White Privilege Wednesday

 Family Guy meme explains skin tone difference between protest and riot.

Every day is a white privilege day living in America though today’s chronicle will explore race relations through recent news reports:

• 90% of people who tested positive in Mission District San Francisco worked away from home; 95% were Latinx.
•  “African Americans… are 15% of our population in Illinois but they’re 43% of the cases of COVID-19.” - Senator Tammy Duckworth. 
• After the Black Panther Party protested outside CA Capitol in 1967, Gov. Reagan and NRA lobby passed Mulford Act to repeal public carry of loaded firearms.
• Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms discussed the life-or-death risks of opening up Georgia for business earlier than medical experts recommend.  
• Ahmaud Arbery was murdered while jogging. The killers have not been charged though GA district attorney wants to convene grand jury. 
• Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk was criticized for calling stay at home orders fascist. Musk also announced birth of son with girlfriend Grimes.  
• Black Census Project polled 30,000 re: aspirations, beliefs, concerns, and views.
• Blue Lives Matter supporters who want to ReOpen are now anti-police. 
• Coronavirus is becoming a recruitment tool for extremists and white supremacists.
• Gun sales and domestic violence on the rise; arrests are down due to decreases in policing.
• Hate groups in the US have grown 30% in the past 4 years.
• Karen Pence is the ultimate Karen. 
• MI protestors carried nooses and Confederate flags and swastikas.  #MichiganTerrorists and #WhitePrivilege trended after armed protestors gathered inside MI Capitol. Trump tweeted support for the protestors.
• Robert Downey Jr. personified satire of white privilege in his Tropic Thunder role.
• Tale of two cities: how NYC police enforce social distancing by the color of your skin.
• Todd Bridges dropped some white privilege wisdom in Little House on the Prairie.  
• Viral video exposed double standard between conservative and indigenous protests.

10 Reasons to Support Black Lives Matter 

Traitor v Patriot satire

In the spirit of sharing softer news and/or silly vibes:

• Explore American revolutionary history online through Jamestown and Yorktown museums.
• Fort Defiance near Lenoir, NC was home of revolutionary war hero William Lenoir.
• Professor Eric Cline explained the collapse of the Bronze age civilization. 

Daily pandemic update:  

Russia recorded more than 10,000 coronavirus cases for the fourth day in a row, bringing its total number of cases to 165,929.  US President Donald Trump announced plans to dismantle the coronavirus task force by June in order to focus on reopening the economy. Trump said Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, the two senior medics who took prominent roles in the task force, would remain as advisers.  China condemned Hong Kong protesters as a "political virus" warning the territory would never be calm until the protesters were removed. A statement described protesters as violent people and said China's greatest responsibility was maintaining order and safeguarding national security. In Argentina, a new report by the nonpartisan think-tank Center for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (CIPPEC) declared that a million citizens could be working from home if they had reliable internet service in their communities.  Aljazeera.com timeline

6 May 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
7:40 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	3,671,812	3,740,583	253,241	258,481	1,211,210	1,247,191
US	1,214,023	1,237,761	69,974	72,275	188,069	200,669
NY	327,374	330,139	24,944	25,204	53,345	53,731
CT	30,173	30,621	2,556	2,633	65	65
NC	11,972	12,511	442	470	1,808	1,808

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC. 
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/     https://www.coronainusa.com/  

A moment of silence for those we’ve lost to coronavirus, including the first 100 in the US.

