I know what I am doing and I know why I am doing it. If you see the poachers you tell them not to try, tell them we are here and it is they who are in danger.”
“Animals deserve to live they have a right to live.
Do your part.
When demand ends, the killing will end.
Say yes to life.
Say no to illegal rhino horn and elephant ivory.”
Their difficult, intense and dangerous work both within and outside the park fundamentally undermines the international poaching syndicates that threaten to wipe out populations of rhino and elephant in the wild.
The award, to be presented in New York on the 27 September 2015, is in acknowledgment of this fierce, practical courage.
~UN Says Anti-Poaching Group Are Champions Of The Earth~
~Published on Sep 10, 2015~
The Black Mamba anti-poaching group in Africa just received the UN’s Champions of the Earth Award for Inspiration and Action. The group, composed mostly of women, patrols the Balule Private Game Reserve in South Africa, dissembling snares, looking for poachers and avoiding wildlife.
It Is What It Is 