Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche’s last words were words of love.

Namkai-Meche, 23, was one of the victims in a hate-fueled attack on a train in Portland, Oregon, on Friday. While dying of a stab wound, he reportedly told one of the young women he helped save: “Tell everyone on the train I love them.”

It’s no surprise, then, that Namkai-Meche’s family is continuing to fight back against the hate that’s plaguing the area. His mother, Asha Deliverance, has written an open letter to President Donald Trump, which family members provided to HuffPost on Tuesday.

In the letter, she encouraged Trump to be a be a “President for all Americans.”

“Please encourage all Americans to protect and watch out for one another,” the letter reads in part. “Please condemn any acts of violence, which result directly from hate speech & hate groups. I am praying you will use your leadership to do so.”

Letter at link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/condemn-violence-portland-heros-mother-pens-open-letter-to-trump_us_592d769ce4b053f2d2ae33a4?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

This is an important view into the alt right mindset. It truly is an alternative universe where they are the victims:

Guardian
County GOP chair James Buchal says security forces may be appropriate as tensions rise after two people died in a racial attack on public transport

As tensions continue in Portland following the racially charged murder of two men on Friday, the top Republican in the city said he is considering using militia groups as security for public events.

snip

Multnomah County GOP chair James Buchal, however, told the Guardian that recent street protests had prompted Portland Republicans to consider alternatives to “abandoning the public square”.

“I am sort of evolving to the point where I think that it is appropriate for Republicans to continue to go out there,” he said. “And if they need to have a security force protecting them, that’s an appropriate thing too.”

Asked if this meant Republicans making their own security arrangements rather than relying on city or state police, Buchal said: “Yeah. And there are these people arising, like the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters.”

Asked if he was considering such groups as security providers, Buchal said: “Yeah. We’re thinking about that. Because there are now belligerent, unstable people who are convinced that Republicans are like Nazis.”

snip

“Our enemies are more dangerous than ever” he continues. “We are really in a life and death battle for the future of our society. And these globalist people are not going to give up.”

“If we don’t tell out fellow citizens that there are these dark forces in the government, like the CIA and the shadow government, who are trying to take Trump down with lies, who is going to tell them?”

Lots more:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/29/portland-attack-republican-james-buchal-militia-groups?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=228382&subid=20993289&CMP=GT_US_collection

This raises some interesting constitutional issues. What do you all think about this?
I remember going to one of the ACLU resistance events a few months ago, and they clearly said they defend the rights of everyone and that we may not agree with the positions of some they defend.

I live in Portland, and what Mayor Wheeler said is so true. "Our city is in mourning, our community's anger is real, and the timing and subject of these can only events can only exacerbate an already difficult situation." I can see this from both sides. I don't know the answer. I wonder if there is any legal position under circumstances such as this where the constitutional argument could be suspended for public safely or ...this seems like a slippery slope.

The Oregonian/OregonLive

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has asked the federal government to revoke a permit for what he described as an alt-right demonstration planned Sunday at Terry Schrunk Plaza across from City Hall.

Wheeler also said the city will not issue permits for such events, and appealed to the organizers to cancel them. He asked the federal government not to issue a permit for a second event, an anti-Muslim march planned for June 10th.

"Our city is in mourning, our community's anger is real, and the timing and subject of these can only events can only exacerbate an already difficult situation," Wheeler wrote on Facebook, referring to the stabbing attack on a MAX train Friday that left two men dead and a third wounded. "I urge them to ask their supporters to stay away from Portland."

snip

The purpose of the June 4th free speech rally in downtown Portland is to "bring back strength and courage to those who believe in freedom," according to the organizer's Facebook page. Vancouver-based Patriot Prayer has held other "free speech rallies," including one in Montavilla last month where the suspect in the Friday MAX train killings – Jeremy Joseph Christian – attended and reportedly yelled racial epithets and "Die Muslims!"

Event organizer Joey Gibson has distanced himself from Christian, and told The Oregonian/OregonLive "we were clearly asking (Christian) to leave" the April event.

Wheeler's statement that the city would deny permits to alt-right demonstrators could raise constitutional issues. According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, governments can require permits for peaceful protests as long as they "treat all groups the same."

"The government cannot impose permit restrictions or deny a permit simply because it does not like the message of a certain speaker or group," according to the ACLU of Oregon's website.

When asked whether Wheeler believes his refusal to grant permits is constitutional, spokesman Michael Cox responded that the mayor "believes it's right."

