407 Comments

Remarkable. I would get in trouble writing a multiple choice question like that for a test. No wrong answers. Perhaps you left out the most correct: they desire to ignore reality. So one day, recently, in class, someone asked what I thought the definition of woke was. My hesitant reply was that the term was deliberately vague so that politicians could use it to attack those to their "left" on whatever subject they happened to be discussing at the time without actually saying anything that left them open to attack. So all topics that smack of regulatory action, improvement of child care, concern for refugees (illegal aliens), recognition of racism and response, gender equity and rights, environmental action, concern about wolves and beavers, climate change, expansion of medical coverage for all, or simply funding for public education, is woke. Therefore, I am woke. Deal with it.

As far as the Democrats go, their response should be to propose ways to fix things, correct systemic mistakes, act on climate, care for people, care for the planet. They need to push back on Republicans with positive legislation that demonstrates care. Woke is beautiful, deal with it.

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Outstanding Bumper Sticker. "WOKE is Beautiful, Deal with IT"

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Dave Smucker : my husband will not allow me to put bumper stickers on the car we now share. I used to have Bernie stickers on my car, and one that said "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance". He does not want the car to be vandalized. And we live in a progressive area. He thinks Ron DeSantis got his ideas from the one about education being expensive.

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I don't have a vehicle with bumpers but "Woke is Beautiful, Deal with It" might look good on a T-shirt here in Fascist Floriduh. In blue to match my cap "Make Racism Wrong Again."

In 1971 I had a pickup truck in rural Mississippi with a George McGovern bumper sticker. Some ignorant redneck scraped it off. I was lucky that was the only damage done.

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I am always amazed at what violence even destruction people will do if others express ideas they don't like, particularly conservative ones. I like the idea of a T-shirt, though.

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Ruth Sheets ; Just be careful where you wear it. It can be risky to wear your heart on your sleeve. That's why we have the secret ballot. Of course, if you vote in a primary, that can be a be revealing to an extent. But with cross over voting seen in the last, mid term, even then it's not telling everything.

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Bob....I feel you. I live in Tampa. I never know who I might be talking to, so I keep my mouth shut when out and about. I got kicked off a website because I said DeSantis was a Nazi. I grew up in Florida in the 50's and 60's. It has really gone downhill since then. People move here to escape snow and ice and to not pay taxes. You get the government you pay for.

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I live in Arkansas. The Morons in our state just elected Sara Fuckame Sanders governor. She added a place on the state employment for asking what you think of her. Seig Heil.

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Hawkeye.....are there really that many stupid people in the world?

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Cowardice is like that!

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Ruth; vandalizing property is not a brave act.

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"Woke" is the progressive secular version of conservative christian "born again". Conservatives are born again when they become aware of their personal failings (evil as sinfulness). Progressives become woke when they become aware of society's failings (evil as oppression).

Whether being born again or becoming woke, the song "Amazing Grace" captures the sense of both in the most sublime way:

I once was lost

But now am found

Was blind

But now I see

.

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I don't myself use bumper stickers, similar reason, we live a very red area in rural western North Carolina. I rather talk with locals about ideas than rub it in their face but I still like the saying Woke is Beautiful because it says so much in 3 words.

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Dave Smucker ; It's true too ; Woke is beautiful. We can't have a Democracy with unconscious people.

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You make a salient point. We can’t have a democracy if people aren’t aware of the truth or reject the truth.

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Jamae ; Being awake is being conscious. That is the first step in making smart and ethical choices. They want to make us 'null and void'.

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Do we really have a democracy? We are more democratic than Russia but that is not saying much. The USA was founded on the ideas of a few dozen rich white men many of which were slave owners. If you speak out too much you may find that Free Speech has severe consequences.

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The Radical right wing Republicans say that liberals are angry and violent. Liberals are the people who are hesitate to raise flags or place bumper stickers to reflect our views because we are afraid that the radical right wing Republicans will slash our tires, break windows, or worse!

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That's spot on. After Bernie lost in 2016 I moved my yard sign to the Gnome Garden out back in case a flag wagging MAGA pickup would drive through our neighborhood. I'm a woke granny and proud of it, but I'm a chicken when it comes to MAGA bullies.

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I don’t blame you. Maga is the party of the NRA for a reason.

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Right before the 2020 election, a large caravan of trucks waving MAGA flags and carrying dimwitted jimbobs drove from Santa Rosa, my current place of residence, down to Marin City where they honked horns shouted slogans and insulted black people...because we don't have very many African Americans in our county, they had to outsource their bigotry in another county, in the only majority black community in the North Bay. Its not that there's very many of them, it's just that from national and local experience they are not above intimidation. And when someone throws an egg their way, they claim they've been attacked. I'm sorry, I truly am, but I can't help but despise 35% of my fellow Americans.

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Sabine Walter ; It is smart to protect what's yours. There is nothing to gain in being an easy, soft target. That is why education, reading and awareness, or wokeness are valuable. Power in numbers, as long as we have the vote. It is time to go after our representatives and push for voting rights in states with issues of blocking voters, also push for better guardrails in the financial and banking industries. If there is a relevant bill or upcoming legislation to regulate that needs to be regulated that we have a say in, we need to let our legislators know we are paying attention and care.

