General Commentary Archives | Patriot NOT Partisan

Racism in the United States, patriotism, and the United States Military

June 24, 2020 Civil Rights, General Commentary

For most of my life I grew up on an Air Force Base. I wanted to work on aircraft more than anything and I joined the USAF right after graduating from high school. I continued to serve for 23 years and retired from active duty in July, 2010. Many people join for many different reasons, but one thing is the

My Own Personal Trump

May 27, 2020 General Commentary

Steve’s prized possession is a picture of him shoulder to shoulder with trash talk-show host Maury Povich, taken on set after Steve finished a cringe-worthy guest appearance any sane person would spend a lifetime trying to forget. But he didn’t. He bragged about it, and often. It was his 15 minutes. After Steve married into my family in the late

On March 22

March 25, 2020 General Commentary

On March 22, 2020 COVID-19, Wuhan Flu, Corona Virus, whatever you want to call it, went from invisible to having a face to me. A young, beautiful, vibrant, full-of-life, life face. No matter your religious persuasion, it is not possible this young, beautiful, vibrant, full-of-life, life is not looking down over us all taking on an epic proportion battle against

America Through the Eyes of a Sixteen-Year-Old

January 21, 2020 General Commentary

In eighth grade, my English teacher asked my class for something no one had ever wanted before; she asked for our opinions, and I don’t mean our opinions on what we thought Johnny meant when he told Ponyboy to “stay gold”. She wanted to know how we felt about the world around us – abortion, gun rights, police brutality, climate

A Survivor of Revenge Porn

January 16, 2020 General Commentary

Being the victim of a federal crime is not how I expected to get my 15 minutes of fame. In October of 2018, my husband was running for the state legislature and I was managing his campaign. Three weeks before the election, he received threatening emails insisting he drop out of the race. Attached to one of those emails was

Trump Tax Cut Song

September 19, 2019 General Commentary

At the very early stages of the Trump administration, a little known band from Milwaukee, Happiless, cut a prescient pop song which eerily predicted the dark path America has taken since the 2016 election. Called “Hopscotch Town”, the song is about a place which is willing to ignore all kinds of inhumanity as long as the economy is humming along.

The Un-American History of America First

September 13, 2019 General Commentary

They say that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. But, that presumes that those who do remember the past, and those who do not, wish to avoid a recurrence. President Trump routinely evokes two phrases from the past: “fake news” and “America First”. The phrase "fake news" is strikingly similar to Adolf Hitler’s “lugenpresse”, German

Tri-Caucus Amicus Brief on Public Charge Rule

September 11, 2019 Civil Rights, General Commentary

Trump's #PublicCharge rule is motivated by racism & intended to deny healthcare to vulnerable families. That's what Rep. Chu & leaders of the The Black Caucus, Hispanic Caucus, & CAPAC have told courts in a brief filed this week to stop the rule from going into effect. Below is the amicus brief that was submitted on behalf of the tri-caucus yesterday

Patriot Not Partisans own Ken Mejia- Beal is running for office!

August 8, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

I met Ken Mejia-Beal at the pizza restaurant where folks gather after local Township Democrat meetings. I took a seat across from this handsome African American man who had an infectious laugh and a slight Southern accent. Ken Mejia-Beal immediately struck me as an authentic, "what you see is what you get" kind of guy. He is intelligent, warm, and

The Republican Identity Crisis

July 29, 2019 General Commentary

During my grad school days in the early 2000s, when I was just learning to teach, I used to lie to my students quite a bit. For example, on the first day of class, I often introduced my married self to my class using the word partner instead of wife. I thought I might learn something about my students by

The Only Criterion for Selecting the 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate…

July 25, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

By way of introduction, I used to be a Republican, am now an Independent, and intend to vote for every Democratic candidate in all upcoming elections until the Republican Party regains its moral principles (if ever). I have a modest proposal about which I am entirely serious but which has zero chance of being adopted. Here's what the Democrats should

Fundamentalists Have Chosen Their Side

July 17, 2019 General Commentary

A two-party system has the unfortunate side-effect of reducing nuanced approaches to multi-faceted issues to simple binaries: us vs. them, or right vs. wrong, Christian vs. non-Christian. Fundamentalists have exploited this tendency for years, staking out labels like “Christian” or “evangelical” in popular media, and thereby pushing a narrative that the other side is the one opposed to Christianity and

Open letter to Speaker of the House and Florida Representatives.

