244 Comments
Oct 5, 2021Liked by Robert Reich

Absolutely....My Mother came to this country from Switzerland in 1957 aboard the Queen Mary. One of the first party's she attended a General in the Navy made a comment about "damn foreigners coming to our country on the tramp steamer the Queen Mary"....my Mom in her best English, which she worked hard to learn, said to his face " Well sir you don't look like much of an Indian to me". I thought that was pretty accurate for a young woman in 1957.

The majority of people today conveniently forget their history, all of us are immigrants in one form or another. Only the Native Americans can say differently. That is what this country was built on....diversity & acceptance of all people.

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Couldn't agree more, Nicole. The question is how do we help the nativists see this?

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Yes, that is the million dollar question...I live in Oakdale California now, a hot bed of Trump supporters. Believe me I see the ignorance and misinformation on a daily basis. It is frightening, it is almost like they are all brain washed. They look at me as the enemy, which is very scary at times.

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Your legacy story is ALSO my story...the details are different but the idea that our legacies are equally valid and that we as individuals are equally worthy is what our country is (supposed to be!) built on! Thank you. Read my story---it's a different and older one than yours!

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THANK YOU! From a Danish/English/Scottish/Norwegian/French/German...and let's not forget: Sardinian and Native America. I am what has happened and will happen going forward to hold onto your hat and watch diversity and inclusivity zoom ahead--to the better fortune of us all!

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Oct 5, 2021Liked by Robert Reich

He's "popular" because sadly most people will turn their head to watch a car wreck or similar disaster. Pandering to a fear, bias, racism and classism is a very old story pre-internet/cable...

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Probably originated around the fire at the back of the cave.

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except that until about 1987 and repeal of the FCC fairness doctrine, vetting and ground truth reality were more respected...

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Agreed, but I found your comment to be applicable to humanity and its historical arc in general. Humanity's worst attributes - and its best - have been with us longer than the united states.

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Agree Carlson is evil and committed to disinformation; but the real blame is Fox “news” network for allowing this to continue unchecked and without a disclaimer. Walking the fine line of freedom of speech and disinformation is a challenger- but Fox News has breeches all ethical bounds in the past 20 years. Place blame at the heart of the problem not the symptom.

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You're correct, Mark -- but Fox News isn't a person, and blaming a corporation is a fruitless effort. The person behind Fox News who's really responsible for its unethical strategies is Rupert Murdoch. Still, Carlson is uniquely dangerous because he's talented, has a large and growing following, and knows the art of demagoguery perhaps better than Trump. I wouldn't be surprised if Carlson ran for president.

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Really? Isn't it "enough, already" with electing a celebrity to the highest office in the land? If we were to elect TC, we wouldn't have to decry the many "shit-hole countries" in the world...we would top the list! Lanae

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SNAP!

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O M G, perish the thought ..

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Console yourself in that he would probably lose in the primary to DeSantis.

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Rupert Murdoch ... a foreigner.

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Unless I'm mistaken, Fox "News" itself declared that what it broadcasts shouldn't be seen as credible. Wasn’t that its defense in the lawsuit brought against it? It seems, though, that its those who follow it don't care.

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I agree with your choice, Mr. Secretary. Tucker Carlson is the prototypical "ugly American." He should go live on a Native American reservation for a year. Or else, instead of visiting chauvinistic Hungary, he should come and report on my home town of Akron, Ohio where our former Italian-American neighborhood of North Hill has assimilated over 5,000 Asian refugees from Nepal/Bhutan/Myanmar. These immigrants have been a positive influence on the area, opening new businesses, working jobs, buying homes and cars- just like my Italian-American ancestors did 100 years ago. We are now getting ready to welcome some of the Afghan immigrants. There's no need to fear them- they're people just like us looking to have a chance at life.

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David, since before the nation began, every new generation of immigrants has been subject to prejudice, then accepted but hyphenated (eg, "Italian-American"), then, finally, "American." That's who we are. Good for Akron!

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You have a great take on your community. It's obvious: things are going to change all over America but this is nothing to be feared. (What would be and is frightening is the insistence by some that we remain the same, that nothing change, when what we need are fresh ideas, better ways of doing things, new opportunities for newcomers and old-timers alike.) Thanks for your positive report and take on things...I only wish there were more people like you. The Italians were and are an asset and the Afghans will be too. They will have to adapt and change, but change is part of life for us all...and all the time!