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2017/05/ted_wheeler_to_federal_governm.html#incart_big-photo

Note GA early voting starts May 30.

Thanks to DUer dmac for these links:

BREAKING: New Lawsuit Filed Over Georgia E-Voting

(APN) ATLANTA — Two Georgia voters and a national advocacy organization filed a new lawsuit challenging Georgia’s electronic voting regime on Friday, May 26, 2017.

The Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief and Writ of Mandamus was filed in Fulton County Superior Court.

The plaintiffs have also filed for an emergency injunction, for which an emergency hearing has been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today, May 26, 2017.

The injunction seeks to prevent Georgia and three Metro Atlanta counties from using E-voting machines in the U.S. Congressional race in Georgia’s Sixth District, where candidate Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, has attracted national attention and support.

Atlanta Progressive News has been reporting on the fundamental unreliability of Georgia’s E-voting machines from many years – at one point referring to Georgia’s elections as “so-called elections” until it became confusing for readers unfamiliar with our E-voting coverage.

In reality, Georgia has been operating for some sixteen years with unreliable machines – a period that remarkably coincides with the Republican Party’s period of winning most or all statewide offices in Georgia.

Various groups of citizens, advocates, and computer scientists have sent a series of at least three letters to Secretary Kemp challenging Georgia’s E-voting regime, including a March 2017 letter sent by computer experts and two letters in May 2017.

Lots of snip

Scroll down at the link to get to the article, which has a lot more info:

http://atlantaprogressivenews.com/2017/05/26/breaking-new-lawsuit-filed-over-georgia-e-voting/


Press release :
https://www.scribd.com/document/349663976/Rocky-Mountain-Foundation-Complaint-against-SOS-Kemp-re-GA-voting-equipment

GEORGIA VOTERS SUE SECRETARY OF STATE KEMP,CONTEND STATE’S VOTING MACHINES ARE UNFIT FOR USE IN JUNE 20 SPECIAL ELECTION
Lawsuit Calls for Paper Ballots to Be Used Instead

Also see this:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016185690
Voting Tech Experts to GA SOS Kemp RE FBI criminal probe into cyber attack of GA election systems

'He didn't die alone': Man who performed CPR on Trimet attack victim speaks

PORTLAND, Ore. -- When crowds started running away from the scene during the brutal MAX train stabbings on Friday, Michael Kennedy ran toward it.

Kennedy, a former paramedic, was there on the train, one car away. He sprung into action and started helping Rick Best, one of the two victims who ultimately passed away.

snip

The former paramedic knew it was bad. He said both men had their throats slit near the carotid artery. Best appeared to be in worse shape, so Kennedy, inside that train, knelt beside him and worked to clear his airways.

snip

Eventually firefighters arrived at the scene, confirming what Kennedy already knew. Rick Best, a veteran and city employee who was attacked for standing up again hate, was gone.

Taliesin Namkai Meche died at the hospital. Micah Fletcher is expected to survive.
Kennedy said he hasn't slept since.

On Sunday, he wanted to share two messages. First and foremost, to Best's family.

"He was surrounded by people who were soothing him and caring for him," he said. "He did not die alone."

Second, Kennedy has a message to and about the man charged with this horrific attack.

"I worry about the hundreds of people who are impacted like this. And I hope that it is labeled what it is. It was a terrorist attack. I want that to be clear," Kennedy said.

We reached out to Best's family today and spoke via phone to his 19-year-old son. He said the family is requesting privacy, but wanted people to hear a phrase his dad said a lot during his life.

"I can't stand by and do nothing."

Video at link - interview with Kennedy starts at 2 minute point.

He really wanted the family to know Best died surrounded by caring people.
And he is adamant it was a terrorist attack and should be labeled as such.

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/he-didnt-die-alone-man-who-performed-cpr-on-trimet-attack-victim-speaks/443814912

Andy Borowitz: Real Fake News

At his live show in New York, in December, Andy Borowitz revealed that several foreign media outlets mistook his fake news stories for real.

Video about 11 minutes

Couldn't embed the video but it's at link and worth watching - some humor but also thought provoking:

https://thescene.com/watch/thenewyorker/andy-borowitz-real-fake-news

PORTLAND, Ore. - It was just a couple of train stops from downtown Portland to the Hollywood Transit Center, but for Rodney Haven, it was the longest MAX ride of his life.