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Sandra, you are right that the Republican problem is that they are not "woke." They are "sleep" and unable to either see or care about what is going on around them. So, they tune into Fox Not Nearly News to get injected with a daily dose of the fear and hatred of everyone who they think is not like them, so they will be able to continue. They don't have anything else because the world, this nation is changing quickly and their love of Trump and Fox keeps them from both learning about and embracing the change that is inevitable. Is it possible to reach them? Maybe saying things like "Woke is Beautiful" can wake a few of them up.

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Sandra Trimble ; Sadly true! And they want to be 'the party against crime!'

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Laurie, and Republicans don't even see the irony of them and their violent supporters being the anti-crime party. I am guessing they don't see what they are doing as violence or crime.

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I live well north of Smith and Wesson line. here in Michibama the same would apply to Any progressive signs or stickers? post at your own risk. Because of the radicalization of maga politics, we no longer go or vacation in the “scum belt”

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Mar 15, 2023·edited Mar 15, 2023

Love the Michibama and the scum belt. We retired to part of the scum belt because of a special place in the mountains of western North Carolina the John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC. Leading craft school in the US where many (5000 students per year in 1 week classes) come to learn traditional crafts. The school and some of us are very Blue in a sea of Red. I do get along with neighbors who largely still hold to the mountain ways of a poor Appalachian history. The school which today is a craft and music school was started in 1925 to help teach farming and homemaking to the mountain folk. Google it, it is worth a vacation to the scum belt.

ps. I refuse to ever visit Florida or Texas in the days I have left on this green earth.

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Dave, I just took a look at the John C. Campbell Folk School and it looks like Heaven! I only wish I had known of it before my health (and wealth) fell apart. What a wonderful place!

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You are very lucky to have found your niche in the “sea of red” i’m happy for you. We stayed in Destin Florida for a dozen years but after Trump Election everything changed ,confederate flags everywhere. their elected US congressman for that district is Matt Gaetz So you can understand the mindset of the locals. They also called that area of the panhandle “lower Alabama”.

My wife and I decided that our only form of protest would be to leave that area and not come back. So sad.

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Love the odea of the Campbell school. A friend had a catalog at a spinning meeting I attended recently—so many great offerings!

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Yes, western NC is very red and poor so they take advantage of all the woke gov't programs available.

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Some do and some don't. The mountain folk are very proud and self reliant where we live. During the hard times of the 30's they refused government food aid when some trucks of rice were refused. The biggest change was the coming of TVA and electrical power. It brought work, which was really needed.

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I was in N. Carolina when the KKK gunned down some communists back in the 80's. They got away with murder because the white jury would not convict them. I thought N. Carolina and Virginia were beautiful but due to rednecks I would not live there.

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Laurie, yes, it just shows that an Ivy-league education doesn't mean someone is smart. DeSantis is a fool who learned enough to pacify the professors, but not enough to live as a decent human being. Sorry about not being able to have bumper stickers on your car. They can help people to solidify ideas they have been chewing on for a while. How sad that even in a "Progressive" neighborhood . . . .

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Ruth; In these times it is risky wherever one lives, to show what you believe. One of my nieces was shopping while pregnant with young ones in tow, when a man behind her in the checkout line asked why she was such a "breeder". This was in the San Francisco area. His malice was obvious.

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I want the education bumper sticker. I might have start closing my emails and letters with that. I currently use "Poverty is the worst form of violence" Mahatma Gandhi

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I like it Mr. Smucker! I live in a very red area in Minnesota. I have put out political signs, have had them torn down and I just order more. I would put this on my car and hand them out to like minded people. Maybe not a bumper sticker, but a window sticker in the car. Your perspective and answer to your students was right on. Mr. Desantis needs to be WOKEN..wake up, if you can.

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Bumper sticker for DeSantis: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

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Wayne Teel ; Yes, an all purpose trash can to throw anyone they disagree with into! Anyone who cares, or has ethics!

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You defined it well. Good work!

Advance to the head of the class.

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Dystopian? : https://youtu.be/AmXQ3nQBE4U

You be the judge.

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DZK, I just watched this video (hadn't heard of such or provider - before) and thank you for posting it. I thought it was - amazing in content + analysis of - present times, and very much

in line with my own - perceptions - of the "real" world.

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Another cautionary tale from the '70s, when it was just a cautionary tale: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Andromeda_Strain_(film)

Compare with the pandemic. (Although, we don't know for a fact it was engineered.)

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Mar 15, 2023·edited Mar 15, 2023

I'm surprised they didn't include Soylent Green. That's the flick that "woke" me, back in the early '70s - when it was a cautionary tale. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green , in case you don't know the flick.) Ironic that the star of the movie was a prime mover in what we have today, as a former president of the NRA: Charlton Heston. To me, it's been like watching an excruciatingly slow train wreck.

