Even racists are criticizing President Donald Trump's responseor lack thereofto the murder of unarmed Black man George Floyd by police.

With unrest overtaking the United States in response to the murder, Trump referred to protestors as "thugs" before ultimately turning off the exterior lights of the White House and hiding in the underground bunker.

Trump's eagerness to recede from public in the face of demonstrations in front of the White House prompted far-Right author Ann Coulterwhose own racism has given her notoriety in Republican circlesto tweet a cheeky rebuke of Trump.

Coulter jokingly mused that Trump had secretly resigned.

On Monday, Trump chastised governors for being what he described as "weak." He then called for the imprisonment of protestors for as much as 10 years.

Ironically enough, Trump's own responsecowering in an underground bunker of a darkened White Housewas considered the actual weak response.

For once, people found themselves agreeing with Coulter.

Though some are surprised at Coulter's criticism, she's actually been a critic of Trump for some time now. While most people criticize Trump for stoking the flames of racism and bigoted anger, Coulter criticizes him for not being racist enough, especially when it comes to his failure to build the long-promised wall at the southern border.

She wasn't the only one who felt Trump's response was weak.

Where is the President?

Visit link:

Ann Coulter Perfectly Mocks Trump's Absence of Leadership in This Time of Crisis With Savage Tweet for the Ages - Second Nexus

Antifa shortfor"anti-fascist" is the name for loosely affiliated, left-leaninganti-racist groups that monitor and track the activities of local neo-Nazis. The movement has no unified structureor national leadershipbut has emerged in the form of local bodiesnationwide, particularly on theWest Coast.

Some of the groups, such as the 10-year-old Rose City Antifa in Portland, the oldest antifa group in the U.S.,are particularly well-organized andactive online and onFacebook,while its members are individually anonymous.

President Trump has singled out antifa as part of what he calls the alt-left in his initial claim that "many sides" were to blame for violence in Charlottesville the weekend of Aug. 12, not just the neo-Nazis, KKK and white nationalists.

How is it pronounced?

"AN-tifa" with the emphasis on the first syllable, which sounds more like "on" in English than "an."

When did it start?

Anti-fascist groups, particularly in Europe, have been around for many decades, notably in Italy, against Mussolini, and in Germany, against Hitler. In the postwar period, antifa groups resurgedto fightneo-Nazi groups, particularly in Germany. In the U.S., the anti-fascist movements grew out ofleftist politics of the late '80s,primarily under theumbrellaof Anti-Racist Action.

What does the movementwant?

Theprimary goal is to stopneo-Nazis and white supremacists fromgaining a platform rather than to promotea specific antifa agenda. The antifa groups aredecidedly anti-racist, anti-sexistand anti-homophobia, but also by and large socially leftistand anti-capitalist.

How do the groupsoperate?

Mark Bray, a lecturer and Dartmouth andauthor of the new book Antifa: The Antifascist Handbook,says the groups "organize educational campaigns, build community coalitions, monitor fascists, pressure venues to cancel their events, organize self-defense trainingsand physically confront the far right when necessary."

A main goal is to try to deny fascists a public forum, which is why they turn out in numbers to physically confrontneo-Nazis, the KKKand white supremacists atpublic demonstrations. They also step in to protect counter-protesters at such events.

In addition, antifa is particularly active in"doxxing," or identifying neo-Nazis and like-minded individuals and disseminatingthat private information to the public and employers to discourage people from joining their ranks.

Is antifaviolent?

Memberspointedly do not eschew violencebut rather see themselves as engaging in "self-defense," protecting other protesters and primarily confronting neo-Nazis and white supremacists to deny them a platform to publicly spread their views.

"We are unapologetic about the reality that fighting fascism at points requires physical militancy, Rose City Antifas Facebook page reads. Anti-fascism is, by nature, a form of self-defense: the goal of fascism is to exterminate the vast majority of human beings.

Political activist and author Cornel West, speaking to Amy Goodman on the program Democracy Now about the clashes in Charlottesville, saidantifa intervened when the "neofascists" move against his group of protesters."We would havebeen crushed like cockroaches if it were not for the anarchistsand the anti-fascists," he said.

Bray says the riseof fascism in the 1930s demonstrates that it wasa mistake to allow such groups to air their views in hopes that public opinion would blunt their growth."We should be wary of those who are more distressed about alleged violations of the speech of fascists than the actual violence they perpetrate," he says.

Where has the movementdemonstrated?

