The Anthropoliteia website describes itself as “critical perspectives on police, security, crime, law and punishment around the world.”
For the past 31 weeks, they have been running a series “@BlackLivesMatter Syllabus.” This series “mobilizes anthropological work as a pedagogical exercise addressing the confluence of race, policing and justice.” It is set up as a resource for college professors who teach courses that touch on such things. But it is also an outstanding resource for all of us on those subjects. Reading and other media are recommended by professors who use them in their courses, with explanation of why and how they use them. Some sample posts.
Week 30: Savannah Shange’s Key & Peele Mix Tape Because Laughter Keeps Us Honest
Week 29: Courtney Morris For Black Boys Who Look Blue
Week 26: Sameena Mulla on Missing Black Girls and Women
Week 22: Beatrice Jauregui on Humanity, Intersectionality, Inclusion
All the posts listed here.
aimai
Thank you for posting this. I am bookmarking the site and hoping to come back to reading the individual syllabi.
Aleta
aimai
@Aleta: No–you are kidding, right?
Yarrow
Thank you for the post and link to the site. Very interesting.
@Aleta: Sheriff Clarke has ties to Russia. I’ll be interested to see what happens in this Russian investigation.
SiubhanDuinne
@Aleta:
Ah geez, nooooooooo.
Does the post require Senate confirmation?
ruemara
I’ll have to save it and share.
SiubhanDuinne
Cheryl, this site looks wonderful. Bookmarking for more leisurely study.
Mike in DC
Thanks for the links!
Off topic: Trump’s speech on Islam to be written by Stephen Miller. Oy.
Shalimar
@Aleta: He has gotten too much publicity locally for the whole letting inmates die of dehydration thing to get reelected, so Clarke has to look for something else.
Shalimar
@Mike in DC: Maybe Trump can announce that the Muslim ban will be extended to Saudi Arabia. That will show dominance.
rikyrah
@Mike in DC:
This will not end well.
rikyrah
Trump is Being Taken Apart, Step By Step
by Martin Longman
May 17, 2017 1:30 PM
J. Edgar Hoover died when I was still in nursery school, but I knew his name from about that time. People talked about him differently than they talked about anyone else. He was fearsome and untouchable because he knew secrets about everybody, especially the politicians in Washington. He seemed like some kind of evil Santa Claus who could control people’s fate depending on whether they’d been naughty or nice, and apparently every adult who mattered had been naughty. Nixon finally resigned a few weeks before I started kindergarten, but my house was filled with much older people and they discussed Watergate while I played with my blocks and trains. Hoover had been dead for over two years by then, but it felt like he’d had an influence even from the grave. I had to wait more than three decades to get a confirmation of that feeling, but it came when Deep Throat was revealed to have been Mark Felt, the Associate Director for Hoover’s FBI, who felt like he’d been unjustly passed over for a promotion after Hoover’s death.
Maybe James Comey shares little more in common with Hoover than former job titles, but he might be able to take down a president while he’s still living, and in broad daylight. For a lot of people, this is an example of a Deep State or an incompetent Establishment carrying out a coup that overrules the verdict the people made at the ballot box. And, it’s true, our clandestine services have been known to orchestrate coups and meddle in elections in other countries. The presumption in these cases is that this meddling is unjustified or even immoral, but I don’t know that people would have felt much differently about Watergate if they knew someone at the top of the FBI was leaking to Woodward and Bernstein. Nixon really had committed crimes and he really was committing more as he tried to cover his tracks. The way to make sure he was removed from office wasn’t to prosecute him. It was to make sure the people knew what he had done.
………………………………………………….
We can debate who deserved their fate and who did not, but we should be clear that things look substantially the same regardless of which side is wearing the black hats. Trump is getting taken down in a way I began predicting he would when he began publicly denigrating the Intelligence Community’s assessment of Russian involvement in the election. I don’t believe this would be happening if Trump were trustworthy and competent.
For example, had President Obama blundered by revealing sensitive information to the Russians that had been provided by the Israelis, the reaction would have likely been to quietly do damage control, explain to the president his error, and go on with the assumption that the mistake would not be repeated. When Trump did it, the damage control involved taking steps to remove him from office. How do I know this?
…………………………….
I’ve been writing about this slow-moving coup in various ways for months now because its not well understood and it’s the most consequential thing going on in this country and the world right now. Nixon won a landslide reelection in 1972 even after many details of the Watergate burglary were reported, yet his efforts to obstruct justice were thwarted by leaks from the intelligence community. People generally don’t see this as a problem because Nixon was actually guilty and he was actually obstructing justice. But we can imagine a scenario where the intelligence community turns on an elected president because they disagree with him on policy and where the leaks are dishonest and the takedown is unjustified and undemocratic. It’s not a small thing to work for the president and then go running to the Washington Post to knife him when he screws up.