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Mar 15, 2023·edited Mar 15, 2023

I hate the term "woke"- another lazy slang expression that has been weaponized by the other side (acceptable profanity). Don't see how it will ever become positive in meaning & I will never use it.

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Thinking that word can ever regain its original meaning is a fantasy. I agree totally, Don.

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Don Mcintyre; If your perception of different colloquial terms is that they are 'lazy', you have a challenge in your ability to understand diverse language variants currently used by millions of people. The tiny bubble of the past is bursting in America. No matter how it's done, people will find out what is going on in our country and use the language they have. Being hostile to language that has meaning to people is a clue to where you are coming from. It isn't very open minded 😕.

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Laurie, I'm old. Think I'm pretty open-minded (used to think I was "cool") but not crazy about some of the uses of language these days. I don't say "dope" either except to describe stupidity.

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Don McIntyre ; Forgive me, I can't resist ; "woke a dope". You walked right into it!

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Don McIntyre ; I'm old too, and I know that 'woke' as in "He woke up at 6 a.m." Is not profanity. I never use the word dope.

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Every time one of them uses the W-word s/he should be asked politely to define it since only that side uses it. I honestly don't know what they mean, but I hear their usage as interchangeable with the N-word.

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Certainly a similarity exists. It wants to paint the "other" with the same brush, and the N-word is too narrow and despicable, so another was picked. Short hand is often short on thought, so the word is used when they can't name their thinking, or perhaps fear the backlash if their thinking is clear, out loud.

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Kind of like their “let’s go, Brandon”. So Flip and so arrogant and ignorant.

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Touché Wayne Teel 🌻

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Well said.

I would note however, that I once knew a senior couple who had switched from D to R and were obsessed with 'getting rid of regulations'. I would point out to anyone so inclined to realize that something as simple as a 'stop sign' is a regulation. It commands care and consideration. So that is oversimplified of course, but nevertheless true. To those people I simply say get over it and grow up. And don't even think about complaining when something happens to you/yours because someone ran a stop sign.

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Gina Ramson ; Seniors wanting to get rid of 'regulations'! The only thing I can think of is that they want riskier investments for short term wealth boosting to maximize their returns on investments, in a hurry!

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Brilliant!

I am sure you could be right but these people I knew were not focused on money as much as being very Bible centered so who knows? More for the collection basket maybe?

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I like the words, empathic, caring, compassionate better! You get the idea!

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Yes, these are better words, but who uses better words when you want to devalue the ideas of empathy for refugees and migrants, caring for victims of racism, have compassion for women who are victims of violence? They want to deflect away from that because even people of the right wing want to be seen as empathic, caring and compassionate. They just want to do it on their terms, which means they will have empathy and (maybe) send you money in Mexico, care for you in your red-lined area of inner cities next to a power plant, or have compassion for a newborn that they then (maybe) adopt. Yes, I am a bit cynical here, but the real value of "woke" is to empower the politicians who use the term to divide and conquer. If we steal their word, by owning it ourselves, that disempowers them.

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Wayne, we then need to use the word "Woke" in a positive way! Why aren't the Dems doing this? They can use the word "Woke" and then expand on it and say some of the things you said above!

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Mar 15, 2023·edited Mar 15, 2023

A little measure to consider in combatting culture warriors - which is, after all, who are going after "woke:"

- TIK TOKERS GO AFTER INSANE PASTOR'S TAX-EXEMPT STATUS:

https://youtu.be/iNVW0oMZ-bg

It's not enough, but it would really hurt some of the most effective among them.

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I often wondered what "Woke" really is. This is the best description I have ever heard!

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Yes, Jacqueline, Republicans have become pretty good about using language to say a lot in a few letters. Unfortunately, what they are saying is not positive for anyone but themselves and mostly is used to cover for their racism, misogyny, homo/transphobia, xenophobia, fear of strangers in general, belief in their own superiority or at least entitlement, pseudo-Christianity, and the rest. It's like a secret handshake for the true believers so they don't even have to think about what they are doing and if it is right to do, say, or even consider the undemocratic things Republicans these days are standing for. "Woke" covers for all that. they cheer when a Republican leader calls everyone but themselves "woke," and feel soooo good, members of something really special. They are never asked why they hate so many people and if that matches their religious faith. They are never asked what they think "woke" is while they cheer their heads off. They are never asked who is "woke" in their opinion and what they have done to them personally to deserve their hatred and anger. In fact, Republicans are rarely asked any questions that would cause them to actually think about what they are doing or supporting. That is the fault of our media to a great extend, but we need to push our representatives to ask those questions even if that will make our representatives look "woke." I want them to look "woke," and be proud of it.

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I agree, they should have to explain what they mean every time they use "woke". Oh yes, the media has played a huge role in the use of this term. The first time I heard used as an epitaph, I asked myself, woke from what? What in the heck are they talking about or even mean? In my view they are describing anti-people views. If we aren't looking out for the good of all, we are a list people. I guess I have been "woke" all my life...

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Jacquelyn Pease ; Good for you that you have been conscious all your life! It's the only way to live.