In addition to Charlottesville, antifa forces, whooften dress inblack and wearmasks, have confronted or clashed with far-right groups in such places as the University of California at Berkeley,where protests by West Coast antifa forces, some of whomsmashedwindows and setfires,forced the cancellation of aspeech by alt-right activistMilo Yiannopoulos in Februaryand another by conservative commentator Ann Coulter in April.

In June, antifa forces turned out to protest a pro-Trump free-speech in Portland. Some antifa counterprotestersbegan throwing objects at police, who responded with flash grenades and pepper balls, according to the The Oregonian.

Antifa was also out in force in Juneto confrontPatriot Prayer, a free speech groupprotesting political correctness and hatred at Evergreen State Collegein Olympia, Wash.

Read more from the original source:

What is antifa and what does the movement want? - The Glen Rose Reporter

It's a tense 6th night of protests with curfews in dozens of cities.

Trump Goes After Biden

Tweets about Law and Order

Chastices Philadelphia

On Fire in Every Direction

Trump Hides in Bunker

After chastising everyone but himself, Trump then Fled to a Bunker as Protests Raged Outside White House.

Ann Coulter Picked Up On Trump's Hiding

"To anyone worried that Trump is AWOL as America implodes, rest assured: I'm told he's tracking down some very promising Joe Scarborough leads," said Coulter.

China Goads Trump Over Protests

Coulter is not the only one going after Trump. 'Mr President, Don't Go Hide' China mocks Trump.

Should Beijing Support the US Rioters?

Russia Involved?

Nah. It's Hong Kong.

Where the Hell is Trump?

Why hasn't Trump made a national address asking for calm.

Newsday has an explanation.

Some of Donald Trump's advisers and media allies thought presidential leadership called for him to address the nation, to be a voice of calming and healing as protests and riots ignited by the police killing of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, plunged the nation into the most widespread unrest in a half-century. Trump didn't because he had nothing to say, no tangible action or policy to announce and doesn't feel a need to bring people together, a senior official told The Washington Post.

It wasn't just Democrats who called out Trump. South Carolina's Tim Scott the only black Republican in the Senate and a sometime sounding board on conservative African American viewpoints told "Fox News Sunday" that Trump's tweets are not constructive tweets, without any question.

Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan called them "just the opposite of the message that should have been coming out of the White House.

A Better Explanation

If Trump thought for one moment it would help him to attempt to calm thing down he would have done so.

Strike that. He would have attempted to do so.

Instead he will wait until things calm down, then give a speech, then claim to have calmed things down and that no one could possibly have calmed things down any better or faster.

The Epitome of Rioting Irony and Ignorance in One Tweet

In case you missed it, please see The Epitome of Rioting Irony and Ignorance in One Tweet

Meanwhile, Twitter still works from the bunker and the S &P futures are flat.

What a glorious evening.

Mish

Here is the original post:

"Law and Order" President in Hiding as D.C. Burns - TheStreet

Broad brush

This is in response to the May 24, 2020 letter from Michael Boyle, who suggests that all Republicans are knuckle dragging lemmings who are concerned about transgender people and not about property and grocery taxes. Wow, I did not know that I felt that way. Mr. Boyle paints with a broad and very biased brush. The transgender issue is probably regarding the governors veto of a bill relating to a transgender bill regarding boys and girls athletics in the public school system. Is it fair to have someone transition from a boy to a girl and compete against girls? Of course not, any more that a girl becoming a boy and being unable to adequately compete against the boys. Maybe there should be a category for transgender students alone. That would keep it fair for all concerned. And, to say that Republicans are not interested in the increase of taxes is, quite bluntly, uninformed. Another broad brush example. The one thing I did take away from Mr. Boyles letter is to understand gender selection. There appear to be two new genders where I am a knuckle dragging lemming Republican while Mr. Boyle is a fruitcake.

William Logsdon Sr., Boise

Masks

Maybe it would be a good idea to show people wearing masks rather than people not! Your article on masks and deaf people shows the woman and her daughter at the mall with no masks. What kind of an example is that for all those people that I am seeing without masks. I dont like masks either but I wear them because I care about everyone else around me!