June 25, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

I am writing a letter to request to speak in front of the house chambers as a concerned American citizen and a former Trump supporter and voter. I have been a Conservative Republican for so many years, until this past year when I registered as a Democrat. I have witnessed firsthand how dangerous conservative propaganda can be, especially how it’s

The Progressive Case Against Impeaching Trump

June 24, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

Let’s get this out of the way: Donald Trump has committed impeachable offenses. It’s clear that Robert Mueller believes Trump obstructed justice. His disregard for the constitution is evident in his steadfast refusal to allow his staff to comply with Congressional subpoenas. He refuses to remove staff who violate the law like Kellyanne Conway. He uses his bully pulpit to

Chemical Castration and Alabama

June 20, 2019 Economic Issues, General Commentary, Healthcare

When people think about Alabama and what it's famous for, of peanuts, college football and Lynard Skynard come to mind. Many would like to think that it would welcome progressiveism to overcome its terrible history of Jim Crow laws. However, recent legislative actions in the state have proven that no matter how much good comes out of the actions of

Former Trump supporter endorses Warren for President

June 6, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

I would like to officially endorse Senator Elizabeth Warren as the next President of the United States of America. This decision wasn't easy, especially with the candidates running in the Democratic Party. Her story, and her values in what she is fighting for got to my heart the most, because her values are what I envision a liberal Democrat should

The Certainties of Impeachment

June 5, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

Now that Special Counsel Mueller has spoken publicly about his findings, the time has come for a discussion about what know. While the understanding of what we know and don’t know might become clearer as we move forward, a number of facts have been pretty thoroughly established. For example, we know the Trump campaign courted assistance from a hostile foreign

Are You Going To Wait Until There Is?

February 5, 2019 General Commentary

This is a question I ask of Speaker Pelosi and democrats who oppose common sense border security simply because the President is Donald J. Trump. Let me put this in context. Despite countless examples of icon democrats: B Clinton, H Clinton, Obama, Pelosi, Schumer, and more -- voting for and speaking on the problem of illegal immigration more aggressively than

On the Weakness of Wealth

January 26, 2019 General Commentary

While wealth is seen by most as a good thing, as a strength in both the individual and in society as a whole, we do ourselves a serious disservice when we ignore the weakness that wealth, especially concentrated wealth, creates. In a time of abundant wealth in the United States, wages are stagnant for working people, poverty is on the

Chicago

January 19, 2019 General Commentary, Immigration

I was raised on the Southside of Chicago - 79th and Hermitage to be exact, in a community called Auburn Gresham. Over the weekend of August 3rd, 2018, 74 people were shot in Chicago. Two weeks later, 58 more. Many of these victims were shot in my old neighborhood. This great city is the victim of many social injustices. It

It’s Time to Take Care of Moms

January 18, 2019 General Commentary, Healthcare, Women in the Age of Trump

When my first daughter was 9 months old, I experienced crippling postpartum anxiety. It had been building for several months, and, like a giant snowball slamming down a mountainside, it finally flattened me. I was so worried about my daughter’s health and safety that I could not sleep at night. I threw up before I had to leave her in

Elizabeth Warren Exploratory Committee Announces Hires with Deep Iowa Experience

January 4, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

Boston, MA - The Elizabeth Warren Exploratory Committee today announced that four operatives with extensive Iowa experience - Kane Miller, Emily Parcell, Janice Rottenberg, and Brendan Summers - have joined the exploratory committee as it plans for the early states and lays the groundwork for a potential presidential run. Kane Miller is a veteran organizer. He got his start in politics

Why I’m Running to Be the Change the California Democratic Party Needs

January 3, 2019 Elections, General Commentary

If you’d have asked me before if I was ever going to run for any type of public office, my answer would have been no. I’ve spent the majority of my career supporting those in elected office and getting others elected. But then a few things happened. In 2017, 26-year-old Gemmel Moore was found dead of a meth overdose in

Immigration

December 31, 2018 General Commentary, Immigration

The United States President continues to persist on having his wall, even if it cost the taxpayers 5 billion dollars. Many inhumane incidents have been happening south of the border since Trump presidency began, for example separating children from families and locking them up in cages. Border agents throwing tear gas at families with kids, and the last incident a

Fear, Empathy, Healing & The ‘Democrat Epithet’

December 18, 2018 General Commentary

On November 10th, 2018 (the anniversary of my mom's transition date), my fellow Me Too March International organizers & I, held the 2nd annual 'Me Too Survivors March' in downtown Los Angeles. The message this year was 'survivor empathy, offender responsibility, forward strategy' As an athlete turned actor turned empathy-coach, I was trained in the TPO (toxic power-over) arena, where you use

Yeman War Power Act

December 13, 2018 General Commentary

There are two things you should never let your children see being made: sausage and policy. The House & Senate War Powers Resolutions were complicated to begin with, so most journalists and politicians aren’t able to explain half of it. For the wonkiest of wonks, here is some information about the two separate Resolutions invoking the War Powers Act to end

David Weissman’s vow to the American Jewish community

November 5, 2018 General Commentary

For those who don't know me, I am an American Jew currently living in Israel. Most of my life I have been a conservative Republican, and always defending Israel and the Jewish people. I believe in the lineage that connects the Jewish people no matter where they are from to the Holy Land. I have always fought for conservative principles