The situation was about 12-13 feet from me,” said Haven, recalling the man he heard yelling racial slurs and claiming free speech, Friday afternoon.

It got louder and louder and a few more people started getting away from there,” he said.

Haven didn't see the two young women— one of them a Muslim—who police said the suspect was targeting. He did, however, see two of the men who stepped in to defend them. Before long, Haven said the suspect, Jeremy Christian, was surrounded.

He was boxed in,” said Haven. “He was trying to get out, this way and that way but he couldn’t, then he pulled out his knife.

Haven said there was a lot of blood as Christian attacked the Good Samaritans. One of the men, 53-year-old Ricky John Best, died on the train. The other man, 23-year-old Taliesan Namkai-Meche, was alive as medics loaded him onto a gurney, but died on the way to the hospital.

Haven said he talked with another passenger who was standing near Namkai-Meche as he was carried off the train, and heard what might have been Namkai-Meche’s last words.

She heard him say, ‘Tell everybody on the MAX that I love them,’” said Haven.
“So you know... that's pretty special.”

Video at link:
http://www.kgw.com/news/witness-shares-max-attack-victims-last-words/443685633

I went this morning and looked at the memorials from the vigil last night...many photos of this young man, his family and friends. Couldn't help tearing up.

Trump Says He Does Not Know Jared Kushner Very Well

By Andy Borowitz

TAORMINA, Italy (The Borowitz Report)—Donald J. Trump on Saturday accused the media of exaggerating his relationship with Jared Kushner, asserting that “I don’t know him very well.”

“He’s someone I would see around the office and who, I guess, was working for me,” Trump told reporters on the last leg of his foreign trip. “Beyond that, I couldn’t tell you much about him.”

Trump acknowledged that he had spoken to Kushner at times during the 2016 campaign. “I’d pass him in the hall and say hello,” he said. “He seemed like an O.K. person. I never got much of a sense of the guy.”

When asked whether Kushner might have had improper contact with Russian spies during the transition, Trump said, “I couldn’t tell you if that’s the kind of thing he’d do. You really should ask someone who knows him.”

Trump refused to answer further questions about Kushner’s possible legal difficulties, saying only, “I wish Garrett well.”

Andy Borowitz is the New York Times best-selling author of “The 50 Funniest American Writers,” and a comedian who has written for The New Yorker since 1998. He writes the Borowitz Report, a satirical column on the news, for newyorker.com.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-says-he-does-not-know-jared-kushner-very-well

So I posted this earlier this morning and it hardly got any interest:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016186012
2 Men Killed On Portland Train After Trying To Stop Anti-Muslim Rant

So obviously Russia-gate is a much bigger deal and naturally would garner much more attention on DU, but still I was surprised at how little interest or response there was. It's a really big deal here in Portland and has shaken people up.

So my honest question is, do people know about it? Is it just a big deal here because it always has more impact when it happens close by? And people's attention is on Russiagate with so much happening with that?

n Saturday’s episode of AM Joy, host Joy Reid assembled a panel to discuss the biggest news of the weekend: that Friday night Washington Post news dump that revealed President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner had reportedly set up an undisclosed meeting with Russians to establish a backchannel during the president’s transition.

Reid cited the Post‘s report that claimed Kushner was aware of how “politically sensitive it would be to meet with the Russians,” and, perhaps even more stunningly, that Reuters reported that a sanctioned Russian bank could provide the president’s son-in-law with loans in exchange for meetings with the president.

“This isn’t just politically-sensitive — this may just be criminal,” said former CIA special agent Jack Rice, one of Reid’s panelists. “There are people in the intelligence community and certainly prosecutors starting to sharpen their knives here.”

snip

“The problem that we really have is that Americans die as a result of this,” Rice said. “People, including our allies, can die because of this. This is why you start to look at this from a criminal perspective. This is the reason you have to start contemplating why you prosecute people who do this sort of thing.”

Later in the segment, Reid, along with retired Naval codebreaker and regular guest Malcolm Nance, discussed the “nexus” of connections between Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak that now appears to include Trump aides like Carter Page, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen, Jeff Sessions and Kushner.

“You’re just going to have to assume there’s an espionage component to this,” Nance said. “Otherwise it would be negligent to not believe these people were being handled by the Russians themselves.”

snip

Watch the entire segment, including commentary from Reid’s other panelists, below via MSNBC.

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/05/americans-can-die-ex-cia-agent-hammers-kushner-for-criminal-actions-involving-russian-contacts/