Joyce Harrison, Boise

Entertaining

Who would have thought a sitting President could turn-out to be so entertaining? Of course that is predicated on being home bound during the pandemic and finding little to amuse myself. Being a certified senior citizen, I recall the early years of television when Uncle Miltee, Bozo the Clown, and Howdy Dowdy would work their magic to lighten my childhood. But now my adult life is burdened with a very different brand of comedian. I am sure Mr.Trump must spend hours conjuring-up tweet presentations to generate laughter. But, at some point, I hope he will turn his attention to serious matters afflicting my daily life. Only then will there be a chance to find solutions. (I am hopeful)

Michael Miller, Boise

Work

Do you think it is right for Governor Little to draw a paycheck while he is denying so many Idahoans the opportunity to work?

Pembroke Rathbone, Marsing

Preparations

Flooding and natural disasters like the earthquake Idaho recently experienced and the projected busy hurricane season in the South could have a devastating compounding impact in communities while also suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress needs to continue the important work being done to increase investments in natural disaster mitigation now, so we are better prepared in the future.

One proposal being discussed in Congress would establish a revolving fund to provide states with low-interest loans for flood mitigation projects. Planning is critical in mitigating damage caused by natural disasters. The National Institute of Building Sciences found that, on average, every $1 invested in disaster mitigation saves $6 in disaster costs.

We are fortunate that the recent earthquake in Idaho did not cause major infrastructural damage during this challenging time and that this year it appears that we are not at high risk for runoff or flooding in our river and low-lying areas. However, in the future, we might not be as fortunate. I urge Senator Crapo and others in our Congressional delegation to consider this proposal to ensure we are prepared for the future.

James Manning, Caldwell

Respect

Lazy Patriotism. I write this letter on the Friday before Memorial Day. A day set aside to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty and freedom. Idaho in particular is a patriotic state. Folks here love to display the flag on their homes and businesses as an act of patriotism. But the display of our countrys flag should not be a lazy act whereby we set it and forget it. This week Gov. Little issued a proclamation declaring that flags should be flown at half staff until Sat. May 23 at midnight in honor of Wyatt Maser the Bonneville County Sheriffs deputy who was killed in the line of duty. President Trump has ordered the flag at half staff on May 24 for victims of Covid-19 and May 25 for Memorial Day. For those who have a flag on permanent display at their homes or businesses, please pay attention to proper flag etiquette and the orders of our state and national leaders. It saddens me to see a worn out, tattered flag, or a flag at full staff when it should be lowered on these special occasions. Those we honor by flying the flag deserve nothing less than the full respect that comes when the rules are followed. Let us be characterized as a people who are diligent in how we display the national colors, not by being lazy and failing to follow those orders for display at half staff.

Bill Nichols, Caldwell

Sheriffs

Last weekend I came out of my house to approx. 13 Sheriffs cars in front of my house and down the street. I learned that they were there since approx. 4:30 am to break up a party. I also was told that guns were drawn. I was waiting for more info from your paper but found nothing. Any reply?

Mike Prunk, Star

Makes sense

Tommy Ahlquist, in his guest commentary on Tuesday, asks some great Why nots? He advocates fighting our common enemy, COVID-19 and abandoning our useless political rhetoric which is sucking up all the oxygen. He asks Why not wear a mask, stay six feet apart, and cough in our sleeves? This horrific pandemic gave us all an opportunity to unify against a common enemy and instead we have injected politics into the battle against the virus. I read his commentary as I sat outside of an automobile dealership in Nampa because I saw NO ONE wearing a mask and there was little, if any, observable social distancing. I sat outside because I didnt feel safe going into the building. The service advisor recognized my discomfort and was very kind and I appreciate that. But, why are businesses and citizens alike not following recommendations to mask, social distance, and in general, exhibit concern for each other. It only takes one person who has the virus without knowing it to recklessly endanger everyone they come into contact with by not wearing a mask or by keeping some social distance. Its not that hard. It might be what we need to do to get our economy going again, bring back jobs, open schools, keep people out of the hospital. We need to do it to buy time before a vaccine is available. Isnt that worth it? Thanks for printing Dr. Ahlquists column. He makes a lot of sense.

Susan Fillman, Meridian

Health

I want to thank and commend those businesses that show they care not only for their employees but also for their customers by requiring their employees wear masks and installing shields between the cashiers and customers. I especially want to thank shops that require customers wear a mask also. Shops that require their employees wear a mask are sending a message that is loud and clear: We care about our employees and our customers health.