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Fear of change is so central to the opposers of immigration, but change is the only permanent thing.

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Yes! We do think alike!

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All of those ethnic groups now in North Hill also have interesting cuisines: I envy your dining options (assuming some open restaurants)!

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An interesting story from years ago: Many years ago I was in London on graduate study business. I was in PIccadilly, a neighborhood with a lot of foreign restaurants that offered non-English food. I decided to check out a Chinese restaurant...a dyed-in-the-wool English couple sitting at the next table told me that--in their opinion--the best restaurants in London were operated by people from India or Asia and that traditional English food left a lot to be desired. That was years ago and I imagine that the influence of foreign cuisine has been a boon to the restaurant biz in London and that the English have experimented with their own food---and come up with a fusion cuisine that's super. Same thing with the way our food has improved with the foreign additions!

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My wife has told me similar things about the cuisine of England! There are no truly unique cuisines: people have been encountering each other since the first hominid morphed into H. Sapiens and they always exchanged ideas, food, trade goods, art, music, and genetic material.

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True enough! I am writing a book that deals with music performance and US History/my family history, from 1918 (it starts with the earlier pandemic which had a huge impact on my immediate family and still echoes through my life) and ends with the current pandemic and how it is changing music performance. Despite what some believe, music is a lot like food....it continues on, no matter what!

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I would love to read that book.

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Would you be at all amenable to connecting to me by traditional means? That is, by email? I have actually finished the book and am scouting around for a publisher. I have had great response from what might be termed the musical contingent, most recently from....someone Chinese-American who plays the cello and is a world-wide celebrity--and great human being. People who have read it love it as it is not written for professional musicians or music critics but for....YOU.

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So true! In the depths of the siege of Stalingrad an orchestra was cobbled together from professional and amateur players and performances were given to bring hope and a morale boost to those who were existing in misery.

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You might be interested in what is going on right now and at Stanford. On Monday evening I went to a concert at Bing Center on the Stanford campus. The performers were members of an organization named Medicine and the Muse, that is, they were MDs, NPs, MPHs, front-line professionals with Stanford Medicine. Some of them have pursued music performance (vocal and instrumental) right alongside their medical studies and practices. Right now, this group of performers is actually suffering some sort of fatigue and distress...can you imagine how it is to dedicate your professional life to helping people, only to see them die after you did everything in your power to save them? Day after day. In any event, the group Stanford Medicine Stuck@Home were excellent and inspiring...it was also disheartening as the master of ceremonies asked those in the audience to stand if they knew someone who had passed from covid-19 and virtually everyone did. The performance was fine but it was also bittersweet. I am heartened that the performers had music by their side as it never leaves us, it just doesn't, and this is true whether we perform actively or play the active role of audience.

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I agree with you. I believe racism is the very root of what is wrong with this country and that it is used to convince people to vote against their own self interests. I think that we are on the verge of a sea change and that Tucker Carlson knows it, and that is why he is willing to be so ugly and open about it on the air. I'm hoping a golden age is in our future, when the racists finally fall from political power, and politicians represent the people who elected them instead of the wealthy elite.

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I agree, Geordie. Tucker Carlson and his backers rely on racial animosity to distract people from looking up to see where wealth and power have really gone. As Robert Sala wrote below, I share your hope for a better future where we've reclaimed power for working Americans and reckoned with our history.

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Racism is financially lucrative when you're a psychopathic politician or celeb but ONLY if you're of the correct political persuasion. Imagine, say, Rachel Maddow saying the things &ucker says. The right would be weaponizing it for at least the next 30 yrs. But apparently, racism sells to the &ucker and #ucker army. Drums up $ so the psychopath can get elected and 'save' the country.

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I too, agree. I think we should also very subtly deal with racism's manservant: rudeness. Isn't racism fundamentally rude?

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Thank You! I believe that racism is at the heart of most--if not all--of the rhetoric Tucker inflicts on the American public. I do not know how this racism squares with the espoused Christian faith of so many of these hate-filled individuals. I am crossing my fingers that this is somehow the storm and that, when it is finally over, we will rejoice in a new acceptance of our diversity and inclusivity!

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Unfortunately Christianity is just like any other belief system and can be corrupted and twisted to serve an ideology that espouses the exact opposite of its stated beliefs.

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I know what you say is true but, still and all, I can't help wondering why people who claim to be Christian can so very easily compartmentalize their Christian values from the values (and actions) that are really minding the store.