In Trump’s case, though, his operation has been the subject of a counterintelligence investigation for almost a year now. He appointed a man on the Kremlin’s payroll to be our national security advisor. He’s giving out information to the Russians that could get Israeli intelligence assets killed, or prevent us from stopping a mass casualty terrorist attack on civil aviation.
Nixon was abusing his power but we wasn’t endangering the country.
So, the proverbial shoes will keep dropping. The grand juries will start producing indictments. The pace will continue to make White House staffers feel helpless and under siege. It will get ratcheted up, step by step, until the GOP resistance in Congress breaks.
rikyrah
Trump and Republicans Are On a Collision Course
by Nancy LeTourneau May 17, 2017 2:30 PM
One of the standard lines about our politics these days is that we are becoming more polarized and that a kind of tribalism has taken over the conflicts that would otherwise merely be thought of as disagreements. Most honest political scientists will acknowledge that this phenomenon has been more pronounced among Republicans, as William Galston and Thomas Mann suggested with the term “asymmetric polarization.”
Right now, that is being exhibited in the overall response among Republicans to Donald Trump. At best, they remain silent about his behavior and, at worst, defend it.
It is important to keep in mind that whether we’re discussing habitual lying, possible collusion with the Russians, obstruction of justice or the leaking of classified information to a known adversary, all of these issues are self-inflicted wounds from Trump himself. As investigations over these matters progress, is there any reason to believe that there will be no additional items to add to the list?
Even those who chide the media for assuming that Trump will pivot or somehow become “presidential” often fail to acknowledge that his behavior will continue to produce these kinds of scandals, if not increase in severity. While I am often loath to make predictions, this one isn’t a stretch…that reality is almost certainly on a collision course with Republican tribalism.
TenguPhule
@Mike in DC:
Somewhere in Syria, the leaders of ISIS just cracked open their first bottle of champagne.
Mnemosyne
My First World Problem of the Day: I’ve managed to come down with a cold on the same day that we’re supposed to go see Wallace Shawn in The Designated Mourner, directed by Andre Gregory.
I’m still considering dragging my ass there IF I feel confident I won’t end up coughing. I don’t want to be that asshole in a small theater who has a coughing jag at the worst possible moment.
TenguPhule
@rikyrah:
Bet on the tribe to win out. Its who they are.
Elizabelle
@Mnemosyne: Do drag yourself to see it. Take about 4 boxes of cough drops, and see if the usher will let you take in a bottle or two of water; explaining your problem with coughing. (That once worked for me.)
Was going to put up an item about this play. Learned about it in the LA Times, and how cool that you actually get to see it.
So go!
Elizabelle
Thank you for this post, Cheryl. Glad to learn of this, and have much to learn.
Mnemosyne
@Elizabelle:
I called in sick to work, so now I’m laying in bed with the iPad trying to rest up for it. I’m just so frakkin’ annoyed that I had to come down with a cold today of all days this week.
Elizabelle
Breaking news, WaPost website:
Turmoil over recent Trump controversies triggers the Dow’s biggest losses since September
Gee, ya think, investors?
TenguPhule
A pity the children aren’t going to be able to enjoy reading at the rate this mess is progressing.
The first shot in the new Republican War on Children has been fired.
Elizabelle
@Mnemosyne: Well, tell the cold to take a hike.
Had you heard about the play a long time before? I just read about it this week and thought “wow.”
In my cool news for today, I learned the Afghan Whigs will tour this summer and fall. Yes! They’re actually coming to Barcelona in two weeks! — on June 1, part of a big musical festival, but tickets are gone, gone girl.
But: Virginia in September. Gives me something to smile about.
germy
I was pleased to learn Jordan Peele is adapting “Lovecraft Country” for HBO
Patricia Kayden
@Shalimar: So like so many other Rightwingers, Clarke falls upwards into a more prestigious position. Good to know.
rikyrah
@TenguPhule:
This is a damn shame :(
Patricia Kayden
@TenguPhule:
What does this even mean? That’s a whole lot of money. Devos’ plan to destroy public education is moving full steam ahead.
TenguPhule
The Washington Post has improved greatly, with few exceptions.
Why is it that the best writing only comes out when things go South?
ETA: Do go read the rest, its brilliant.
TenguPhule
@rikyrah: A master of understatement.