Jean Weingartner, Boise

Speak out

I have asked this before, and I will ask it again. What will it take of our Congressmen in Washington to stand up to Trump and his lies? Their job is the fight for us, not to tow the party line. Romney, Cherney, and even Ann Coulter have spoken out against Trump lately. His recent Tweet accusing Joe Scarbourough in the tragic death of his Congressional aide back in 2001 is not only unfounded, but has caused undo anguish to her grieving widow. His fight to crush voting rights, by pushing to stop mail in ballots, is a blow to our democracy. Its also humorous, because he himself voted by absentee ballot. I am asking every Idahoan who loves this country, to speak out. Write your Congressmen, and if you dont get a satisfactory answer, use your voting rights, and replace them, and Trump with someone who will fight for the good of this country! Trump, Crapo, Risch, Simpson, and Fulcher are not doing their job!

Michal Voloshen, Boise

Competition

Our country currently has the highest number of unemployed Americans since the Great Depression. While many of the 33 million workers who have filed for unemployment since the coronavirus crisis began expect to be rehired, many jobs will not come back. The solution? We take this time as an opportunity to rebuild our country with a long-overdue investment in our infrastructure. Infrastructure put 1930s America back to work. With lower educational barriers to entry, these jobs teach in-demand skills that pay livable wages. They offer family-sustaining salaries, mobile career paths and health benefits that are now more important than ever. We need that here in Idaho, where infrastructure improvements are long overdue and thousands are waiting to get back to work. By investing in Americas infrastructure, we will not only provide millions of people with jobs, we will keep our country competitive.

Joe Maloney, Filer

Health

I want to thank and commend those businesses that show they care not only for their employees but also for their customers by requiring their employees wear masks and installing shields between the cashiers and customers. I especially want to thank shops that require customers wear a mask also. Shops that require their employees wear a mask are sending a message that is loud and clear: We care about our employees and our customers health.

Jean Weingartner, Boise

Mayhem

I am very embarrassed for the United States.

Thanks! You'll start receiving the headlines tomorrow!

First, we allow our nation to be shut mostly down because of a virus, the Wuhan Virus that only kills 3.5 % of those that contract it.

If people would have, once they discovered that they might have the symptoms, stayed at home, rested, then rest some more, hydrate, take two Bayer aspirins and then return to work or school once the virus had run its course.

But no!

Every aspect of life had/has been either curtailed or completely shut down for waay too long.

The paranoia and bat feces crazy over-reaction by the millions of germaphobes in this country is almost comical.

You would swear that they think that if they were to catch this virus it would mean certain death!

OH...THE HUUUMAAAANIIITY!

Governor Little handled this all too wrong, he should have trusted the individual business owners to use their best judgement as far as what procedures to use in order to insure safety to their employees and patrons.

Instead, we get treated like school children who need the government to tell us what we must do.

Fast forward to last weeks unintentional death in a Minneapolis neighborhood of george floyd, who resisted arrest from the time that he refused to get up from a sitting position on the sidewalk to not turning around when he was first told to so that the officers could get their handcuffs on him.

Millions of people make their expert analyses based upon what they observed with the officers knee upon the SIDE of floyds neck.

Of course few people are going to wait for the police cam videos to reveal what happened once floyd was walked to the police car and around.

Now what does Minneapolis get? Destroyed and pillaged buildings and mayhem.

Doug Sweaney, Caldwell

Boxes

Load Your Thinker, They Think Outside the Box

Boise is planning to test its sewage for COVID-19. The USPHS used it to detect polio virus in the Ohio River after the mass vaccine programs in the 1950s and 1960s. I used it in 1964 to prove pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella) in the lower Boise River which led to its clean up and the current recreational status it has now.

Oh yes, the box. Resources permitting, I would start drilling sampling collection holes in the sewage effluent pipes of each school and test for COVID-19, opioids, and fentanyl. The data would focus on prevention efforts and guide future collections. Your suggestions for additional boxes?

Fritz Dixon, Meridian

View original post here:

Letters to the editor, May 31, 2020 - Idaho Press-Tribune

According to a new poll, more than 40% of Republicans believe that Bill Gates wants to work on a vaccine for Covid 19 so that he can implant people with microchips. This is what Fox News and conspiracy theory radio does to your brain. These Republicans have left the land of reality behind, and they are now in need of serious help, as Ring of Fires Farron Cousins explains.

Transcript:

*This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.