End the “Lock her up” chants and leave the Clintons alone

October 23, 2018 General Commentary

United States, home of the free. Where in the legal system Americans have the right of Due Process, where every American is innocent until proven guilty, except the Clintons. Why do conservatives, especially Trump supporters hate the Clinton family so much to the point that they don't even acknowledge their American rights? The Clintons as a whole have done so

Why CREDO is taking on Ted Cruz & the NRA

October 23, 2018 Elections, General Commentary, Gun Violence

A picture is worth a thousand words. This time – the picture represented the 36,231 Americans who died from or were affected by gun violence from Jan. 1 through Aug. 15 of this year alone.1 Over the last few weeks, dotted artwork of right-wing Sen. Ted Cruz popped up around public places in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, Texas, catching

Newtown Action Alliance Endorses 233 Congressional Incumbents and Candidates Who Support a Federal Ban on Assault Weapons

October 23, 2018 Elections, General Commentary, Gun Violence

Newtown,CT - The Newtown Action Alliance is proud to endorse 21 Senate and 212 House of Representatives incumbents and candidates for the Midterm Elections on November 6, 2018. The endorsed candidates are either incumbents who have cosponsored Senator Diane Feinstein (S. 2095) and Representative David Cicilline’s (H.R.5087) Assault Weapons Ban legislation or 2018 Midterm candidates*who have made a commitment to support a

Self-Defense Gun Use is Rare, New Violence Policy Center Study Confirms

September 12, 2018 General Commentary, Gun Violence

Washington, DC — New research from the Violence Policy Center (VPC) confirms that, contrary to what the firearms industry and gun lobby claim, private citizens rarely use guns to kill criminals or stop crimes. The new study, Firearm Justifiable Homicides and Non-Fatal Self-Defense Gun Use, utilizes recent federal data which shows that private citizens use guns to harm themselves or

PROVOCATIVE BACK TO SCHOOL COLLECTION MAKES DEBUT AT NY FASHION WEEK

September 7, 2018 General Commentary, Gun Violence

Activist group Change The Ref uses fashion to make powerful statement on student safety and to demand change in the wake of increased school shootings. NEW YORK, NY - On Sunday, September 9, Change The Ref will take their Back To School Fashion Show on the road, debuting their provocative collection featuring children in bulletproof vests, at New York Fashion

Tea Time with Sean Casten

September 6, 2018 Elections, General Commentary

In District 6 of Illinois, there is much buzz about a man that can change the face of the district. This man is named Sean Casten. Sean earned a B.A in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Middlebury College. He went on to work for two years as a scientist at the Tufts School of Medicine in a lab investigating dietary

Why Is It Violent To Call People ‘White’? #NVC

August 30, 2018 General Commentary

In the last few weeks, the president of the United States, has referred to Americans of African-Ancestry as unintelligent, unwitting, animals, who originate from a blood-thirty, crap-hole continent of farmer-killers & land-stealers (project much?)! The 'no-bias here' talking point is that 'black' unemployment is at an all time low, so how could any presidential comments be deemed as offensive or

Tea Time with David Masciotra

August 27, 2018 General Commentary

I was looking for something to read and I ran across “Barack Obama: Invisible Man “. I was so captivated by it, I did something I very seldom do, I researched the author. That is how I found David Masciotra. David is an author, lecturer, and an outspoken critic of the problems we face culturally as a nation. He has

Newtown Action Alliance Opposes Use of Federal Funds to Arm Teachers

August 27, 2018 General Commentary, Gun Violence

Implores Donald Trump and Congress to Pass Sensible Gun Laws Instead Newtown, CT- Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance, released the following statement after the New York Times reported that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is considering diverting Title IV grant dollars allocated for our community schools, 21st century and afterschool programs to arm teachers with guns: The majority of

Trump’s racism

August 21, 2018 General Commentary

Last week, the President of the United States yet again lashed out in a tweet. This time he attacked NBA star Lebron James and CNN News anchor Don Lemon: “Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!” Until recently, I was an

What’s Allowed

August 16, 2018 General Commentary

In today’s climate, a great deal of attention has been given to the way that we as a culture treat women. If you review the rights of women from the start of this country until now, on paper there has been tremendous growth. By paper, I mean per the law. My question however, goes deeper than law: are women really

Politics and Brotherhood

August 9, 2018 General Commentary

Can a candidate for public office be viable today having also been a member of an organization that excludes and targets for violence people of a particular category? Most Americans now take it for granted that if you’re revealed to have worked with the KKK, you can no longer be under consideration for Congress or state legislature. So what do

National Rolling Hunger Strike for Family Reunification Kicks Off in Oakland, CA

July 31, 2018 General Commentary, Immigration

After Trump Administration Fails to Meet Deadline, Moms and Allies Begin Wave of Fasts Demanding Justice for Migrant Families Oakland — After the government failed to meet a court-ordered deadline to reunite immigrant families Thursday, Bay Area parents and grandparents began a three-day hunger strike—the first in a series of fasts across the country calling for separated parents and children