TenguPhule
@Patricia Kayden:
The schools have to pay for the knives they will have to slit their own wrists with.
Patricia Kayden
Trump’s intel leak imperils spy planted Inside ISIS by Israel. I don’t see how Republicans can play this down. I can’t imagine that Trump’s trip to Israel will be anything but awkward.
TenguPhule
@Patricia Kayden:
You’re not cynical enough.
They’ll ignore it when asked. Deny it if pressed. Blame Obama at last.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Mike in DC:
Phrasing!
Aleta
@Aleta: @aimai: @Yarrow: @SiubhanDuinne:
Just saw this:
(posted about 15 min ago)
Elizabelle
@TenguPhule: Good catch. Alexandra Petri. And it is terrific.
WaPost: The president is not a child. He’s something worse.
The Pulitzer Committee should take Peggy Fucking Noonan’s Pulitzer away from her — she does not deserve it, and bestow it to Ms. Petri. A lot of truth in that column, disguised as “daring satiric writing.”
sheila in nc
@Mnemosyne: Also too, wash hands frequently and don’t touch anything. Bring Purell. Get whoever you are going with to open doors for you. No need to infect other playgoers.
TenguPhule
@Elizabelle:
Yes. Even if it takes removing it from her cold, clutching fingers.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@TenguPhule:
Yes, then they’ll flap their hands and shout about emails and Benghazeeeeeeeeee!
Aleta
@Aleta: The thread about Clark (by the Obama admin appointee who had the job) is here:https://mobile.twitter.com/philindc/status/864932003564707840
45m
Phil McNamara @philindc
Replying to @ACLU
he’s taking the job I had @DHSgov in #Obama Admin, he’s too polarizing and won’t be able to build relationships, he wants to strangle Dems
Patricia Kayden
@Aleta: According to this link, he has accepted the DHS job.
Aleta
From the Hill:
Who knows if this is true….
Yarrow
@rikyrah:
This is what Adam Silverman has been saying here for months. We’re watching it happen in real time.
Patricia Kayden
@TenguPhule: If Israel makes a big fuss about this, Republicans cannot play it down — especially if anything actually happens to the ISIS infiltrator. The problem with a dope like Trump is that he doesn’t think through all of the consequences of his actions. He’s been skating along his entire life and only now is he faced with the prospect that his misconduct can seriously and irreparably damage innocent people.
Aleta
@Patricia Kayden: If so, this is sick, corrupt and straight out criminal. But he may need a security clearance which may fail.
rikyrah
Immigration arrests up under Trump, including sharp rise for those without criminal records
By Maria Sacchetti
May 17 at 12:27 PM
Federal immigration agents are arresting more than 400 immigrants a day, including violent offenders, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Wednesday. The sharpest increase in arrests is among immigrants who have never been convicted of any crime.
In President Trump’s first 100 days in office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested 41,318 immigrants, up 37.6 percent over the same period last year, the agency said. More than three out of four of those arrested have criminal records.
Nearly 11,000 immigrants with no criminal convictions were arrested during that time period, compared with 4,242 during the same period last year.
Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan said in a conference call with reporters that morale and productivity are up among immigration agents because of a perception that the Trump administration is giving officers fewer restrictions and more leeway to do their jobs.
“Will the number of non-criminal arrests and removals increase this year? Absolutely,” Homan said. “That’s enforcing the laws on the books.”
Yarrow
@Mnemosyne: That sucks. Can you take cough medicine to help just for that time? Take cough drops with you. If the theater isn’t totally packed you could also ask about changing to an aisle seat (if you don’t have one) so you can get up easily without bothering too many people if you need to. I’ve had ushers be helpful that way.
jl
@TenguPhule: Congressional GOPers probably busy at a bootcamp on how to scurry down halls and sidewalks quickly, heads down, looking very very very very very… very busy. Very busy indeed.
Preoccupied with important public business. Very important. Don’t have time for nonsense. Sorry, can’t find a sec to talk. Very sorry.
TenguPhule
@Patricia Kayden:
Wanna bet? They managed to blame Hillary and President Obama for Bengazi after the Republicans cut security funding just weeks earlier. They will now blame the media for “leaking” Trump’s disclosure and revealing Israel’s agent. Its already happening.
TenguPhule
@jl: I posted a link to a story in the prior thread where they did exactly that when the Comey memos broke.
? Martin
@Patricia Kayden: Republicans are starting to claim that Trump is intellectually incapable of criminal intent – that his expressions don’t qualify as speech because they’re more like word salad – just words he vomits up.