According to a new poll conducted by YouGov for Yahoo news, more than 40% of Republicans are drop dead stupid. Now, thats not exactly what the poll is telling us, but that is what the polls actually telling us because according to this new poll, more than 40% of Republicans who say that their primary, primary source of news is Fox news believe that Bill Gates motivation for trying to develop a vaccine for Covid 19 is because he wants to implant microchips in billions of people across the planet so that he can then track them? Control them? We dont quite know yet, I guess, what Bill Gates true motivation is here with the microchips. We just know that microchipping them is step one. We will get to step two later as far as this conspiracy theory goes. If they ever develop a step two because, you know, being implanted with a microchip is bad enough.

We dont need to know what theyre going to do with it. Folks, this is terrifying news. 44% of Republicans polled who say they get their news from Fox news say that they believe Bill Gates wants to microchip everyone. Thats why hes trying to come up with this vaccine. I have to read this paragraph. This is absolutely bonkers. This is from CNET. It says the representative survey of 1,640 US adults by YouGov for Yahoo news found that half of respondent Americans who say Fox news is their primary television news source, believe the conspiracy theory. Its the largest group responding to this way, followed by self-described Republicans and voted for Donald Trump in 2016. 44% of both those groups said they believed the conspiracy theory was true. 26% of respondent Republicans said it was false and 31% said they werent sure. So 31% of Republicans in the poll were asked like, hey, do you think that Bill Gates is trying to microchip billions of people through a Covid 19 vaccine?

I dont know. They, they literally werent sure, like they didnt know one way or the other. So only a quarter, a little one point over a quarter, 26% of Republicans said, no, no, thats not true. Literally the rest of them either said, yes, it is true or I dunno. Folks, this is the kind of Republican party were dealing with today. But this is what happens when your primary source of news is either Fox, which is totally fake or conspiracy theory, right wing radio. You know, we like to think that Alex Jones and Glenn Beck are the only crazy ones out there pushing absolutely absurd conspiracy theories, but theyre getting it all over from conservative media. You know, Rush Limbaugh is out there saying things that are false and fake and Ann Coulter is, and Michelle Malkin is, and all of these folks that a lot of us like to forget even exist. Theyre out there every single day pushing fake stories, some more outrageous than others.

Like when they claim that, and this wasnt necessarily limited to the United States, but when we heard the claim that the 5G towers were helping spread coronavirus and that led to attacks, attacks in the UK on 83 5G towers. These people will believe anything and unfortunately as this poll proves, they will believe the craziest of the crazy conspiracy theories to the point where we have almost half of Republicans saying, yeah, thats true. Bill Gates wants to microchip me for whatever reason. Unfortunately, we dont know. Maybe we wont know until the microchips get implanted, but I guess were just going to have to wait and see, or at least thats what Republicans think we have to do. The question I have, and I do not have an answer for this, but its how do you fight this level of crazy, right? How do you convince these people, not just that theyre wrong about this, but that theyre wrong about other things? I, Im afraid that the answer is you cant. These folks are too far gone. If youre at the point where you believe that a software CEO wants to put a microchip in you through a vaccine for a disease, then Im afraid theres nothing I can do to help you except give you the name of the nearest mental health facility.

Visit link:

New Poll Proves 40% Of Republicans Are Complete Idiots - The Ring of Fire Network - The Ring of Fire Network

A recent poll shows Trump is in the lead in 15 key states. Let's investigate.

Hannity reports Joe in Trouble: Trump Beating Biden in 15 Battleground States

A shocking new poll spells big trouble for Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden; showing President Trump beating Biden in 15 battleground states that will likely decide the 2020 election.

583 People Surveyed

The poll was conducted by SSRS for CNN.

The CNN Poll was conducted by SSRS May 7-10 among a random national sample of 1,112 adults reached on landlines or cellphones by a live interviewer, including 1,001 registered voters and 583 voters in battleground states, defined as the 15 states decided by 8 points or less in 2016 -- Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Survey Math

583 people / 15 states = 38.9 people per battleground state.

Surveying less that 40 people per state then averaging them together is of course ridiculous.

So, let's dive further into individual state polls.

Latest State Polls

Those are not in date order. Rather, they are in the order in which FiveThirtyEight presented them.

The SSRS poll is clearly ridiculous, but that is what happens when you poll an average 39 people for 15 states then lump everything together.

Shocker

If you are looking for a shocker, look no further than Georgia.

Georgia was not supposed to even be in play for Biden, yet the more recent of the two polls has Biden in the lead.

Not a Shocker

Hannity all of a sudden believes a poll sponsored by CNN.

Mish

Continued here:

Trump in the Lead in 15 Battleground States? Don't Believe It - TheStreet

If, like MDJ editor Jon Gillooly, you want to visit your fragile grandmother, but dont want to infect her with plague, consider taking a spin by Kennesaw State Universitys main campus as he recently did to be tested for the coronavirus.

