gopiscrap
gopiscrap's Journalthank you thread for Pelosi, Schiff, Nadler et al and Democratic House attorneys and staff
all of you did an amazing job and made us proud to be Democratic and on the right side of history!!!
Thank you so much!!!
Thank you Lt. Colonel Vindman
As an immigrant myself and the child of a veteran who was killed as a resulted of being wounded in Vietnam, I thank you for your courage and your service! I have never served on a national level, just at the state level. I can't imagine what you are going through right now. I just recently completed a deposition on abuse of power at the Capitol, but the pressure of being on national live tv must be enormous. I am so proud that you represent us today!
Thank you all for your support and warm wishes as I testified today.
This is in relation to the impeachment inquiry. As most of you know I was put on the no fly list and had the validity of my naturalization challenged in the summer of 18 as my wife and I were ready to work in a refugee camp in Greece.
If there is an abuse or power article this could become part of the record of how the orange asshole is messing over every day citizens.
The hearing went well. I was a bit nervous and awed by being there. They had all my records. All the green cards I had, the score of my naturalization test and also the dates of the 29 times I have gone in and out of the country during my life. They also had the documentation when I was charged with inciting a riot when George Bush came to Tacoma as VP campaigning to be President. The charges were dropped but the repubs still brought it up.
I got into trouble twice. Once when the republican staff counsel asked me about being on the no fly list. I was once before also right before the 2008 repuke convention. They were insinuating that I should have seen it coming. I answered that in 2018 I didn't expect we would have a rethuglican dictator along with a sycophantic majority republican house and senate behind him. It was stricken from the record.
What I did get in was another response, but I was admonished for it. The repub staff counsel insinuated that I cheated on the citizenship test. So I just looked at him and said "I challenge you to go toe to toe with me on civic questions and I bet I would mop the floor with you"
Other than that, It was calm and I got my story out. I was in for 26 minutes. I am relieved that I am done and very grateful for all of your kindness and support.
In Gratitude Mike C
Hi I ask for your good wishes
this may not be important to others but it is important to me. Last year just as my wife and I were going to go to Greece to work in a refugee camp, I was put on the no fly list and had my naturalization as a US citizen questioned by trump's State Department. I had to go before a judge to get it straightened out. I testify today at the US House about being put on the no fly list and also about having the validity of my naturalization challenged. It will be part of the supporting documents on trump's abuse of power if they have article in the impeachment case about that. Wish me luck. Thanks.
The infants squalling is what you hear first then,
the toddlers crying. It's a matter of patience and endurance. The prevailing atmosphere is one of chaos, tension and hope. The frustration is supreme and continuous The US is doing all it can to out endure the refugees seeking asylum. The treatment is brisk and not friendly in any manner. It's almost like a purposeful system of dehumanizing. These are my first impressions at the processing center close to the border.
It is almost better in the camp itself. Yes, there is squalor and constant noise, but for what ever time folks are there, they are making this their temporary home.
Children, of which there is a majority have it the worst. The little ones don't what is going on. Everything they knew, is gone! The older ones, specially the teens know all too well what is happening and many don't have the emotional skills to deal with it.
You actually need a permit to get into the camp (ten miles south east of Tijuana) , but as I watched it is very loosely enforced. There is some Mexican military present but they are not there so much as to regulate the in and out flow or keep order in the camp as to regulate the feeding. Breakfast is at 9 and dinner at 4pm.
There is great need for phone cards, shoes, socks, foot care items, respiratory medication and of course cash.
Makeshift tents litter the concrete of an old abandoned night club. There are four "showers" basically large sinks for those in the camp with out children. There are loosely rigged showers made with pvc pipe for inside the "camp inside the camp" (families with children) there is a pattern in the chaos and those who have been there for awhile seem to get acclimated to the daily ebb and flow of the camps activity.
The brightest spot for me was the ad hoc school. I fell in love with the kids. They tried to teach me some Spanish (probably a few words I shouldn't know) and I taught them some English/American slang. We even sang a round together. They loved that, singing really brought them out of their shell.
The children provide the most humanity in this depressing situation...their penchant for laughter and joy sometimes overflows to even the adults and camp workers. Many still have that gleam of mischief and that they will make the best of what is available..the older ones do know what has been and what the future might hold both good and bad.
