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Faaaarrrk, here we go...

Disclaimer, I am not a lawyer, especially, I have no professional knowledge, of American Law.

I can however, read, those who cannot understand learning, may think this is, what Trump says it is.

I think it was written by Barr, to appear, that it's what Trump wants, but it is legal smoke and mirrors that won't get to court and fail,  until well after November. When it won't matter.

You know Twitter and Facebook have bigger Lawyers than Barr, Barr's only advantage is Trump, ergo - failure.

______

"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:"

I would imagine that there is a proscribed wording for an "Executive Order", this may not be that wording.

"Section 1.  Policy. ..."

This a preamble, that is a Trump Rant, written in Barr's legal nice words. No order here.

He spits tacks at - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Representative Adam Schiff, China, and the Chinese Communist Party.

further note: being the 1st bit, Trump will see tacks being spit and be satisfied that his commands are being obeyed.

"Sec. 2.  Protections Against Online Censorship. ..."

This is just an explanation of existing Law. And like the Google directions, to get from one side of Tokyo to the other, there are multiple variations, with the same start and end.

further note: Trump will have lost interest after section 1. 

"Sec. 3.  Protecting Federal Taxpayer Dollars from Financing Online Platforms That Restrict Free Speech. ... "

The bean counting bit.

further note: Trump will have lost interest.

"Sec. 4.  Federal Review of Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices. ..."

"(a)"

The USA wants Twitter etc, not to restrict free speech, free speech is important.

"(b)"

In 2019 the White House received over 16,000 complaints of online platforms censoring or otherwise taking action against users based on their political viewpoints.  The White House will submit such complaints received to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).  Ahh, when? Tuesday? 2034? next week? Ho hum.

"(c)" and "(d)" will do stuff, can do stuff. Ho Hum.

further note: Trump will have lost interest, but if he does get this far, it looks like action!

"Sec. 5.  State Review of Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices and Anti-Discrimination Laws. ..."

Working Group will do stuff, public information will be examined, people will be examined based on their interactions with other users. Check the algorithms. 

Have a look see at: 

Chinese Communist Party or other anti-democratic associations or governments;  third-party entities, including contractors, media organizations, and individuals, with bias. The ability of users with particular viewpoints to earn money off this stuff.

further note: Trump will have lost interest.

"Sec. 6.  Legislation." and  "Sec. 7.  Definition." Dot i and cross t, plural.

further note: Trump will have lost interest.

"Sec. 8.  General Provisions. ..."

The word "order is used twice in this section, which is essentially saying that this "order" won't stop the government doing, what it normally does.

further note: having skipped the middle bits Trump will see "order". Twice, see? Yay!.

_____

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-preventing-online-censorship/

_____

Summary: this "order" says, we're gonna make a working group, you know, like a committee.

Twitter must be shitting themselves :)

 

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23 hours ago, chocolat steve said:

I'm western without question. When people in America ask me how I'm treated around the world when I travel, I tell them "you are your passport". If I'm sitting in any random bar and a white American is on my right and a Nigerian double is on my left. Once the bartender hears my accent, sees my mannerism as well as my dress which is going to be similar to any other American, he will mentally put me in the same group as the white American. For the most part, with few exceptions globally, people look at nationality and culture over race. Not 100 percent but almost always. 

I will give you a real world example. I went to Cambodia for the first time in 2006 to visit a friend of mine who retired there. I learned about The Walkabout, in the capital PP. Its the most famous expat bar in Cambodia at the time, maybe still is, if its still there (I haven't been there since). At the time, and unknown to me, there was a no African policy in the bar. There was something to do with some local Nigerians acting badly, I found out later. 

There is a guard outside, I was by myself, I strode by the guard, who looked at me a bit suspiciously, I went to the bar, asked for a menu and went about my usual business when I was in the bar. There were stares and such from the regulars, all white from various countries I found out later, same as any random expat bar in SE Asia. I didn't think much of it. I just assumed they were all regulars and I was the new guy and needed time to warm up to me once I started coming there regularly. And my natural good looks and charm would do its usual business (stop rolling your eyes). 

I joked a bit with waitress, asked if it was okay to eat at the bar, she was a bit nervous, okay, didn't think much of it. Eventually, they must have sussed out I was American, not too difficult, and after a while I was arguing football with a Belgian and a Brit about Arsenal. That week, I saw an African try to get in the bar and the security guy, stopped him. Some were across the street, saw me going in and thought it was okay for them to go in. That's what I assumed based on what was going on. We can argue about whether they should be allowed in or not but my friend said they would do a runner or get girls and not pay or wouldn't pay as much (same thing I heard when I first visited Bangkok late '90s). 