Jon drove over just before lunchtime on Wednesday, May 13.

If you have parked there over the years as he has to hear various campus speakers from Ann Coulter to Angela Davis, you may find it disorienting to see Georgia National Guardsmen in uniform and facemasks waving you in instead of students with backpacks walking this way and that.

The first guardsman instructs you to roll up your window and drive into the deck. Another asks for your license.

Do you have an appointment? You do not, but all is well. You simply call a number provided and tell the operator your information.

Next, youre advised to drive ahead to the testing station set up on the ground floor of the deck, a station with tables stacked with various testing paraphernalia. The masked nurses are washing their hands as a guardsman approaches your car door and tells you to put the car into park. This will prove important in a bit. A nurse, masked and wearing a face shield, greets you at your drivers side window and warns not to move your head as she unwraps a long strip of material.

Yes, she nods, at which point she inserts the strip into your left nostril, pushing it so deep inside your head its a good thing your car is in park.

Count to 10, she orders, but really, when youre impaled like this, all you can do is pray for it to be over.

Pulling out the first strip without any noticeable mercy, she inserts a second one, this time into the right nostril, driving it so far back it meets your earliest childhood memories.

For some reason you had thought the test would involve something easy, like licking a postage stamp. Wrong.

Eventually, though, a friendly guardsman appears to say its all over, and to call this number after 48 to 72 hours for the results.

You see him mouthing the words, not understanding a thing he said.

48 to 72 hours, he repeats.

He could be speaking in tongues as far as youre concerned.

He patiently repeats himself a third time, at which point you get the message and thank him for his service before driving out of the deck, never to return. All told, less than half an hour from entrance to exit.

Jons results came the following Monday, a little long to wait, in his opinion, but a relief that he could safely visit his grandmother, who is in her nineties.

Would he do it again, he is asked, now knowing what to expect?

Let's just say Grandma, sainted though she is, will be getting phone calls rather than in-person visits for the next good while.

OPENING UP: In an interview published by Education Dive, former Cobb Schools Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, now superintendent of the Dallas (Texas) Independent School District, was asked what advice he has for superintendents making decisions to reopen school. Hinojosa, who preceded Chris Ragsdale as Cobb super, answered the question this way:

Dr. Michael Hinojosa Staff/file

As you make these big, important decisions that a lot of people are depending on you for, you have to realize that you're at a different stage than everybody else. First, people are angry, then they're in denial, then they grieve, and then they accept.

So what happens is when you're making these decisions, you're probably already at acceptance.

But a lot of people are at different stages they're just now getting angry, they're just now going into denial. So you've got to take that into consideration.

No matter what you do, you're going to get criticized. So you need to think about what's in the best interest of your students, your families, your staff, your community. Realize you're going to take some heat. That's the cost of doing business when you're the CEO of a public entity like this. But you've got to be able to empathize that people are in different stages of [processing].

And then you can't be wishy-washy. Normally, you can be overturned by the school board and by the mayor. But at some point, people are looking to you for leadership. And that's the penalty of leadership: You sometimes have to make a tough call when you're out there by yourself.

But you have a lot more information than everybody else has as they're starting to process everything that's about to happen to them.

REPORT CARDS: The Atlanta Coalition for Educational Equity, a group of educators, administrators, parents, students and community leaders, who advocate for policies and practices that expand educational opportunities for metro Atlanta students, have given some of Cobbs school board candidates their report cards.

The group, created in September, has so far weighed in on Democratic Post 5 candidates Dr. Julia Hurtado and Tammy Andress, as well as Democratic Post 1 candidate Vickie Benson.

The boards Post 1 seat is held by Randy Scamihorn, and the Post 5 seat is held by senior board member and Vice Chair David Banks.

The ACEE flunked Banks and one of his Republican challengers, Matt Harper, for not answering a questionnaire sent to all candidates. Though a post on the groups Facebook page shows Republican Post 5 candidate Shelley O'Malley, Post 1 incumbent Scamihorn and Post 7 candidate and school board Chairman Brad Wheeler did not respond to the questionnaire, they have not yet been given a report card.

Democratic Post 7 candidate Lindsay Terrebonne is said to have answered but has also not yet received a grade.

The highest-rated candidate so far has been Benson, who the group gave an A.

