In his New York Times column this week, David Brooks dubs a rising segment of the GOP as White Identitarian.  The identity of this group was  complicated in its development, but straightforward in its result – overt racism.  White Identitarians may or may not be simply racist; its worse than that.  This group, which has risen from 6% of the party in 2005 to 40% today apply minority standards to themselves.  What this means is that these white people feel discriminated against and are aggrieved by that perception.  They want minority standards applied to themselves, even though they are in the majority.  An example of this behavior is the White Lives Matter folks that has emerged to oppose Black Lives Matter.

Like many cultish like groups, White Identitarians reinforce their own belief that they’re being treated unfairly by talking only to each other and getting their “news” from propaganda outlets that repeat that myth.  The idiocy of this belief reveals itself when these folks say something really stupid to normal people resulting in mockery. For example, they believe the term “old white guy” is actually racist and/or sexist.  Saying that is silly, of course, but these folks actually believe it and get even more offended when someone like me laughs at them.

The dangerous element of this belief?  Donald Trump is playing to White Identitarians giving rise to overt racist behavior such as we witnessed in Charlottesville a few weeks ago.  Overt racists have taken control of the GOP, and radical gerrymandering has put these overt racists (and morons) in positions of power in Washington and state capitals all over the country.  It’s tearing the GOP, and indeed, the country, apart at its racial seems and needs to be exposed for what it is – white supremacy.  Period.

How do you fight this?  Head on.  You have to call racism racism.  This is not dealt with by equivocation and the “both sides” argument.  Like Brooks says in this column – white identitarianism is noxious.  It is poisoning the GOP from within and will destroy our democracy if not stomped out quickly.

When a loose collection of neo-Nazis, White Supremacists, and assorted other alt-right dumbasses amassed in Charlottesville, Virginia last week to scream about everyone they hate including Jews, African Americans, and Muslims, they were “protected” from non-existent oppression by another loose collection of weirdos. This particular group was made up of camo-clad goofballs armed more heavily than local and state police complete with body armor, semi-auto rifles and side arms, and with enough other tactical gadgets to give any gun nut a hard-on. One of those groups, the Pennsylvania Light Foot “Militia”, was there, playing dress up and parading around like they were some kind of actual military or law enforcement group, which they most certainly are not.

This “militia”, which is really just a group of paranoid white guys who like to run around in the Pennsylvania woods playing war, is lead by Christian Yingling, who names among influencers in his life cynical carnival barker and

From Vox:

Too good not to share.

A graphic published by the Southern Poverty Law Center is telling – it documents when Confederate monuments were built around the country.  Interestingly, there are two spikes in the placement of monuments; the Jim Crow era and the civil rights era.  Confederate named schools were especially popular during the time of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.  One can draw only one conclusion here – these monuments were erected to “honor our heritage”, they were erected in a fleeting attempt to hang on to a by gone era where whites held dominion over African Americans.  Have a look (click the little one to get the big one):

A lot of us have been engaging in a drinking game since Cheeto Jesus’ inauguration.  Here’s the game: Think of the absolute worst person that he could nominate for an administration position, and when he nominates that person, DRINK!  Personally, the game has been tough on my liver these last 7 months.  Well, we have a new drinking game that we can start right away…

Think of the absolute LAST criminal that any sane president would pardon, and when he pardons that person, DRINK!  That’s right, folks – we have a new game.  Think of the LAST person on the planet, especially in light of the events of last weekend, that Trump should pardon.  The last person that any president, no matter how tone deaf and ignorant, would let off the hook…

That’s right, folks, Donald Trump, Worst. President. Ever., is “seriously considering” pardoning…wait for it…former Arizona sheriff Joseph Arpaio, recently convicted of criminal contempt for ignoring a judge’s order to stop rounding up and persecuting Latinos.  Arpaio is probably one of our country’s most famous loud-mouthed bigots, who came to notoriety for violating the civil and human rights of thousands of people, dressing them in pink underwear, housing them in sweltering tents in the desert, feeding them rotten food, and and unjustly imprisoning them in these conditions with almost complete impunity until recently.  When the jig was up, Arpaio shot the justice system the finger, continuing his unlawful activities until charge with contempt.

Naturally, Trump simply can’t abide any kind of reasonable verdict for one of his base’s most favorite racists, so he’s announced to Fox Noise that he’s seriously considering pardoning him.

It’s morning, but I’m drinking.