"What's Wrong With That?"- QAnon Shaman's Mom Speaks Out on Insurrection Charges

by Nomad

Martha Chansley, the mother of 33-year-old Jacob Chansley, the so-called QAnon Shaman, appeared on 60 Minutes to defend her son of charges. In the interview, when asked if she thought her son did anything wrong, Ms. Chansley said:

"What do you mean by wrong? He went through open doors. He was escorted into the Senate. So I don't know what's wrong with that."

LIVE: Trump’s Second Impeachment Trial Continues in Senate | Day 4 - Trump's Defense

by Nomad

Embed from Getty Images

Remember This Day Forever 

Today is the fourth day in the trial of the Second Impeachment of former president Donald Trump. Trump's defense team now responds to the Impeachment Team's case against Trump and the charge of inciting the riot and attack on the Capitol Building on January 6.

WATCH LIVE: Trump’s Second Impeachment Trial Continues in Senate | Day 2 and Day 3

by Nomad

"Borderline"

Having voted in favor of the constitutionality of the impeachment of a former president, the Senate today will officially commence with the trial of Donald J. Trump. 

If yesterday is anything to go by, fur will be flying. The weak performance of Trump's defense lawyers reportedly infuriated the former president. 

QAnon's Phony Shaman: A Portrait of an American Traitor

by Nomad

Imagine being stupid enough to purposely make yourself the most recognizable member of a crowd that's committing a serious crime. As we all know by now, you don't need to be smart to be a Trump supporter. 

In fact, that might just disqualify you.

You simply need to be willing to believe anything con artists tell you and, at least in this person's case, have a desperate need for public attention.

 

Good News Break: Three Heroes Making a Difference

by Nomad

I decided to take a much-needed break from the dire news of the pandemic and the stomach-churning saga of the Trump presidency in order to throw a spotlight on three heroes. Hope you will take a moment to watch the videos and read their stories.

Is Netanyahu's Refusal to Step Down to Face Charges a Foreshadowing for the US?

by Nomad

What with the impeachment hearings and the non-stop insanity emanating out of Washington, you will be forgiven if you haven't been keeping up with the constitutional crisis unfolding in Israel.  Most of us would agree that we have enough on our plates, especially during Thanksgiving. 

The events in Israel might seem far away and trivial. However, they could well be a portent of what's to come in the US if Trump loses the 2020 election.  

Journalist Chemi Shalev, writing for Haaretz, observes that Israel is currently in a state of chaos with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding his own country hostage in his " unrelenting effort to avoid criminal prosecution"  after being charged with fraud and breach of trust. 

Obsolete Ideals: The Truth Behind Putin's Eulogy for Western Liberalism

by Nomad

In Conflict with the Majority

Quite a few eyebrows were raised recently when President Vladimir Putin, in an interview with the Financial Times, declared that Western liberalism and its values were "obsolete" and have been rejected by the majority of the people in Western nations.

Much like Trump during his campaign, Putin talked about migrants running amok who are allowed to "kill, plunder and rape with impunity." Every crime, he declared, must have its punishment.
(Unless, of course, you happen to be an oligarch with lots of bigly connections.)

Images from the Hong Kong Protests

by Nomad

Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents took to the streets in mass demonstrations against a proposed extradition law that would allow residents to be tried in mainland China.

How a Blanket Decision by YouTube has Impacted the Good Works of One Couple

by Nomad

Chris and Alyssa

Back in October, Nomadic Politics featured a post about a special couple, Chris Ulmer and his fiance, Alyssa Porter.

To refresh your memories, Ulmer and Porter are the brains
behind the 501(c)3 organization called Special Books by Special Kids (SBSK).

They have for several years now, through their YouTube channel been working to give a voice to other unique people born with afflictions and disabilities. Their videos challenge our perceptions and provide them with the respect we all deserve.
If you didn't catch the post, it is well worth your time. As a follow-up to that article, I wanted to let you know the recent developments with SBSK. The news isn't good.

The Logical Connection between America's Imperialist Policy and Police Brutality at Home

by Nomad

The words of a long-forgotten populist politician from Nebraska shed light on the threat (and the unexpected cause) of police militarization in our era.

Bryan's Analogy

In August 1900, the US was in the midst of the political debate about US policy towards the newly-acquired territory of the Philipines.
At the heart of the question was: should America adopt an imperialist attitude? Is that mentality acceptable for a country that portrays itself as "freedom-loving" and a champion for human rights?