It was profoundly humbling to know that in such an extreme situation, there are still commonalities among all people... a chance for a laugh, a smile, a hug and reassurance that this is to be a temporary stage of life.
I left the camp near tears. What have we become as a nation? I felt the guilt of our administration's actions. Where ever I went, I made sure that folks were reassured that the great mass of US holds them no ill will, in fact many are kindred spirits with them in thought, prayer and action!
I left the camp with anger. This doesn't have to be this way. Our country's inhumanity towards others is inexcusable. Both by direct action and even more so IMHO as to the huge sectors of ignorance, prejudice and apathy of the vast majority going about comfortably ion their daily lives.
Finally I left in a sense of awe. I have so much, and these folks so little. Yet in the midst of all the loss and tragedy, unknown and fear...there is hope!!! There is laughter and bonding. There is acceptance of those to come among them to form community. Could I be that open and cheerful in the midst of such a situation? I don't know!
These are just my first impressions. It took me a couple of days just to let my emotions, thoughts and impressions to gel. I do know that my first world problems are miniscule compared to what our brothers and sisters south of the border are facing
Sorry for the long post ...I just had to emote!
From the El Barratel-Mike C
WE HAVE TO IMPEACH
That stain at the very least needs to be beside trump's for all of history;
The Democrat in the House needs to do their job. Let all the dirt on trump and his assholes be dragged out on live tv for all to see.
I don't think that we should weigh in the calculation of how the Senate would vote JMHO
When the Democrats take the presidency from now on
they need to prosecute the past Republican administrations for the crimes they committed,
Carter: Ford for pardoning Nixon also Kissinger for his back handed shit in Vietnam before the 68 election
Clinton: Bush and Barr for the Iran Contragate cover-up
Obama: BushII for war crimes against Iraq etc
If we don't this shit will just get worse and worse
I am pissed Re: Manafort (I am a former Federal Inmate)
twenty three years ago I got cancer for the second time. The first time I had it, I was insured. At that time, companies could drop you for pre-existing conditions. I was dropped after my first bout. The second time I had cancer, because of the huge cost and burden of having cancer, I kept on filing for bankruptcy, because that automatically stops all collections and garnishments and has the creditor if it is an ongoing bill forced to continue to treat you. Because I broke the rules on the amount of filings you could have, I was ordered by the Federal Court to stop filing. If I did that the world would have come crashing down on me both financially and physically. Because I kept on filing,I was charged with and pled guilty to contempt of Federal Court and Bankruptcy abuse and I received an 18 month federal sentence. Of which I did 13 months and another 2 months in a half way house.
I am not proud of what I did, but it saved me financially and physically. Through the court process, I was able to negotiate 158K of a 168K bill away.
The Manafort sentence pisses me off, because I feel what he did was way worse than I. I was sentenced with in the guidelines, unlike him.
While I am not complaining about the 18 months I got, I am complaining bitterly at the mere 47 months he received.
Seems to me you either pay with time or money. It is my understanding that Manafort has given up a bunch of assets.
Fuck Judge Ellis and fuck the justice system
Giant snow ball fight in Tacoma Washington
I know this is not important, specially with all that is wrong with this world but for an hour, Tacoma took time out from the world.
Friday evening this town had a very rare major snowfall of 8 inches. That's more snow than we have had in the past 9 years combined. A resident who lives close to downtown announced a giant snow ball fight for the park the next day, since we were all snow bound and unable to drive.
As I walked the 10 blocks to the parked we encountered lots of people of all ages from tots, to children, grand parents, teenagers, young adults and middle age adults along with tons of furry friends. About 350-400 came out to hurl snow balls, while about 100-150 watched from the sidelines.
For an hour Tacoma forgot about the world and the towns problems and all you could hear was squeals, laughter, shouts, giggles and barks of excitement.
It doesn't seem like it's important, but for a short time we just reveled in what mother nature had given us.
It wound up being covered by several tv stations and papers from all over the US and Europe.
Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: Frankfurt am Main
Home country: Germany
Current location: Tacoma, Washington
Member since: Sat Jul 18, 2009, 11:55 AM
Number of posts: 23,736