Places where Africans, Nigerians, etc are not welcome, I am treated differently. Why? I'm American. I have rented airbnb from Chinese in Philippines and Malaysia who I later heard will not rent to local Africans. Africans regard African Americans as western. I've been to Ghana and Kenya, they see me as 'white'..lol. I'm over charged the same. I'm propositioned the same. Am I seen 100% the same? No. Globally among millennials they grew up with black American culture, rap music, Obama, Michael Jordan, etc. and I often get 'Yo man" from the teens and 20 somethings, and Im almost always the first black American they meet. I'm old enough to be their father (or even grandfather in some cases). I'm not upset, its not them trying to disrespect, they like the culture, music. The same happens to Koreans when they travel to small towns in America, with Korean drama being big. 

I will say this, Asian- Americans and non white and non black Americans are seen as more of an oddity. Everyone knows Americans have whites and blacks even latinos but they don't really process it. I have a very good friend, Latina from LA and she is working in Hong Kong and when she says she is American the follow up question is "where are you really from?" I was born in LA "Where are your parents from?" They were born in LA. .lol. 

 

Thai taxi drivers have nothing good to say about Africans, whom they usually refer to collectively as Nigerians, no matter where they are from. They tell me about them jumping out of taxis and running without paying, or maybe throwing down 30 baht and running when the fare is over 100, or even getting angry and yelling when the cabbie refuses to drive the wrong way down a one-way street. But they invariably tell me they have no problem with African Americans and Black Brits. They are "same same Farang".  (In the VN War days I heard the expression Farang Dam used for Black GIs.)  Taxi drivers claim they can recognise Brits and Americans by the way they dress, and say they will always stop fpr them. (They may lock the doors to keep Africans out.)

A Black Brit colleague at Thammasat had one of the most posh RP accent I've ever heard. He told me he would always call in advance of a job interview and speak to the Thai department head. After that, he had no problem getting hired when he showed up in person.

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For the Americans on this board, may I take a moment and say how sad the unrest in Minneapolis is.

Minneapolis police precinct on fire

Gov. Tim Walz activated the state's National Guard 

I really hope that things get under control and there is justice done.

 

We only hope that someone takes Donald out the back and locks him in the toilet.

DJT.jpg.fb1d8c3c9c41dbe75ecb17b51abf712b.jpg

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I have been overseas continually for over 10 years. I've  met hundreds of fellow black Americans. For the purposes of this post, I'll refer only to non military black Americans. I've only known 3 black American males who have moved back permanently to America. 1 got married to a HS sweetheart, the other didn't plan on staying but...get this...got a job as a stunt man. He is in LA, younger guy, 32 I think, payed his way around the world as a street performer, doing street dance. The guy has crazy moves. He stumbled into the career when a friend of a friend said a movie set was looking for a black guy double who can do 'falls'. 

Anyway, I digress, they are the only two. No one has stayed for longer than 2 years without leaving permanently. Women are another matter. Many if not most come back, my guess is to look for a marriage partner. Tough for any western woman, especially of a certain age to find suitable marriage partners overseas. 

America is a fantastic country. Its hard to think of a better country specifically if you are black to fulfill your potential in any field you want to pursue. However, at any time, randomly, you can experience things that are life altering. It can be great for days, weeks, months years and then that one time. I've had a gun pointed at me about a half dozen times in my life. With one exception they were all police officers. And I'm not the argumentative 'why are you stopping me type". I comply. First, you can't win. I know before hand he or she has control. All i can do is argue my case after. Second is my parents. I'm the son of an old school baptist Deacon who was addressed and answered with yes sir, no sir, if he spoke to you sternly. Dad or pop if it was safe...haha. My parents did not accept any disrespect of authority figures by their kids. If you felt the adult was wrong, you told them. They said it was their job to fight on your behalf, not yours. So, I never argued with teachers, cops, security guards, etc. 

That said, I can think 2 incidents where I could have been shot and those were days there were no body cams. Once in LA, hot summer day, I was told by one of two cops to put my hands on the hood. The hood was scorching hot and my instinct reaction was to pull my hands off it. He pointed and said deliberately "Put....your...hands...on....the....car and I heard the click". My life flashed before me and I said officer, I can't, its too hot". He wasn't buying it in the moment. I didn't know what to do. Luckily his partner who was running my license and plate came out when he saw his partner point and realized the situation luckily. without seemingly to embarrass his partner in front of me he told him, I'll take him. Search the car. He saved my life. I knew it, he knew it and his partner was none the wiser and I hoped he told his partner later after I was released. 

Would this have happened to Cav or Flash? Maybe...maybe not. I was in south LA at the time, a rough area so the cops are on edge. I co own a condo with my brothers in LA. On hot days I used the pool. Residents have asked me if I am a resident or have a guest pass. I said Im an owner and this lady said, I've been living here for years and have never seen you. I said , I can assure you I am. She proceeded to call the cops .I get it. But an easier solution is the HOA supervisor. Tell them. The homeowners have an elected member you can call. I know this because I wonder why we are paying this person an ungodly amount extra in our fees to sit on their ass. haha. 