Persecution in East Africa: Light a Candle for a Gay Tanzanian in Hiding

by Nomad

This rather cryptic message was found on Reddit:

pray for us

there is an order from our RC (of the capital city ) that all gay people should be reported & will undergo medical test and if they are confirmed to engage in gay sex they gonna die in jail..some of the famous gays from instagram are already caught! being gay is illegal in my country but i never thought they would go this far! i've been single since forever & nobody knows that am gay but this has really broke my heart..it is the most talked topic at school to the point that am afraiding to go to school..pray for us yall.. and sorry for my english

edit: until now 12 suspected gay men are already arrested

From the Archives: When Nazis Marched on the Streets of New York City

by Nomad

Back on November 21, 2015, Nomadic Politics posted an article about a historical event which, at that time, had received very little attention. 

After the election which saw Donald Trump rise to power, quite a few other news outlets recounted the event. Then came the incident in Charlottesville and Trump's attempt to equate Nazi thugs with the people who protested them. Those recent events brought more coverage of the events of 1939. 

In memory of the 11 victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting on Saturday morning, I have decided to reprint this particular post. I hope you find it interesting reading.

Fascism Made in the USA: The Night Nazis Fought on the Streets of New York City

The United States has had its share of fascist groups that have come and gone. One of those was the American Nazi Party, the Bund Party. Here's the story of its 1939 rally and how it led to its collapse. 

A "Pro-American" Rally

On the night of 20 February 1939, something occurred that became an interesting footnote in American history. Today it is mostly a forgotten bit of the history of New York City. And for many, it could be a period they would rather not recall.

The Search For My Grandfather in the KGB's Ukrainian Files

by Bernie Neufeld, Guest Contributor

One of our nomads, Linda, recently asked me if I would be interested in posting an article written by her brother in law, Bernie Neufeld and his quest to learn the facts about his grandfather's fate. I think you will find his story engrossing.

The Fascinating Story of the Fig Tree in the Cypriot Cave

by Nomad

On a divided island was a fig tree that grew where it shouldn't have.

Cyprus Divided

Since the summer of 1974, the Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been partitioned by an artificial border running east and west. The details about that division came about is still a very sensitive subject for both Greeks and Turks.

Our Obligation to Call Out Unjust Things

by Nomad

The Seth Rich Case: A Conspiracy Theory Inside a Conspiracy Theory

by Nomad

Most of us have at least heard of the Seth Rich story even if we are not too familiar with the details. I never really looked into it too much.
There were too many other stories that served as examples about just how low Trump and the right-wing news outlets were prepared to go to slander Hillary Clinton.
Yet, in the wake of what we have learned in the last year, it is worth a second look.

Murder on the Street 

On Sunday, July 10, 2016, at 4:20 a.m., a young man named Seth Rich was shot in the back by two assailants. As he made his way back home from having a night out, Seth Conrad Rich was chatting with his girlfriend. He was nearly home when gunshots rang out.
He was found lying on the ground only a block from his apartment.

Thomas Paine and the Despotic Danger of the Unaccountable Presidency

by Nomad

A Nation Turning Its Back on Its Own Glory

The last years of Thomas Paine, one of America's first and most outspoken intellectuals, were bitter ones. The American political activist and philosopher had left in the spring of 1787, bound for France.
A strong supporter for the anti-royalist side, he was caught up in the lethal throes of the revolution there. Charged with crimes against the state, Paine was arrested in December 1793 and was imprisoned for a year in Luxembourg Prison (formerly a palace.)
His survival was, by his own account, based solely on sheer luck. 

The Perplexing Case of the Nimer Murders

by Nomad

Back in 2009, I stumbled across this strange story about an investigation of a horrific pair of murders that took a bizarre twist.

A two-page article in the September 22 1958 issue of LIFE magazine relates the chilling and bewildering story of the Nimer murder case. The double homicide of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Nimer of Staten Island, New York, was a sensation at the time. The reason?
The chief suspect in the crime was their eight-year-old son, Melvin Dean Nimer.

The Murders and the Suspicions

Sometime before two in the morning of September 2, 1958, Melvin Nimer and his wife, Lou Jean Nimer were apparently attacked by an armed assailant in their home.

According to their son's initial account, he was awakened in the night to find a masked man attempting to choke him. His parents rushed to his aid and, in the struggle, were stabbed in the struggle. Based on the boy's description, police issued a manhunt for a white male, wearing blue dungarees and a blue print-striped shirt.
But the police officers felt something was not quite right. Given the fact that he had just witnessed the violent deaths of both his parents, his calm behavior seemed suspicious.

Good News Round-up- April 2018

by Nomad

This month's good news round-up includes stories about technology making life better, health breakthroughs and remarkable people going out of their way to help others.

Here's Why Trump's Solution to the Opioid Epidemic is Foolish, Cruel and Bound to Fail

by Nomad

"This Horrible, Horrible Situation"

President Trump has never shied away from talking about the opioid epidemic. In October, he declared it to be a national public health emergency under federal law. He said:

No part of our society — not young or old, rich or poor, urban or rural — has been spared this plague of drug addiction and this horrible, horrible situation that’s taken place with opioids.