In the news: 

• CA Gov Newsom announced agreement on protocols and procedures to reopen beaches.
• CBS 60 Minutes drew 9.1 million viewers Sunday during its latest update on the pandemic economy, more than twice as many as President Trump’s Fox News town hall at Lincoln Memorial which brought in 3.8 million viewers.
• CDC warned coronavirus cases and deaths will soar as more states reopen.
• Fact check: new White House press secretary made false claims in first briefing.
• Feds arrested 2 men for fraud related to PPP small business loan program.
• Investigation is pending to determine if McConnell pressured federal judge to retire.
• John Ratcliffe faced scrutiny during intelligence chief confirmation hearings.
• Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is in the hospital with gall bladder infection.
• Landlord faced backlash after bragging about holding tenants’ packages in lieu of rent.
• Leaked intelligence report alleging China intentionally concealed coronavirus to stockpile medical supplies is drawing scrutiny. Chinese state media accused Pompeo of lying.
• Miami Beach park closed after 7,000+ people were warned for not wearing masks.
• NC retail stores will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity beginning Friday.
• Need for blood and platelets, especially from donors with COVID-19 antibodies, is at an all-time high but gay men still face bans that keep them from donating. 
• Officials in Lund, Sweden dumped chicken manure in city park to discourage large crowds, and to fertilize the grass.
• Philippines government forced ABS-CBN broadcaster off the air.
• Post corona air travel will bring higher ticket prices, longer waits, and temperature checks.
• Putin awarded Kim Jong Un a commemorative WWII medal marking 75th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. 
• ReOpenNC held small fourth rally with 200 protestors after co-founder left group.
• SC woman attacked and killed by alligator after getting too close.
• Senate secretary rejected Biden’s request for Tara Reade document search. Opinions split whether allegations deserve to be heard and investigated. 
• Someone blasted song Live and Let Die as Trump toured AZ Honeywell mask factory without wearing mask.
• Taiwan rebuffed WHO, said China has no right to represent Taiwanese people.
• Thousands lined up for emergency food packages in South Africa as the nation faces high unemployment during the pandemic.
• Trump campaign touted pandemic response in American Comeback tv commercial following Lincoln Project release of Mourning in America video.
• Trump is planning to disband coronavirus task force. Bye, Felicia Fauci.
• Trump said Fauci won’t testify before House subcommittee because they are Trump haters.
• TX salon owner sentenced to 7 days in jail for opening business despite stay at home order.
• US Treasury will distribute $4.8 billion in pandemic relief funds to tribal governments.
• US was absent from virtual global summit to raise funds for coronavirus vaccine.
• Venezuela: 2 US citizens arrested following failed attempt to overthrow Maduro.
• WHO urged countries to investigate early COVID-19 cases.  
• WV woman charged with mishandling NSA top secret classified information.

  

Following Kenny Beck’s lead to share a few signs of hope:

• 7 year old sickle cell patient beat coronavirus.
• Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization adjusts to continue helping kids.
• Children learn responsibility through educational farm’s baby animal rental program.  
• Man celebrated with friends after recovering from COVID-19 coma.
• Veterinarians built set of wheels for Pedro the turtle after he lost his hind legs.

In my personal life…

For me, "believe women" means listen to women, take their claims seriously and investigate. It does not mean accept whatever women say without question. I don’t know if Tara Reade’s allegations against Joe Biden are true or not. Since there were no witnesses, we may never know definitively. Still, I have no objection to her claim being discussed and investigated. Would rather vet the issue now, 6 months before the November election, than pretend it doesn’t exist or wait until October to face it.

All things considered, I thought Biden’s response was reasonable and respectful, especially since he encouraged archived records to be released. It doesn’t seem to me like he is trying to hide anything. He was vetted before Obama chose him as a running mate so if there were reports or rumors of misconduct, surely claims would have been investigated.  

I voted for Bernie Sanders in the NC primary. However, I plan to vote for Biden in November. I recognize he is a flawed candidate, but he is not nearly as flawed as President Trump – a man accused of sexual misconduct by 24 women.   #Biden2020, #ByeDon, #GoJoe, #WeKnowJoe.

Laurie Goff explains why black people support Biden

PS: I’m a white woman, but I’m not a Karen.

PPS: We ate bacon and pancakes for brunch yesterday. The Mexican casserole reheated well so our Cinco de Mayo dinner last night was delicious!