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“Woke” sure sounds like another effective label dreamt up by Frank Luntz. He’s the guy responsible for the phrase, “death tax” replacing inheritance tax, thereby making it sound like everybody would be subject to it when it’s really only for millionaire offspring.

Oddly enough, woke has been used as an effective means of downplaying the value of compassion and equality which used to be considered core Christian values. But the GOP conveniently squeezed them out in favor of their Swiss cheese Christianity with convenient holes where the Golden Rule and “Judge not, lest ye be judged” used to be.

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Manufactured cultural conflict. Dog whistle to the collective racist subconscious of haters.

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Daniel Solomon ; A call to fear (and arms), along with built in racism and hatred of progressive ideas. They want to get away with the kind of Capitalism that has no ethics and is lawless, uncaring and even cruel! No empathy allowed ; 'Just' business'.

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Wedge issues - gays, God, guns, abortion - used to convince people without a pot to piss in to vote to support big oil, big pharma, and other Republican market manipulators,

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Daniel Solomon ; It's a clever and dishonest way to get those who are clueless to vote against their own , and most human's interests.

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Republicans suck. That one word describes everything Republicans are and everything they do TO people instead if FOR people. They are horrible people.

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I want to blame republicans but 17 democrats voted to reppeal the legistlation that caused Silicon banks deregulation. Yes the republicans are being racist and classist. If those 17 democrats voted with the republicans they may not speak the ugly words but are supporting the rich over the poor in action. Both of which need to stop.

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The Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and Trump was king. They didn't need Democratic votes.

Guard your nose to spite your face?

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I am no Republican, but let’s face it those 17 Democrats received tons of money from big business for their campaigns to keep them in power. They’re votes were bought.

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"Republican" like "Christian" is an archaic word that has been stolen by ppl not of that faith. Therefore, I only use "The Repugnant Party" as a more accurate descriptive.

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I sorta like Raskin's Banana Republican.

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BC ; At least the MAGA 'leaders', who really know better ; They just want to 'win'. At any cost.

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Anytime the lack of regulations causes a big failure. In this case directly attributable to 50 Republicans and 17 Democrats repealing Obama era legislation. The Republicans are going to scapegoat the poor and somehow insult the poor at the same time. Yeap thats racist or class warfare take your pick. This reminds me of Jon Stewart talking about gun control. He mentioned to the politician that giving assistance for the poor would help with gun violence and the politician was yelling over him that bad fathers were to blame. Blame the victim and keep the status quo. I am agape at the ballsiness of the allegations. A bank that is one based on venture capital and risk fails due to trying to make money on low interest rate treasury bonds, paid out bonuses two weeks ago to its employees and CEOs and thats the poors fault? Im surprised they didnt blame East Palenstines chemical spill on the poor that lived there (who are rightfully pissed right now, even wearing their MAGA hats).

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Bill Reitz ; That is Vulture Capitalism at work!

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That is a good one.

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Bill Reitz ; Glad you like it. Thank you for saying so.

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Ah Laurie, isn't that an insult to vultures, birds who help clean up the world's messes. I would think such banks represent a different form of capitalism, one that makes the messes, but I can't think of an animal as bad as what rich white venture capitalists are similar to, so I think it is maybe just greed capitalism.

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How about "Laughing Hyena"? That's how I privately refer to certain Republicans. They laugh all the way to the bank.

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I too think of it as an insult to vultures. Turkey vultures are much more majestic and useful than the turkeys currently circling wall street.

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Bill, the Republicans are already blaming Democrats for what happened. It is a ridiculous lie, but it is diversity that is being blamed as though some kind of white bank would have done better. The "white" banks brought down the world's economy in 2007-08. It is not diversity, but bad leadership and bad purpose. A bank is supposed to be the place where people can put money to have regular safe access to the funds. It is not supposed to be a profit-generating entity beyond the loans and use of customer's money to make those loans. Small investments make sense, but not a significant portion of the bank's assets invested in risky purchases of bonds or anything else. Banks, all banks need strong regulation! In general, Republicans are against regulation and most Democrats are for it.

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So banks discriminate against minorities in the loan process and then Republicans blame less discrimination on bank failure. I work in a diverse work group and we are one of the top talent groups in the country. Bringing different perspectives is the basis for this whole country. By negating those facts the Republicans are attacking there own "core" beliefs of how things were better in the old time. What does it matter if the new perspectives are brought by non whites? This is something I found hard to understand. As mentioned before on other threads this is to get us all hot and bothered so we ignore the rich stealing from the banking system or using the fed as their play thing to get enourmous profits while 222 million of us (the Republicans base included) Get 1% and shrinking less of the GDP.

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Alas, Bill, it matters to people who deeply believe, with no evidence that white people are the only people on this planet who matter. People of color and people who are "different" in other ways than race tend to collect in enclaves because of the biases toward them. People need to be in places where they are supported, heard, and responded to effectively. That has permitted a lot of rich white folks and some not so rich ones to target people of color and keep them out of most fields except as tokens. When an institution wants diversity so they will be as strong as the group you belong to, any problems that institution has following their attempt at diversification become the fault of that diversification. The problems with the two banks that had runs this past weekend are now being blamed by Republicans on that diversity, that "woke-ness." It's a lie, of course, but Republicans have embraced lying as a major practice, and our media has decided to report it, but not call them out on the lie. Ugh!