It was what she said in the 911 call that I didn't appreciate. She embellished the story. I was bothering guests, I was aggressive, I was sneaking into the pool. I was wondering who this person was she was describing. The cops came, she made excuses that she had to be careful, "there have been robberies and rapes". Bullshit. This area of the San Fernando valley, was predominantly white, jewish and persian (nice mix...lol) and a stolen bike is about as bad as it gets. I put down a nice chunk of a stock option buyout to get us that place. Its vetted. Its not the hood. LOL. 

Anyway, things can happen randomly to anyone. There are mass shootings for god sakes. But there are just too many incidents and the minute you leave your house you are well aware that your speech, clothes, body language, etc, has to convey "I am NOT a threat!". No such feeling in Barcelona, Korea, Dubai (where I'm presently on lockdown..worse places to be ;) ), Thailand, etc. I may be seen as one of those boorish Americans but I'm not a physical threat. I'll take being assumed I'm a Trump supporting war monger than the alternative. 

My cousin said something profound on his social media, when someone said 'When is this shit gonna stop?" and he said "It will stop when Blacks folks react the same way white guys would under the same continual circumstances" and that was a sobering, hmmm..moment. 

There is a straw and camel's back moment that may happen at some point. It happened in the summers of '67 and '68. Dozens of cities in the north erupted in riots due to a confluence of many factors: The promise of equal rights hadn't stopped police brutality and access to union jobs, etc. The civil rights era turned militant with the Black Panthers and Nation of Islam becoming more prominent than the Civil Rights groups. You also had a lot of black Vietnam vets coming back and had no problem killing someone because it was their job for 2 years and they were facing discrimination after fighting for the country and finally you had the deaths of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr, two voices that were now gone and with it many thought any hope of change. 

Today, you have a similar match stick scenario. Thousands of gang members in these cities who have no problem shooting a gun, 1000s of former Iraq and Afghanistan vets. These cities have been hit hard economically by Covid 19 with African Americans being the most affected both by the virus and loss of jobs. Also, non black millennials are now sympathetic and may take the streets as well. All this could be a powder keg. The last thing the cities want is a reason for people not to come out and spend their money. 

People can take a side but one thing is clear, there aren't going to be any winners if it all kicks off. And although the police and possibly the national guard if its brought in can quell it eventually, the optics of that playing globally in this electronic age as well as the lasting economic ramifications, well, you can see its not good. 

 

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The great irony is that after WW2 the (West)-German constitution has been put together under strong assistance of the US targeting on avoidance of many previous mistakes. One of the big achievements has been the possibility to get rid of a chancellor with simple majority within the parliament. On condition a new chancellor could be simultaneously elected. I dare saying that a figure like Trump would have been blown away maybe 2 years ago by a majority of probably 80 %. In case he would have been elected in the first place.

Which brings me back to the 2 current big worldmysteries:  why are there just a few COVIT19 casualties in Siam and second how can so many US citizens readily support a fulltime writeoff like Trump.

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The US system is outdated. It needs to be modernized. First and foremost the electoral college. When half of the last 4 presidents gets elected without getting more than 50% of the people voting for him in a 2 person race that is totally against the doctrine of any true republic or democracy. 

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9 hours ago, Coss said:

We only hope that someone takes Donald out the back and locks him in the toilet.

DJT.jpg.fb1d8c3c9c41dbe75ecb17b51abf712b.jpg

Twitter, which this week earned US President Donald Trump's ire by posting fact-check notices next to one of his tweets, has put up a rule-violation notice on one of his most recent missives that included the phrase "when the looting starts, the shooting starts".

Saying that the president's comments about protests in Minneapolis were against its rules, the social media company has obscured the offending message on Trump's profile with the following warning: "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/donald-trumps-america/300024333/twitter-adds-rare-warning-to-donald-trump-tweet-that-it-is-glorifying-violence

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Every president, no matter how popular had issues with the press. Its just the nature of the animal. Obama had quiet wars with certain media outets. It never extended to using the office to go after them. The worse it almost always was for Presidents is to give exclusives to rivals. Not call on them in protocol (seating and agreements between white house correspondents decide among themselves who gets priority questioning and its rotated). 

But an executive order to let them be sued? Specifically twitter? These precedents are going to come back and bite the Republicans in the ass when the Democrat version of Trump gets power and one day there may very well be. I bring that up because the trend is going left and they will remember and there will be one person who comes and does even more on the left. 

But other than a very few people, the right is scared of Trump. Not him personally, they have no respect for his person, but the people who support him are feared. There is no reason to support the GOP if we now see they have no balls. 

 

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