Wow! I really thought that having DT on vacation in Mar-a-Lago would mean that there would be little news, but I should have foreseen he'd go on a Twitter binge. I'm still adding quite a bit of content to Thursday and Friday, so feel free to track back. Anyway, let's get to what's going on, starting with DT's unhinged social media screeds.
- On February 4th, 2017, DT went on a multi-tweet rant about how the Muslim ban (which he had insisted was not a ban, but now refers to almost exclusively as "the ban") is a great idea, insulted a Federal Court judge, displayed his complete ignorance of immigration law and the US government's three branch system, and once again lied about the New York Times issuing an apology to its readers for their coverage of the election and that their readership is failing (it is actually up since the results of the election, and continues to increase every time he pops off on them). Later this evening, he plugged his interview with Bill O'Reilly on de facto State Television Network Fox News, and then got in one more tweet about how "bad people are happy" that the courts have, at least temporarily, lifted the Muslim ban. I'll let his own words speak for him, here (screenshots below, click to enlarge).
- On February 4th, 2017, despite DT's Twitter tantrum, the Department of Homeland Security suspended all actions enforcing the executive order preventing entry to the US by visa holders from 7 majority Muslim nations, among other extreme and unnecessary screening procedures for all visa holders.
- On February 4th, 2017, a lawyer for DT attempting to defend the Muslim ban told the judge for the hearing, "We actually don't think you're supposed to look at whether it's rationally based," in response to the judge's statement that the executive order has no basis in truth.
- On February 4th, 2017, Think Progress reported on the jubilant reaction to reports that DT will rename and restructure the counter-extremism program to focus solely on Muslim extremists, despite the fact that the vast majority of terrorist attacks committed in the US are perpetrated by white nationalists and white supremacists.
- On February 4th, 2017, responding to the USDA's removal of thousands of records related to the Animal Welfare Act, which regulates the treatment of animals in research labs, puppy mills, circuses, and zoos, the animal rights organization Beagle Freedom Project posted a whitehouse.gov petition demanding that the records be re-published. Feel free to sign if you don't want puppies to abused.
- On February 4th, 2017, Milo Yianopoulus announced that he will be going back to Berkeley to attempt to give the speech he was unable to give on Wednesday when his event was canceled due to direct action by protestors, particularly the black bloc. No date is currently set for the white supremacist's make-up appearance.
- On February 4th, 2017, police officers responded to a call at a Jewish Temple in Chicago where a neo-Nazi broke windows and placed swastika stickers on the two front doors, putting to rest any questions about whether or not neo-Nazis are back and emboldened by the current administration.
- On February 4th, 2017, several ant-fascist Twitter users warned others of a website that had been registered a few days ago that had been "hacked" with racist messages, but then had been "reclaimed" and was now taking sign-ups. The website, antifascism.org, appears to be a honey pot designed to collect information on anti-fascists and their allies. DO NOT VISIT THIS PAGE. Source below:
- On February 4th, 2017, protests against DT and his executive orders continued around the country, including one in DC, one at Mar-a-Lago where he is vacationing and holding a gala with tickets reported at $50,000 a plate, and one in New York at the historic Stone Wall Inn for LGBT people and their allies. Some images and video from Twitter below (additional protests have been listed since this was first posted, with more details on Mar-a-Lago):
- On February 4th, 2017, DT's pick for Secretary of the Army, Vincent Viola, withdrew his name for consideration after realizing that he could not simultaneously run his family's high-speed trading firm while in the position. It is unclear why the rules apply to him in regards to divesting himself of business conflicts while not applying to other nominees such as Betsy DeVos, or even DT himself.
- On February 4th, 2017, a swastika was found carved into a hillside in Danville, California, a suburb of San Francisco, near a community center. As yet, no one has been named as a suspect.
- On February 4th, 2017, about 3,000 protesters in Palm Beach marched on Mar-a-Lago, DT's private club where he is vacationing this weekend, in protest of the executive order banning entry to the US for visa holders from 7 majority Muslim nations.
- On February 4th, 2017, a subway car was vandalized with swastikas and anti-semitic messages on every ad in the subway. A straphanger suggested using alcohol to remove the permanent ink, and several other riders pitched in with hand sanitizer, tissues, and help removing the graffiti.
- On February 4th, 2017, hundreds of protesters marched on Representative Tom McClintock's Town Hall meeting in Roseville, California, to tell the congressman they "didn't want him falling in line with the Trump administration."
- On February 4th, 2017, thousands gathered at San Francisco's city hall to rally against DT's so-called Muslim ban and his promise to build a wall along the Mexican-US border.
- On February 4th, 2017, the Standing Rock Sioux posted on Facebook that, despite asking those opposed to the Dakota Access Pipeline to leave the camps where they have protested since last year to leave they do not want "law enforcement to assist in clearing camps and have repeatedly told them there will be no forcible removal."
- On February 4th, 2017, a Canadian citizen and Muslim woman was denied entry at the US border because customs officials found Muslim prayers on her phone that she willingly unlocked for them. She was also asked several questions about her religion and whether she was aware of DT's executive order travel ban. She responded that she did not keep up with the news from the US as she was busy with three children. Nevertheless, she was refused entry. She was driving to Vermont to go shopping.