Eight years ago on DU - The thought of whether we would deal with a pandemic

I'm watching Contagion- Its eerie - that so many things playing out now were in that movie.
I was searching for a recent thread to comment on the movie and found this thread from 8 yrs ago.
[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/101861980|

One person called the movie propaganda
Not trying to bash people on the thread - Life is so unpredictable. If someone tried to tell us about a coming pandemic 10 yrs ago, and that the response would be so disastrous, most of us would not believe.
Similarly, if you told us 10 yrs ago, no one would have believed Donald Trump would be president.

Dangerous Cult Leaders: Clues to what makes for a pathological cult leader

Sound like anyone you know? Click the link to see 50 traits listed

Dangerous Cult Leaders
Clues to what makes for a pathological cult leader
Posted Aug 25, 2012

One of the questions that I am often asked by students of criminology and psychology is, how do you know when a cult leader is “evil” or “bad”? These of course are vague descriptors to some extent, but I also get the question, “When is a cult leader pathological or a danger to others?” This is a valid question in view of the historical record of suffering and hurt caused by various cult leaders around the world.

From my studies of cults and cult leaders during my time in the FBI, I learned early on that there are some things to look for that, at a minimum, say "caution, this individual is dangerous, and in all likelihood will cause harm to others."

Having studied at length the life, teachings, and behaviors of Jim Jones (Jonestown Guyana), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Stewart Traill (The Church of Bible Understanding), Charles Manson, Shoko Asahara (Aum Shinrikyo), Joseph Di Mambro (The Order of the Solar Temple a.k.a. Ordre du Temple Solaire), Marshall Heff Applewhit (Heaven’s Gate), Bhagwan Rajneesh (Rajneesh Movement), and Warren Jeffs (polygamist leader), I can say that what stands out about these individuals is that they were or are all pathologically narcissistic. They all have or had an over-abundant belief that they were special, that they and they alone had the answers to problems, and that they had to be revered. They demanded perfect loyalty from followers, they overvalued themselves and devalued those around them, they were intolerant of criticism, and above all they did not like being questioned or challenged. And yet, in spite of these less than charming traits, they had no trouble attracting those who were willing to overlook these features.

][link:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spycatcher/201208/dangerous-cult-leaders|

No, having to wear a mask is not oppression or taking away your rights

Its meant to protect you and the people around you. You are not losing your freedom or liberty wearing a mask. Oppression, loss of freedom and liberty is a black man murdered for running while being black -with no one looking out for his protection.

Paraphrasing Joy Reid this morning, in regards to idiot protesters and online complaints going on about their rights being violated and being oppressed.

So Trump is playing a doctor on tv again. We won't need a vaccine, the virus will just go away

Meth, Murder, and Madness: The System That Buried Ahmaud Arbery

A decade ago, Johnson was responsible for overseeing the case of Caroline Small, an unarmed mother who led Glynn County police on a low-speed chase while possibly experiencing a mental breakdown. In June 2010, the responding officers—Michael Simpson and Robert Sasser —pinned Small’s vehicle between their squad cars and a telephone pole. They fired eight bullets through her windshield, striking Small in the head and face.

Afterward, Simpson and Sasser stopped paramedics from rendering aid to Small because they reportedly thought she was dead, but she wasn’t. Small lived for four days in a hospital before succumbing to her injuries.

Sasser, one of the two officers involved in Small’s killing, went on to kill his wife and her friend before turning the gun on himself in June 2018. He was out on bond at the time, after threatening his estranged wife at her home. After that, Sasser had attacked police officers during an armed standoff and was again released on bond, an agreement Johnson negotiated with a local judge. Out on that bond, he threatened his estranged wife and her male companion at a restaurant. Two days later, he killed the pair

DA that chose not to charge the McMichaels for Arbery's murder, charged this woman with voter fraud

Barnhill saw no crime in Arbery being chased, cut off by pickup truck and confronted by armed strangers who shot and killed him. But he saw a felony voter fraud case going after Ms. Pearson.

I posted only the parts that referred to Ms.Pearson's case, but the entire article is a good read about voter suppression in GA.

Elie Mystal for the win! - His take on " he looked like the suspect"

According to the police, Gregory McMichael was standing in his front yard as Arbery ran past. (Arbery’s family contends that Ahmaud was taking a run, which he regularly did.) McMichael determined that Arbery “looked like a suspect” in a string of burglaries in his neighborhood.

Let me stop the police narrative right there. You’re telling me that a 64-year-old white man sees a black man running past his house, uses his white man clairvoyance to determine that the black man is a “suspect,” ends up shooting that black man dead, and he’s not arrested at the scene of the crime?


If the McMichaels’ story doesn’t already seem ridiculous to you, just flip the races. Imagine a black guy like me tried to sell this story to a cop: “Well, officer, I was outside watering my tulips when this young white guy just comes running past my home in broad daylight. He matched the description of nearly every suspect in every mass shooting I’ve ever seen. Eventually, me and my boy caught him and shot him to death. In, uhh, self-defense. Just doing my part, officer. You’re welcome.”



[link:https://www.thenation.com/article/society/ahmaud-arbery-lynching/|

I found out today someone I knew died from Covid 19. He was 38 yrs old

One of my sister's childhood friends died of Covid 19 yesterday. I have not seen him in years. My sister kept in touch with him even though we left NYC many years ago. Even though I haven't seen him in a long time I have so many memories of him at my parents' house when we were younger. Even more tragic, he lost his wife to cancer a year ago. He adopted his wife's daughter when he married her. He's the only dad she's ever known.

You know what? The American Way of Life needs to be destroyed

Yep. I said it. Fuck you Chris Christie - The American Way of Life that brought evil cretins like you to the forefront should be destroyed.

The way of life that left the majority of Americans working jobs that did not allow them to save $400.00 for a rainy day while CEOs salaries got higher and higher.

The way of life that lead to the healthcare disparity, poor air quality, poverty, food deserts, that lead to so many minorities losing their lives during this pandemic.

The way of life that made it necessary for families or friends to live 8 people in a small apartment because they can't afford the ridiculous rents.

The way of life that forced people to go to work while they were sick because they did not have paid sick leave, thus spreading the virus

Here's hoping that we demand An American Way of Life that values all people and not just corporations.

A doctor on tv said that we need commercials about wearing masks, the same way we did condoms

He is right. It helped slow HIV. People who were more cavalier about sex, paid attention. Its time that we see mass advertising on mainstream tv, and online about how important this is.


But Jeez Louize,
Just look how far the right wing propaganda machine has taken us.

Can you imagine a bunch of people protesting that wearing a condom violates their rights? Not wearing a condom could make you ill and spread a public health threat. Masks, same thing.