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Ah,“too soon old too late smart”

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Donald Hodgins

Writes Donald’s Substack

just now

Republicans are against anything they either don't understand or can't control. No amount of coffee will "Woke" them up.

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Donald Hodgins ; Money and profits, at any cost to others and the planet, are the bottom line. Control is how they get there.

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Laurie--Capitalisms got this country to the top of the world order and one matter how you feel about it today it got us to this point. Now I'll give you there are some much needed changes we have to apply to our way of life to keep things moving along smoothly, but that doesn't mean we should simply scrap the economy in favor of an unknown. Capitalism has it problems and we need to fix them.

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Two words.” Humane capitalism”.Is that even possible?

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Laurie-- If we trashed the things that disappointed us, we would have no children.

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Our society has a giant human thumb pressing down upon it for no other reason then to maintain the "Status Quo." Where people of color are kept in the past and their needs are a subject we don't address except during times of great duress.

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And yes me color blotch still shows me as holding a non-paid status. If you don't want me as a member--give me my money back.

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But the POINT is that they know how to demagogue to get the marks to do the work for big money behind the curtain.

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Don- your status doesn't show up on this end.

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Laurie, yes, they want lawless capitalism until it hurts them as with the recent bank runs. Then We the People in some form are required by them to rescue them from their own lawlessness. That needs to stop, not the rescue of the innocents who just need the bank to store their money, but those who used the lack of regulation to push their greed for higher profits into practices they should not have participated in. I would like to see some of those guys prosecuted for the harms they caused, but they won't be. Now, though, Republicans are blaming diversity as the reason for the banks' problems. That is a straight out lie, but our media keeps letting them repeat it and white people are scared of diverse banks (whatever that means) and may well try to withdraw their money, but put it where? This is not a white nation and there are no fully white banks anymore. Maybe they'll put their money under their mattresses.

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Ruth: President Biden said there will be no bail outs this time. Maybe some kind of restrictions or fines will be enacted. The illegit Congress members with bad credentials and who used questionable funds to pay for their campaigns should be investigated. Those Democrat fat cats on the take and 'moderate' Republicans are not much help either. Our country is going down the way things are going. If they are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem! Dirty money bought Congress! It should be held by Democrats!

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Woke seems to also translate as a euphemism for non white. Since over 50% of this country is non white. Thats bigoted in the extreme. The only way to teach people that is wrong is by intemingly all the races and classes. Dropping barriers of taxes in towns and giving equal public education to poor as well as wealthy districts. There have been previous threads on how we are being divided. I get that its the Republicans stick to scape goat. I am sooooooo done listening to it. I hope and I am sorry to use this word hope that the American people show how sick they are of it too in the next election. I know I will.

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I think it's more than just an appeal to racists; it's a shot over the bow of ideas they believe are too politically correct or unwilling to accept the status quo, which is set up to maintain the power and status of the wealthy and privileged.

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Tim Ash ; It also costs money to care ; about people's safety and well being, the environment and fairness, for example; Not to mention the rule of law.

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Laurie, you are right about the costs, but people forget the costs when the behavior of a lot of conservatives in power brings banks down, causes businesses to fail, and does a lot of other economic things that r generally harmful. I suspect greed and bad behavior related to Wall Street, hedgefunders, banks, and the rest cost a lot more over time than programs that help the American people cost, but it happens over time and in bursts, so people don't usually compare the two, but they should.

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Ruth Sheets : Now they blame 'woke banking' . What next?

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Ruth: yes, people need to wake up, or be woke. Anathema to the greedheads! They want to stop it. DeSatan is the poster boy, along with others who want to export their authoritarianism to other states. Like Putin, they don't want anyone communicating to those under oppression, they want seamless, wall to wall or border to border control of everyone not filthy rich.

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Daniel: It's certainly a concerted effort to gather all of the survey options together under one "neat" sound bite four letter word while stoking fear and hatred within the base and beyond. It's as simple and ingenious as it is sick. Republican politicians have mastered the art. Pavlov is smiling.

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From Wikipedia: Woke (/ˈwoʊk/ WOHK) is an adjective derived from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) meaning "alert to racial prejudice and discrimination".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woke

Conservatives stole and twisted the word WOKE that originated from the black people. Conservatives will continue to twist it, until it breaks.

Alls Conservatives have is hate. And guns. And they will utilize those weapons to eradicate progress, to revert to the days of old, by bullying. That’s what a weak mind does. That what a weak position does. That’s what a weak cult(ure) does.

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You're right and you explained it very well.

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Todd, that is called fascism.