The groups questionnaire includes four questions: 1. Will you fully commit to working with other board members to reopen board public comment? 2. Will you commit to supporting the creation and funding of a Chief Equity Officer role who will conduct an equity audit of Cobb County Schools? 3. Do you commit to supporting policy solutions that arise from the equity audit? 4. Will you commit to prioritizing the establishment of a Community and Family Engagement Office to serve as a liaison for families, community partners and school councils?

Candidates respond with a yes or no.

In Bensons case, every answer was yes, and from the candidates survey answers, the ACEE says it has concluded she has a strong commitment to equity, backed by a plan that is well thought-out.

The group says Benson advocates for the implementation of data-driven policy solutions and offers ideas about engagement activities outside of currently existing structures (i.e. PTA, school council, etc.).

Andress, meanwhile, has received a B. All four answers were yes. The ACEE says Andresss responses show she is committed to equity among students and supports a nonpartisan approach to governance. The group also says Andress believes in the need for better communication between the school board and the community.

Hurtado received a B-, placing her just below Andress. All four answers were yes. The ACEE says Hurtado is strong on issues of equity and believes an chief equity officer role should be a priority in the budget but lacks specifics on a plan for achieving equity.

SPEAKER CIRCUIT: The Cobb Chamber of Commerce is hosting a business recovery webinar on the legal guidance for reopening. The event is from 11 a.m. to noon on Wednesday. The panel includes attorneys Neera Bahl, Dave Cole, Scott Gregory, Christina Moore, Justin ODell and Chamber Chairman John Loud.

GALA CANCELED: The Center for Family Resources says it will not reschedule its postponed annual gala in 2020, opting to hold the next one in 2021. The CFR had to cancel its Diamonds in the Garden Anniversary Gala in March due to the pandemic.

The decision to reschedule the event will allow CFR staff and supporters to focus on providing emergency assistance to those financially impacted by the pandemic. The CFR staff are busy working through support requests from hundreds of families in need. More than 1,000 calls have been received since March from those impacted by COVID-19, the center reports.

See more here:

AROUND TOWN: On being tested for COVID-19 at Kennesaw State University - MDJOnline.com

Former presidential candidate Julin Castro has a convincing theory about why Everyone Hates Ted Cruz.

In Episode 11 of The New Abnormal, The Daily Beasts podcast for a world gone off the rails, Castro talks to co-hosts Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson about Trumps chances to take Texas in 2020 (not great!), Joe Bidens you aint black comment (also not great!), and sycophantic fellow Texan Ted Cruz (even worse!). Remember when Trump insulted Sen. Cruzs family members? Yeah, everyone does.

If somebody goes to your face and insults your wife and your father and then you just go over like a dog, people start to think that youre totally insincere, Castro says.

Plus, Castro explains how Latinos are the key to getting Trump out of office and why he thinks Biden has a shot at winning over Democrats and independents alike: They want sanity back.

Then! Rick and Molly discuss Trumps amazing workout regimen, the chlamydia vs. COVID smackdown in the Ozarks, and golfs new turn as the dumbest of MAGA signifiers.

Theres this idea that because youve been locked up for a certain period of time with your family and your pets, that the whole thing is over and its very Trumpy. This idea of were good, were back to work, everythings on. Its all done.

And of course, the two discuss Trump tweeting a conspiracy theory about Joe Scarborough, aka, turning something absurd into a reality for the stupid.

Plus! Welcome to the resistance, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions and Ann Coulter! (J/K, youre both awful racists.)

Listen to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

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Julin Castro on Why Everyone Hates Ted Cruz - The Daily Beast

Watching some of televisions prominent news and entertainment personalities practicing social distancing, it is interesting to see how they look outside the studio.

As they broadcast from remote locations, their self-chosen home settings can tell a lot about them perhaps more than they would like. Clearly, in this pandemic, its a challenge to maintain glamour in the absence of make-up people and hair stylists. A lot of the normally attractive teleprompter readers now just look like anyone else you could be waking up next to in the morning. That sense of the ordinary can be seen in CNNs Chris Cuomo, isolated in his basement and wearing a sweatshirt, or Lady GaGa as she sings a fundraising song from her kitchen. I noticed she has the same toaster oven that I have.

