[legodt]

No, but this new president is appointing a series of people with white nationalist leanings to a variety of posts within the government that do hold a lot of power. It is perfectly reasonable to be in fear right now. Action is always better, but it takes time to reel from and better understand this new threat to minorities and marginalized groups in the US

[aikah]

> with white nationalist leanings

Ah the "white nationalist" narrative. I forgot about that one. There no "white nationalist" appointee. But I guess everybody who isn't a progressive is a "white nationalist" now.

[legodt]

Let me clarify. Jeff Sessions and Steve Bannon are capital R Racists. And now they are in positions of power. People are scared because these people are threatening. If you aren't scared, maybe you should talk to the people who are now living in fear rather than staying in your bubble of privilige. This isn't meant to shame you or put you down for being in a position of privilige, but instead encourage you to start looking at things more intersectionality.

Quick example, Mike Pence has come forward in favor of conversion therapy, a violent electroshock regiment combined with mental abuse to "convert" gay youth to being straight. It has an 800% increase in suicides among "outpatients." If you are straight, this might not scare you. But, if you don't have that privilege and identify as lgbtq+, you don't have as much as a choice but to be terrified that this man is one heartbeat from the presidency and has been promised by the president to have a large amount of influence in the administration.

https://theintercept.com/2016/11/18/career-racist-jeff-sessi...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/18/th...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/14/steve-bannon...

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/opinions/trump-bannon-ben-ghia...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/is-trumps-new-chief-...

[wildmusings]

Show me evidence that Jeff Sessions is racist, or that Mike Pence supports electrocution therapy. These are wild allegations with no factual basis.

The "articles" that you link are just opinion pieces that are themselves devoid of real evidence. Please call out in particular what evidence would lead you to make these vicious allegations against these two men.

[legodt]

Okay, here is an addition he made to a bill for providing government funding to help people with HIV/AIDs

"Congress should support the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act only after completion of an audit to ensure that federal dollars were no longer being given to organizations that celebrate and encourage the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus. Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior."

If that doesn't scare you, I'm scared of you.

I'm tired of racists pretending to be victims and using the language of the left when they are called out on their bigotry, please stop perpetuating this.

Edit from the future: The Southern Poverty Law Center also agrees on this https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2016/11/18/jeff-sessions...

[wildmusings]

I see nothing about electrocution therapy in there. I don't agree with Mr. Pence'a traditional view of homosexuality, but you're attacking a straw man.

>I'm tired of racists pretending to be victims and using the language of the left when they are called out on their bigotry, please stop perpetuating this.

Being a leftist doesn't give you a license to lie. Give me a break.

If he weren't a highly public figure, you would be guilty of libel for your original post.

[legodt]

What do you think those institutions are? Do you really believe that gay kids can be converted into being straight? Here's some more reading about Mike Pence and human rights:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/mike-pence-isnt-...

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/07/mike-pences-top-seven-hom...

And here is a survivor recounting what it is like to be "provide[d] assistance to ... change their sexual behavior."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/realities-of-conversion-...

[narrowrail]

Sexual conversion therapy sounds nuts to me, and I bet the majority of the country. If it comes to that point (where actual federal legislation is a possibility), I assure you many of us will be protesting in the street. I, personally, consider it as likely as me being killed by a terrorist (i.e. not very).

[kafkaesq]

The allegation that Pence supported electroshock therapy appears to be unfounded. However, it's now well-established that back in 2000, at least, his campaign was in favor of state-mandated "conversion therapy". Do you really want someone like that as VP?

As to Sessions, per WP:

Figures also said that Sessions had called him "boy," which Sessions denied. Figures also testified that two assistant prosecutors had also heard Sessions, including current federal judge Ginny Granade. Granade denied this.[24][16] He also testified that "Mr. Sessions admonished me to 'be careful what you say to white folks.'"[25] Sessions was also reported to have called a white civil rights attorney a "disgrace to his race."[27]

In addition to his joke about the KKK, his undisputed reference to the NAACP as "un-American" and "Communist-inspired" and his open contempt for civil rights legislation, generally. It's also really hard not to interpret his remarks that "almost no one" coming from the Dominican Republic had useful skills to offer as not indicative of a racist mindset.

It's good that we all seem to be on the same page about Steve Bannon, at least.

[wildmusings]

1. Mr. Pence did not support "state-mandated" conversion therapy. There's a long way between giving funding to organizations that offer a service, to mandating that people partake in it.

2. I'm not convinced by the smears against Mr. Sessions. His record, which includes desegregating schools and prosecuting the case that led to the execution of a KKK member responsible for a hate crime, speaks more of him than some unsubstantiated allegations and a joke. The NAACP is way more than a civil rights organization. They are very political and do not have unanimous support even among blacks. His comments about the socioeconomic makeup of immigrants from the DR has nothing to do with race. It is actually a very valid point to be critical of low-skill immigration when the US has a tragic surplus of low-skill labor.

3. The accusations against Bannon are the most ridiculous of all. He's someone with a history of service to country. Many Jews, gays, blacks, and hispanics have all come out in his defense.

[kafkaesq]

1. Mr. Pence did not support "state-mandated" conversion therapy. There's a long way between giving funding to organizations that offer a service, to mandating that people partake in it.

"Mandated" in the sense of being presented as a requirement for life-saving medical treatment. In fact, it's hard to get more "mandated" than that.

I'd go on, but the logic in your other points is similarly muddled.

[hackuser]

> There no "white nationalist" appointee

In fact there are, including Steve Bannon. There also are religiously prejudiced appointees, such as Michael Flynn and Jeff Sessions. IIRC, that's 3 of the 4 appointees announced so far.

[woofyman]

Sessions is a drug warrior and against sentencing reform. He also voted against the don't tell don't ask repeal act of 2010.

[hackuser]

I'm not sure what you mean. If you are adding to what I said, I agree. If you mean that your comment contradicts what I said, that doesn't make sense to me.

Also: The war on drugs is to some extent oppression of minorities, who are disproportionately targeted both by law (their vices get serious jail time, others' get treatment; look at the former crack/coke disparity, prescription drug abuse, and the focus on treatment and compassion now that heroin is a rural problem) and by law enforcement and the judiciary, where racial bias is well-established in research.

I believe that there is evidence that Nixon explicitly said he was pursuing it for that reason (also to go after people on the left).