That’s their defense. Effectively, not guilty due to diminished capacity. But by all means, let him carry the nuclear codes in his pocket. After all, if he nukes something it won’t be so bad because he didn’t really mean it.
Yarrow
@Elizabelle:
There’s a long history of court jesters being the ones who can speak truth to the king. It’s not surprising that the political comedy, late night comedy shows and satirical writers seem to be the ones doing the best job of speaking truth.
? Martin
@Mnemosyne: Do you have cough syrup with cødeine? Take some just before you go in, and it’ll suppress that cough for a few hours. Even if it’s a bit expired it’s fine. Stuff is like magic.
Yarrow
@? Martin: If he resigns due to health reasons there will be a record to support it.
SiubhanDuinne
@Aleta:
Thanks.
jo6pac
Thanks for the link
Elizabelle
@Yarrow: i think one of the factors that helped Trump steal the White House was no Jon Stewart and Colbert out of his persona, tucked away under CBS corporate.
ruemara
@Elizabelle: Jon Stewart preached a gospel of snark and both sides. You give him way too much credit.
? Martin
I don’t think the GOP will break anytime soon. I think they’re fully in North Korea mode now.
An underdog in a market that is structurally aligned against them has two options: negotiate the terms of your underdog status, or substitute tolerance of risk where you lack power. The white christian culture has flipped into the demographic minority category, which means that the popular vote is can only be attained by either suppressing the majority or by pulling in outside groups that will tolerate the white christian policy goals. Guys like Trump and Richard Spencer are not naturally part of that group but have aligned with it because it is a better fit for them than the majority which currently demands significant concessions on social issues (gay marriage, tolerance of immigrants, etc.) The GOPs only agenda right now is to retain power because each time they lose it, the demographics shift ever further from them and become ever harder to recover from.
North Korea is a small nation with minimal resources, but it can punch above its weight by being willing to subjugate their population, dump their entire GDP into offensive weapons, and hold onto power by holding a gun to South Korea and Japan. That’s the role Trump plays for the GOP now. He’s the political equivalent of a nuclear weapons program. He’ll threaten his political opponents, break the law, throw all norms out of the window with the solitary goal of holding power, which is exactly what the GOP establishment needs. It’s why evangelicals signed onto Trump in such strong numbers – he was a terrible representative of them, but he would keep them in power.
The problem is once you’ve accepted that higher risk level, the norms and law breaking, you’re stuck with them. If you suspect you’ve overstepped, you can’t correct it without admitting wrongdoing. It’s difficult to ask forgiveness. Your incentives are to double down, and as you do so, you just end up even deeper in. Republicans under Nixon weren’t so deeply in that state. They saw the potential for demographic gains with Nixon out. I don’t think they do today. What group other than white Christians are they making any attempt to bring into the fold?
debbie
@rikyrah:
Aside from meaning sincerity, not surety, this clearly is a guy in some degree of stress. I’d love to be able to point out to him that it’s no worse than what he spent 8 years doing to Obama. How you like that now, bitch?
debbie
@Mnemosyne:
One word: Delsym.
Timurid
O HI THERE LIL’ FELLA...
NeenerNeener
OT: our blog host just posted a picture on Twitter of a silver Subaru being hoisted onto a flatbed tow truck. I hope it’s not his car.
hovercraft
Bob Mueller Special Council for Russia
Monala
More on the debate sparked in last night’s open thread: Open Thread – Life purchased at the price of chains, about whether the author of this article, Alex Tizon, was as complicit as his parents in keeping the woman who basically raised him enslaved.
The Seattle Times has several articles today, including the original (sanitized by Alex Tizon, unknown to them) obituary that was written about Eudocia Tomas Pulido when she died in 2011, and the obituary’s author’s mea culpa now that the truth is out.
debbie
@NeenerNeener:
Judging by the accompanying text, I believe it is.
rikyrah
@NeenerNeener:
Awe…not the Subaru ??
dmsilev
@rikyrah: At least it’s not stuck in a farmer’s field like the last one.
Ruviana
@NeenerNeener: Given his mood I’m thinking it probably is….
dogwood
I’m thinking this might be a good time to take a break for a week. The WH ain’t talking. Perhaps no more breaking news this week, and it’s wheels up on Friday and the press will go out of their way to fluff this trip. But next Wed. Comey goes to the Senate to testify in open session. Then things will heat up again.
Brachiator
Just got a chance to look at this. Thanks much. Will bookmark it for letter. Welcome antidote to Trump madness.
Mnemosyne
@Monala:
Given that the author of the article mysteriously died in his sleep shortly before the article was published, I’m now wondering if his death was an undetected suicide.