Hot this late-afternoon Wednesday here in California’s Central Valley, a few tiny gusts of much-appreciated wind flows occasionally through allowing it to be manageable, but most-definitely on the ‘right‘ or ‘left of comfortable.
Only 95-degrees right now, so it’s not that ‘bad.’
Backyard blogging again today — ‘backyard blogging‘ occurs when there’s a picture included of my little outside work area, though, I usually post from here just about every day — and if you somehow notice the date/time stamp on the pix, relax, it’s not 2017.
Shit-dog! It freakin’ better not…
Maybe the weather outside creates for me a physical reminder of the way-heavy heat clamping-down on all of life right now, a killing pandemic still out of control, an economic crater in living, and a major, unprecedented surge of civil unrest, nothing like I’ve seen in my lifetime, or maybe ever before..
Equality and justice in the midst of COVID-19.
Events emoting from the death of George Floyd has spring-boarded into the ugly mire of America’s history — today a leap in the right direction:
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 10, 2020
This will freak the redneck-cracker crowd,
Via the Guardian‘s live blog this afternoon:
The move is significant, considering the sport’s popularity in the south. Fans have been displaying Confederate flags and symbols at racing events despite Nascar asking them not to do so five years ago. The outright ban today
The announcement is sure to be controversial with a number of NASCAR fans, some of whom display Confederate flags and symbols at racing events even five years after NASCAR asked fans not to do so.
The outright ban today comes after Bubba Wallace, the circuit’s only Black full-time driver, told CNN on Monday, “There’s going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly, but it’s time for change.”
“We have to change that, and I encourage NASCAR— we will have those conversations to remove those flags,” he said.
And real-living perspective from a must-read post by senior writer Ryan McGee at ESPN, also this afternoon, especially these snips:
Because gone with it is the perpetual need for me to apologize to my coworkers of color, who politely winced whenever we entered a speedway infield to be greeted by a line of Confederate flags.
Gone is the instant evidence always used against me by friends and colleagues who refused to accept my pleas of “NASCAR has changed, really!” because they only had to point over my shoulder at the flags whipping in the wind in HDTV every Sunday afternoon.
Gone are the skeptical rolled eyes that Wallace has had to combat his entire life.
Same for NBA All-Star-turned-NASCAR team owner Brad Daugherty, or NASCAR official Kirk Price, or the family of NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott, the only other black driver to make his living as a Cup Series driver.
All of them have spent their lives going to the racetrack, having achieved their dream of working at the highest level of stock car racing, only to have to explain over and over again why they chose to work at a place where multiple symbols of hate are displayed out in the open.
…
There was a time when the swastika meant nothing, too. It first appeared in Asia 5,000 years ago. It was meant to signify the sun.
But then someone came along and turned it into the symbol of one of the greatest evil forces that Earth has ever known.
You wouldn’t fly that over Talladega, would you?
Because to millions upon millions of Americans, that’s what they see and what they feel when they see that Confederate flag.
Once again, go read the whole piece — McGee is from the deep south, as so am I, so we know shit stinks.
Another must-read is an interview with ancient rocker, David Crosby, at Rolling Stone, again, this afternoon, and the big difference between 1968 and now:
“I would paint the villain in darker colors this time,” he tells Rolling Stone.
“I’ll tell you how I envision this guy [Trump]. He feels to me like an 8-year-old kid that has never been allowed in his dad’s office and he’s broken and he’s peeing on the papers, running around madly with his dick flopping out, peeing on the papers saying, ‘I’ll show you!’”“He’s not even really sane,” he adds.
“And he is far more dangerous than Nixon because he’s got a gigantic ego and he was raised by monsters. His dad must have been one of the most horrifying people you ever could have encountered. The signs are all over him.”
Right-on…
‘What if you knew her, and found her dead on the ground…‘