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In my humble opinion, it is because they are human. This is an aspect of the psychological makeup of humans that has been taken advantage of by demagogues, authoritarian figures, dictators, etc. throughout history. The ignorant and incurious are especially susceptible and are likely to believe and go along with any ridiculous proclamations as long as those proclamations dovetail with their personal biases. I know Christians who live by "do unto others" and practice love and understanding and I know others who constantly talk of hate and violence toward whatever group of "others" they are interested in denouncing at the moment.

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You raise a great point and I acknowledge that you are correct. However I also know that there are a great many people who set a priority on living their beliefs and practice decency and kindness to all. They are not necessarily Christian but they certainly can be. At times it seems to me that those who proclaim their values loudly and often are precisely the folks who do not hesitate when it comes to demeaning and attacking others but I believe this fits with what you have asserted above. Thanks for making your valuable point!

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I think whether or not you are a kind, compassionate, caring person has nothing to do with whatever belief system you proclaim and is all about you personally. Hypocrisy is a very human trait and recognizing it and addressing it in oneself is not always easy.

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I share your hope(s). To your point about racism, I believe what we are experiencing in our society at present is the legacy of a botched reconstruction post-civil war.

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agreed!

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Many of the laws we have that promulgate racism were based on exactly that idea: that new immigrants would replace those who were here first, and that the new immigrants would take over. Unfortunately, it's an old idea with a lot of support - and particularly among the people who are watching Tucker Carlson; it's the type of that they want, and he's just the jackass to give it to them.

My grandparents were all either immigrants, or born to recent immigrants. In addition to leaving Europe and Russia for financial reasons, they were all fleeing religious persecution, as they were also all Jewish. Had they not come to this country between 1883 and 1905, it's likely they would have been kept out based on their religion, as ideas such as the ones Carlson is touting were the driving force behind immigration quotas - which would have particularly effected my mother's grandparents, coming from Russia, although "Jewish" was considered a race until after WWII, and was a significant issue in quotas.

Everyone here - unless they are Native American - is an immigrant or the descendant of an immigrant; some immigrated voluntarily and others were brought by force. This country, as it exists today, with all its warts and horrible history, was built by immigrants, many of whom either said the same things Carlson is saying, or had those things said about them. The question is, then, will we learn from history or repeat yet again?

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Homo hubris seems to be utterly incapable of learning from past mistakes. We are constitutionally unable as a species, at least in our present form: Homo hubris. The younger gens seem to be evolving into a new, better us: Homo simpatico. Pray they take the reins in time... Till then, we must hold the line!

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History says we will repeat it again ... and again ... and again ...

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Aside from the blatant racism, and everything else evil about TC, it's hysterical he thinks the problem with those "terrible" immigrants is that they are *obedient*. There is nothing Conservatism desires more than a multitude of obedient people. Their whole problem is with people who object instead of being obedient. So, apparently, liberal Dems need an obedient population so we can force healthcare, childcare, college education, and other terrors upon them without them rising up against us! But of course!

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Iony is dead and the psychopathic part of our govt killed it. WHATEVER good the repugnicans in congress say, you can bet they're doing the precise opposite. Whatever bad they accuse the Dems of is mere projection and misdirection. It's all a deadly magic act with plenty willing to indefinitely suspend their disbelief.

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A characteristic of narcissism is to have little to no theory of mind for anyone operating differently than oneself. Narcissists project their own shitty motives and behavior on others because they think everyone else operates as they do. The racist, fearful, existentially threatened, backward thinking core of today's GOP is collectively a narcissist. Additionally, like many narcissist, they are actively evil. Not having a theory of mind for others is a close relative to not having empathy and compassion. Thinking you are singularly correct (as they tend to think) combined with a poverty of empathy and compassion makes "enemies", and makes those enemies disposable sub-humans pretty quickly.

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Man, you must be living quietly somewhere in my brain cuz we're def on the same wavelength. I could not agree more with every single thing you said.

As a country we have worshipped at the alter of SELF for a little too long. I think we may still be able to find our way back but it's gonna suck getting there.

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And PS, it is GOOD to finally be connected with ppl who see this impending catastrophe for what it is.

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Agree. Libs have enough people rising up against us for trying to force healthcare, etc., on them.

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There are Americans who are so stupid they don't know they are stupid especially those who listen to Tucker Carlson and believe him.

