Mother nature has been reminding us lately that we are just mere mortals, and have overstepped the boundaries. These ecosystems were here long before we were, and will remain long after we are gone...
Ever stepped on the concrete in the dead of summer without your shoes? You regretted it, didn't you? People around the world are dying (literally) for the materials to create concrete, ecosystems are getting screwed, and concrete is costly (monetarily and otherwise).
(L) NPR On Point | Melting Ice, Raging Fires: Summer in the Arctic, Courtesy of Climate Change
You may have heard about this little forest called the Amazon, is been burning. Not only is it burning, it HAS BEEN burning for weeks. Not only that, Greenland is melting much faster than it should be. Any guesses on why that's happening?
Given his development greed, abhorrent statements about the indigenous, disregard for the funds offered to assist in subduing the fire(s), and lack of desire to invest in ceasing the wildfire, you could say it's all on him.
Bonus reads: The Munduruku People (a visual!), Removal and Integration/Assimilation, and Bolsonaro Doesn't Want Their Money
(L) Pantsuit Politics | Antifa, Proud Boys, and Extremist Ideologies
While I'm a tad disappointed that my favorite ladies in Kentucky didn't mention the "Black Identity Extremist" category that the FBI & DOJ created and invested resources into, this episode was an informative compare and contrast (Twitter went wild!).
(L) NPR Rough Translation | Brazil in Black and White: Update
Affirmative action and choosing blackness. You read that right. Choosing blackness. We all know Brazil has colorism issues (and if you didn’t know, know you do). Much of it is quite reminiscent of the colorism issues in the black community here in the U.S., and in India. This was a fascinating listen, given the particulars shared about what could be described as performative blackness (more-so in regards to physical attributes than personality/character). One of the interviewees in a nutshell: Even though straightening her hair makes me more palatable in society, the approval board would hesitate in certifying her as black.
I am anxious to see how this unfolds. The U.S. has a [insert explicit word here] history of not honoring treaties with the Indigenous nations, so we'll see how this goes (especially under this administration as we go into the nitty gritty of campaign season). The Cherokee are owed a chair on "The Hill" and they're demanding it.
(L) Today Explained | Coal’s last stand
45’s supporters are open to green energy jobs, but not if they require transplanting. Who can blame them? However, despite knowing (well, being told/reminded) that their industry has been in decline since before I was born, people continue to believe the notion that it’s one worth investing themselves into generation after generation; too many also believe that our current Commander in Chief will somehow pull through in saving the industry in the last year/months of his presidency...even though he’s given them no real plan of how to do so. Instead, they’re annoyed by regulations imposed on the industry (you know, the ones that have to do with health, resources, environmental change, etc.) and want to give more time to reverse them.
Surely you remember sour losers, people who were genuinely disappointed and confused, and more, when the outcome of the 2016 election was certified. Given the whole notion of "one person, one vote," you would've thought (or hoped) that Clinton would have somehow won. But alas, that lovely structure called the electoral college had the power to change that. Now, I wasn't necessarily on the bandwagon about abolishing the electoral college, but this article made me at least consider it. This decision only applies to 10th circuit (looking at you: KS, NM, OK, UT, WY, and CO), but the nationwide implications have yet to be seen.
Where is my comb?
Can you be a leader if you just say that you are? Apparently that's how it works.
(L) An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream (Julián Castro)
So far, the author is the man who has my vote in 2020. It isn’t because of this book, but it definitely made me like him as a human a bit more. This was a short listen (compared to most audiobooks), but I could listen to his voice all day. Castro’s family dynamic – especially with his twin – is....unique to say the least.
(L) Shortest Way Home (Pete Buttigieg)
I’m still making my way through this one, much to my friend’s dismay. I think if I felt more of this from his campaign, I’d have more “oomph” about him. However, unfortunately, given that even the ”blue”(ish) state of Maryland wasn’t ready for a Governor who is gay (even if he is white!), ain’t no way in hell the United States is ready for a President Buttigieg.
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- BKC