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The Republican party is running around trying to find a central focal point so their voters can find a single candidate they can support. Right now Republican candidates are coming out of the barrel of a political shotgun like double "ODD" buckshot being fired at our Democracy. These shallow minded morons are trying to place our form of government in a chrysalis hell bent on some form of metamorphotic change, the problem being they have no idea as to what will hatch from their misguided meddling. The party is basically leaderless, it's the Lord of the flies being played out with our future hanging in the balance. Look at the quality of the players they've shoved into the game, high school drop outs, pathological liars, sexual deviates, it's no wonder the Republican party has no true direction. Trump has brain washed his followers into believing he is the chosen one, chosen to be the first to jump off of a cliff. Covid-19 has infected our population with a pandemic while Trump has infected our country in a far more infectious disorder, stupidity.

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That's so true! The "jumping off the cliff" reminds me of the lemmings game. The GOP is the party of Lemmings. I'd rather be WOKE than a lemming 😉

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Sabine-- The whole Lemmings thing was a hoax. Fed to us by Disney and their attempt tp produce a documentary on the Tundra and it wild life. It was turning out to be a bit mundane so they spiced it up a little with the fabled lemmings jumping off of the cliff. Th truth behind the filming was, members of the crew actually captured a number of the loveable little tundra dwelling rodents and threw them off the cliff just for the story. I often wondered how the lemmings felt about the production company's dramatization.

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Wow, that's terrible!! I had no idea that there was a lemming movie made by Disney that's actually older than I! I was referring to the video game my son used to play back in the early 90s. Learned something new--or old in this case. I grew up in Germany, so a lot of general movie/music knowledge is still new to me. I became a proud American during Obama's second term...just for what's-his-face to spoil my newly found citizenship. One positive thing came out of the bad MAGA years, though: I actually became interested in Politics! 🤣

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Sabine--The lemmings thing was a well kept secret for years, they fooled me for years.

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It's the new "politically correct"

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I had a bad feeling about that term the very first time I ever heard it uttered!

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Mar 15, 2023·edited Mar 15, 2023

Two >relevant< links:

https://youtu.be/frZHD6aITcg

https://youtu.be/EgoPQS1kBUw

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Good! I'm glad they weren't in Polish.

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LOL! 👍

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Todd, you are right about Republican jettisoning of Christian core values to promote a prosperity gospel that encourages greed, cheating, lying, and the rest of the "deadly sins." "Woke" is their whine that there are people out here who do believe in compassion, care, equity, acceptance, and the positive values which they can't stomach. If they play those down, they think we will be distracted so much by having to defend our positive positions that we won't have time to go after their hypocrisy, lying, cheating, and the rest of their bad behavior, because there is so much of it. IF we are not careful, they will be right.

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I prefer to call it, cafeteria Christian’s. They pick and choose what they like. Also, I wonder who authored the dog whistle “death tax “regarding Obamacare?

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And the only vaccine for stupid is being outlawed by anti-vaxers!

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I recall stories from colleagues who grew up in the South where the truth about slavery, about race, and about segregation had been driven from the pulpits, driven from the classrooms, and driven from the newsrooms. Today, nearly 60 years since passage of federal civil and voting rights legislation, a painfully similar strain, dare I say, of orthodoxy (“Anti-Woke”) increasingly has taken hold in the Republican Party.

I would note, in Orwell’s 1984, the character Syme, one of the writers of that totalitarian society’s dictionary, explains to the protagonist Winston, “The whole climate of thought will be different. In fact there will be no thought as we understand it now. Orthodoxy means not thinking—not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.”

I reference Orwell because I imagine, say, in DeSantis’s mind that an un-woke, unconscious people, an indoctrinated people fed only on partisan information and opinion that confirm their own bias, is less inclined to put up a fight, to ask questions and be skeptical. I dare say we all must be “woke” to how that kind of orthodoxy can kill a democracy—or worse.

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I was in the Air Force in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1964. Everything was segregated. It was illegal for a black to ride in the front seat of a car with a white. I met one woman who told me she was 16 years old before she realized that damn yankee was 2 words.

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It can happen again.

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William, I say not if we organize, educate, and resist.

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It already has.

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I see what you mean. The definition of "woke" is evolving to mean that woke is bad so somnolence must be good. Be suggestive to hypnotic suggestion and do what I tell you.

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They are trying to change the definition of everything. It is truly Orwellian. Now January 6 was a tourist visit. An abortion in South Carolina could soon bring a murder charge, something that was totally legal not long ago. They are trying to blame Antifa for all their terrorist activities and Antifa isn't even an organization. Truth no longer has any meaning. Facts are no longer facts. They may soon be telling you that the sun revolves around the earth. David Attenborough can't show his documentary on BBC because it's considered too woke. I could go on but they are trying to redefine everything.

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Gloria, Thank you for your reply. Considering I analogized “anti-woke” as a people imbued with an orthodoxy, a limited set of voices that narrowed the range of thought, somnolent, understood connotatively, could be an apt descriptor.

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Really, what does the opposite of 'woke' mean? Asleep! They want us to be unconscious! Ultimately exploitable and unresistant to their unrepentant greed, cruelty and power madness!

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Dems are woke and Reps are comatose.