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Faux News needs to be put off the air. It's not news or facts, it's a blatant attempt to destroy our country and Carlson leads the way.

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The way to hurt Fox News is to stop supporting their advertisers. News is entertainment and Just like Facebook they are Masters at creating unrest that stimulates viewership.

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Nice spelling of faux news!! Says it all...

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You picked well, Robert. I was glad to see your newsletter this morning. I posted a factual article a couple of days ago to counter Carlson's lie that people who'd had Covid had better immunity than what the vaccine could give. He insidiously 'informs' his take on an issue, and then expounds in a vile twisted way to captivate his audience. His presentations make me cringe. It's as hard to watch/listen to him as it was Trump.

That he's vehemently addressing an issue that most Americans agree needs fixing - immigration - he has a conservative and uneducated audience that will grab any additional reason to not only maintain their racist beliefs, but consider acting on them if they feel threatened enough. Unfortunately, that's possibly the hope he and the right, are looking for.

I agree with Mark Stevens' response that Fox News is the real culprit. Reporters/commentators have been removed from other networks for outrageous allegations - yet, Carlson remains.

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Apparently he's incapable of telling the truth . . . https://www.politifact.com/personalities/tucker-carlson/

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Carlson is paid by billionaires to spew garbage and hatred. He’s nothing but a sheep.

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Feeding the hate endemic in White Supremacy is dangerous and divisive. A typical play of authoritarian leaders around the world and the Trump wing of the Republican party.

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While I agree that Carlson is a horrible influence, I would have nominated another non-politician, Mark Zuckerberg whose corporation not only allows and profits from the spread of disinformation regarding: politics, vaccines, abortion, race, ethnicity, and so on, but his companies also contribute to damaging the mental health of adolescents, young adults, and adults. The worst part is that due to internal investigations, he knows all of this and does nothing because facebooks profits and reputation mean more to him than the millions of users of his various platforms.

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It's ALL about the MONEY (and the power that goes with it). Absolutely nothing is more important. "Burn the only living planet in this solar system to a smoking turd? How much do I get if I do it?" "Throw my newborn baby into the inferno? It'll cost you extra..."

The entire horrific mess we're in rests squarely on filthy pieces of paper that have no intrinsic value. The Earth and all that live here DO have intrinsic value. But this is the message we're getting: "You have no filthy pieces of paper to give me, therefore you do not exist. Go away and burn."

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This (Tucker Carlson's) strategy is precisely that employed by Goebbels.

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True, but it is historically accurate and choosing to ignore history simply because of an association with the nazis is perilous.

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The first time I saw Carlson, I was appalled beyond description. What appalls me now is that so many people listen to him. What is wrong with this country?

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The somnambulistic stupor that most Americans exist in. This is enabled by the incredible ignorance that prevails. The end result?: a population easily manipulated to believe any absurdity is a "fact" and that that fact is a threat and those who are brave enough to reveal this "fact" are elevated to the status of prophet and/or messiah.

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How about the truth

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This is exactly why the wealthy/powerful few, aided by Rep., are against racial history- the truth is that the English settlers (who were not Europe's best and in fact some were criminals), 'replaced' the Native Americans by force, by bringing diseases that killed many and ultimately by stealing their land and limiting their resources and limiting them to "reservations". They treated all other nationalities the same, but allowed those with 'white' skin to assimilate when they needed to add to their numbers to retain power. However, if you could not, or can not, pass for 'white' that hasn't been an option for you... you are still "other" and the enemy. They know that if people knew their real history- how they took advantage of so many others and are not the actual "Americans" (native to America)but immigrants themselves, it would be much more difficult for them to divide and conquer the majority of us- the 90% that make less than $140,000, year (or the 99% that make less than $720,000/year). That's how they keep using the same tactics over and over, claiming that people of color and immigrants are stealing our jobs, as if those ppl own the company and are hiring themselves, when it is the same wealthy/powerful ppl/corp that are sending jobs to foreign countries, for cheaper labor and fighting against raising minimum wage here in the US! They are the same people who have created the boogeyman of 'critical race theory' in schools, so they can avoid the truth associated with slavery and systemic racism, while at the same time leading us to believe there are limited resources... this encourages some to be willfully ignorant of that history, in an effort to maintain their privileged and advantage, rather that work together, collectively- via political power, to demand more for everyone (90%-99%).

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exactly

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