NPR commentator Amy Walter has a book collection behind her, befitting her status as a news analyst. I could see No Ordinary Time, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and David Herberts biography of Abraham Lincoln. Her Monday night counterpart, Tamara Keith, chooses not to have any books displayed. Instead, she has certificates of achievement and posters behind her. Lisa Desjardins broadcasts from a stark living room no pictures on the wall, no books, and she is seated before a fireplace that looks as if it has never been lit. Theres a weird lamp behind her. White House beat reporter Yamiche Alcindor has Ta-Nehisi Coates Between the World and Me, prominently displayed face-out on a shelf above her. NPR news anchor Judy Woodruff talks to us in front of an impressive rack of books, including Jon Meachams Destiny and Power and Bushs Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Look Presidential by James Moore.

Watching a clip featuring John Harwood, CNNs Whitehouse correspondent, as he was seated in front of his bookshelf, I could read titles like Michael Kranishs Trump Revealed and Its a Long Story: My Life, by Willie Nelson. CNNs political commentator John Avlon had a biography of Herbert Hoover behind him.

The at-home settings of political candidates can tell a lot about what they value by what is or isnt on the shelves. In a video conference from home, Bernie Sanders had no books on display but two nice pictures of Vermont on the walls behind him. In his taped campaign messages, Joe Biden has a lot of books in his basement study. Most of them like, The Making of the President 1960 by Ted White, were written before 1980.

Ill admit that it is rare that I switch over to Fox News. I did see where Lara Logan has Michael Waltzs Warrior Diplomat on her shelf. I would expect the other Fox personalities to have titles like The Conscience of a Conservative, by Barry Goldwater, Pat Buchanans Right From the Beginning, Stealing America, by Dinesh DSouza, and books by other conservative authors like Mark Steyn, Michelle Malkin, and Ann Coulter. There would be a lot of American flags in the background, and perhaps a framed picture of Donald Trump on the wall. Im guessing Sean Hannity would have Ted White and Blue, by Ted Nugent, in his collection.

Now, you might wonder how I would showcase myself, should I ever do a television interview from my home. First of all, it wouldnt be shot in my office. That would give truth to what my wife has always said about me. Id set up a book case behind my easy chair in the living room with a picture of a clipper ship on the wall. On the shelves you would see pictures of my dogs; a copy of Mayflower, by Nathanial Philbrick; My Turn at Bat, by Ted Williams; and Drive: The Story of My life, by Larry Bird. Id include a complete set of Robert B. Parker novels, and a bunch of my own books that Ive written all face out. And Id shave.

Jim Coogan is a Register columnist. Reach him at coogan206@comcast.net.

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COOGANS BLUFF: Its all in the bookshelves - Wicked Local

Canadian singer Bryan Adams is getting dragged for a tweet where he seems to blame China and bat eating for the coronavirus outbreak.

The Summer of 69 singer said had it not been for the coronavirus, he would have begun a tenancy of gigs at the Royal Albert Hall, an iconic venue in London.

Thanks to some f*cking bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy b*stards, the whole world is now on hold, Adams tweeted late on Monday.

The singer didnt stop there. He then added that besides wanting to say thanks a f*cking lot, he wanted to tell people in China to go vegan.

The tweet has since been deleted from the singers account, but the rant is still on his Instagram account, although he has deactivated the comments.

People on Twitter are absolutely slamming him for his comments that play off the fear and the xenophobia around the mythical bat soup, which was incorrectly rumored to have caused the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Oh my god thank GOD we can cancel Bryan Adams now, writer Amil Niazi wrote. Every time Summer of 69 comes on the radio Im tempted to crash my car.

While there were some who argued Adams comments werent problematic, such as far-right commentator Ann Coulter, most people argued that the bat eating comment was racist.

I was today old when I found out Bryan Adams is a racist, Twitter user @MelaKatie wrote.

There was also a section of Twitter users who didnt know there was a difference between the singers Bryan Adams and Ryan Adams. Most said they couldnt be bothered to learn now.

Bryan Adams desperately tries to regain the f*cking worst trophy from Ryan Adams after years of fierce competition, one Twitter user wrote.

But more than anything, people are shocked that the singer has yet to apologize for his remarks and that theyre still on Instagram. Some are ready to call his career quits.

Pours out a little on the ground for Bryan Adams career, a Twitter user wrote.

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*First Published: May 12, 2020, 9:21 am

Sierra Juarez is a freelance journalist and fact-checker based in Mexico. She most enjoys writing about human rights and politics and working in audience engagement. Her work has appeared in the Texas Tribune, the Austin AmericanStatesman, and the San Antonio Current.

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80s rocker Bryan Adams blamed coronavirus on bat eating - The Daily Dot