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Diane Fallon ; It sure seems that way. If they are awake and doing what they have been doing, they are extra evil! If they can become truly hip and Woke, that would be good!

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Yes, and truly we have been asleep. Forced to be in our own cocoons just to survive. We have awakened to a harsh reality. Things have gone amok!

To tell the truth , it might feel safer to remain unconscious, asleep, always looking for Polly Anna. However, we must awaken and ring the bell. If we don’t shake ourselves, splash cold water on our faces and get “out the door), we will miss not only work, we will miss our Democracy.

These people think they want freedom... what they are pushing is tyranny. Your freedom for their!

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Jean (Muriel) ; It certainly looks that way.

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Thank you you have just explained the goal of deSatan and the rest of the Republican crowd? They don't want people woke so they can manipulate us easier.

What does that have to say about republican voters?

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S howard ; There are some Republican voters who care most about their money and investments. There are those who have been indoctrinated in their churches to believe that the Second Coming of Christ will be blocked by abortion. There are those who love their money so much that they vote for people like the former guy who gave almost 2 $trillion to billionaires and millionaires in tax breaks they clearly don't need, unless they plan to buy more seats in government and judges on the 'Supreme' court, and then there is dynastic wealth to allow them to rule in perpetuity ; To hell with Democracy! they say. the bottom third or so have little or no education and believe the bull$#it of the day from Faux 'News' and other Rupert Murdoch rags, and blogs/sites featuring all kinds of mopes who claim they love freedom, but clearly don't know what it really is. And then there are the career criminals who run the mob of the world; Oligarchs. What DOES that say about republican voters? Too many MAGAs?

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In the first place,these folks have been boohooing about they are being"replaced"when the counters of demographics speak of White folks becoming the minority and Black and Hispanic people having the larger population in the somewhat near future.I believe the guilty conscience is showing, because I honestly believe they think the Black and Hispanic people will treat White folks like they themselves have historically treated all minorities,like they are"less than"and deserving of the inferior status.

Then you have the misogyny that White men have towards females,that they all should be barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen their entire lives,they don't need education or a career,etc.And giving women, especially minority women,equal status just absolutely kills these men.They believe and insist that women are inferior,weaker,less intelligent,etc,and are irate when women prove them dead wrong.

Finally,these racist, misogynistic nitwits are so threatened by being shoved off their God-given pedestals,that they attack anything that don't give them their Superior Status that they think only they deserve.Just look at all the attention they give to people they disagree with,and all the laws that they pass in the vain attempt to control everyone and make them do it ONLY their way.They have always hated gay people,and trans people even more so,and are enraged that these people have equal status and rights that these angry crybaby twits think should only be for them,the straight White men,and noone else should even get any consideration.They especially despise trans women,and this is evident in how overboard they have went to keep little boys from being turned into little sissy girls,in their eyes.They are just losing their collective minds over this.

It's so crazy that none of these states and politicians have any care or concern about what average people care about,all they care about are culture wars and cancelling out anyone that don't suit the proper image they demand to see.

Meself,I'm so sick of DeSatan and his "woke"garbage,the meaning is now so distorted that it has no meaning anymore.He just needs to STFU and do us all a favor and walk off a cliff into a den of snakes.

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Just watched the documentary Maiden, 2018, on the all women's crew to sail in the around the world Whitbread Yacht Race in 1989 - 1990. Worth watching. One thing that stood out to me was Tracy Edward's decision to fire the first mate just before the start because you can only have one captain/boss in a high stakes situation like this.

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Very well said.

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Melissa Redman ; All true!

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It drives me crazy that they have created a term ("WOKE") and that our press even gives it credence by using it in many articles and headlines (NY Times). Are we so stupid to be manipulated into a cultural war by such a simple guise?

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No,as I understand the term, woke has been hijacked by the right. It simply means to be awake and aware of injustice. If you are woke you recognize there are people who do not see themselves as male or female and you also know that this has always been the case. It's not some left invention of the last decade or so. You recognize this as a natural part of the larger human picture. You do not turn away from this nor do you ignore the problems these people (and others) face. The right will dismissively call you woke and say that you are "virtue signaling" (a particularly odious term). And yes, you are woke, you are awake and know that there are many ways of being human and that these ways needed to be respected.

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I had the impression that 'Woke' was originally used by Blacks to describe their awareness of all things racist. It is also used by those who are aware of oppression of any kind, and the lack of awareness that leads to tyranny.

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Laurie:

I agree. "Woke," as appropriated and turned into a slur, has an additional attraction. Not only is it open-ended, it neatly echoes the no-longer-very-subtle use of "Democrat" as an adjective to mean "Democratic."

We are witnessing the rapid infantilization of language.

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Vince Schumacher ; The difference being that infants can grow and learn.

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Much like CRT, the hate filled drones of the Wealthy White Male “Christian” Oligarchy have been manipulated into un-thinkingly adopting a term coined in the search for justice as a derisive slur to attack those they are told to fear, demean, and abuse.

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I think you're right. I was aware of it's application to racism and other things but I wasn't certain of the origin of the term.

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Ralph Lake ; Whatever the exact origin of the term 'woke', I believe that it is similar to the notion of 'consciousness' that was talked about when I was growing up in the 60's and 70's. To be awake is to be conscious. "We woke up at 7 a.m." is one version. Then someone turned it into political/spiritual consciousness kind of of woke, it looks like. It makes sense to me.

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Charles Anderson ; They also use terms like 'riot' to describe the attack on the Capitol that minimizes what happened; it's also easier and shorter to print and say, along with being easier to deny the reality of what happened that day.

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Charles Anderson ; Yes, it gives deniability.

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Charles Anderson ; It's like the word 'riot' to tone down the fact that the U.S. Capitol was ATTACKED IN A SEDITIOUS ATTEMPT TO EXERCISE A COUP! Are we so stupid to be manipulated into thinking this was just an ordinary riot? Any conscious person can see who the media work for! What does it mean when someone awakens from sleep? They Woke up! IT'S Time all the humans did! The word woke has been around longer than you!

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founding

https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/03/02/the-anti-esg-industry-is-taking-investors-for-a-ride

"When you believe in nothing, you'll fall for anything-"

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I can't afford more than a couple of subscriptions, and I am frustrated when I lunge face first into a paywall when I am eager to read an article. Does your quote summarize this article?

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I gained access to the article. Thanks for the insight.

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Great drawing, Professor!

I chose “other” because I think it’s a combo of their both having no policy ideas and they need a scapegoat. The blind hatred emboldened by their idol in Mar a Lago has penetrated such a vast amount of people in this country — including the politicians who idolize and emulate this fascist & creator of the Insurrection.

I don’t normally read these comments until after I have voiced my own thoughts but today for some reason I did, and so I must agree 100% with Wayne Teel’s (entire) comment and reiterate: “As far as the Democrats go, their response should be to propose ways to fix things, correct systemic mistakes, act on climate, care for people, care for the planet. They need to push back on Republicans with positive legislation that demonstrates care. Woke is beautiful, deal with it.”

Thank you for being the voice of reason, as usual, Professor Reich

Anne💙🙏🌻

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It's racist, sexist, classist, anti worker, anti equity, anti education and anti environmental. Did I say toxic?

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I was just waiting to see how the Republicans would spin the story to blame minorities for the banking crisis. They are right on script.

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anti-"woke"-ness is just a way for the GQP to use the word "hatred" without alarming anyone by not naming everyone whom they hate. which is, basically, everyone who is not a white man.

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The use of the word "woke" it's just a throwaway, code for I can't offer any specifics but I'm right and they're wrong.

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GOP' only policies are to obstruct and sabotage whatever the Government has done and tries to do, for the American people, turn the clock back to what they perceive as the good old days and remove the bad old days (including Jan6) from the history books..........and then save the country from chaos -they create themselves- through an one party authoritarian regime......

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Hans Flikkema ; 1984 ; The book written by George Orwell comes to mind.

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You can either be Woke or Asleep at the Wheel. I don't like the term Woke. I'd prefer enlightened, aware, tuned in, etc. I can't believe all the progress we've made since the 1970s is now threatened by these UNwoke politicians.

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Anti woke seems to me to be coming from abused adult children, who never learned what love, kindness, acceptance and honesty were, as children.

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You hit the nail on the head, Jean

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Indeed! If I may, I will share a meditation that suits your comment, as reflection is part of the necessary to grow.

March 13

Regrets – Courage

Regrets are as personal as fingerprints.

Margaret Culkin Banning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Culkin_Banning

My regrets are mine. Whatever I have done to cause regret, I did it myself. I may have been pushed by others and circumstances may have prodded me hard. Yet, when all is said and done, I am the one who acted or did not act, and that is my reality.

Often, we keep our lives in imbalance by trying to blame others for our action and decisions. There are as many forms of “He/she/they made me do it” as there are stars in the sky.

Unfortunately, what we fail to realize in the “others made me do” stance is that in this process we give our power away by the truckload and then bemoan that we feel put upon.

It takes courage to own our behaviors and take responsibility for our actions. It takes courage to stand up and say that we made the decision and we regret it. It takes courage to admit to our personal regrets and own them as fully as we can. Yet, when we do, the door to personal freedom and power is suddenly before us.

Take a month to remember and list some personal regrets that you carry, Then go over them with someone you trust to see what you need to do about them.

NB:

It's also interesting to note that our teachers are not those that are worshiped via Wall Street, Higher learning institutes or Billionaires, they are the more humble ordinary human beings, and the creatures that we share this planet with.

Source: Meditations for Living in Balance Anne Wilson Schaef, PhD.

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"Woke" for the Republicans is just becoming a word they use to activate the worst emotions, without any accompanying thought, in their base -- the verbal equivalent of ringing the bell to activate a Pavlovian salvation response in dogs that have been trained to make the association between the bell and food. It is what "communism" or "socialism" used to do for Republicans with the added frisson of being a racist dog-whistle to appeal to those feelings.

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The W-word—the 2023 version of the N-word.

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I agree. It's a trigger word.

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