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Ex-Trump Homeland Security official falsely implies Biden visas are to blame for Texas synagogue attack
January 16, 2022
Up until this weekend, British national Malik Faisal Akram had never committed a crime. He had been in the U.S. for just two weeks. Yet, one of Donald Trump's Homeland Security appointees wants the media to ask how Akram got into the U.S.
How did hostage taker Malik Faisal Akram make his way to the United States? Tourist visa? Foreign student visa? Media should be asking. Without details it's very difficult to prevent this from happening again.\n\nICE public affairs: 202-732-4646\nDHS public affairs: 202-282-8010pic.twitter.com/KLQQ8G0a2O— Jon Feere (@Jon Feere) 1642364541
The problem that Jon Feere acknowledges is that it's very difficult to stop something like this from happening again. It doesn't have anything to do with President Joe Biden and existing visa programs. It's due to people can enter the United States for two weeks for "vacation." If he didn't have a criminal history, then he wasn't on a watch list.
As Cato Institute director of Economics and Social policy Alex Nowrasteh explained, nothing that was in place from Donald Trump would have stopped Akram.
According to the president, Akram "allegedly" bought the gun used in the attack "on the street," though the investigation is still ongoing. A Daily Beast report quoted the man's brother saying he had mental health issues.
Probably visa waiver program because he was British. None of your former boss\u2019s silly orders would\u2019ve stopped him. \n\nhttps://news.sky.com/story/amp/texas-synagogue-siege-british-hostage-taker-named-as-malik-faisal-akram-1251790\u00a0\u2026https://twitter.com/jonfeere/status/1482810474941059080\u00a0\u2026— The Alex Nowrasteh (@The Alex Nowrasteh) 1642367106
Man with high-level position in ICE under Trump seems unaware of existence of Visa Waiver Program.https://twitter.com/JonFeere/status/1482810474941059080\u00a0\u2026— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@Aaron Reichlin-Melnick) 1642367337
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Minnesota newspaper attacked for column calling ethnic studies 'extremist boot camps' before MLK Day
January 16, 2022
The Minneapolis Star Tribune ran a column Sunday by white conservative Katherine Kersten, who claims that colleges and universities teaching any kind of ethnic studies is actually an underground "extremist boot camp."
Kersten has a history of being called out for racism in her columns. One counter to a 2020 story of hers claiming racial justice was a "religion," claimed that she simply can't admit her own racism.
"Kersten denies this. In fact, she rejects the existence of 'white privilege' and 'white supremacy' and rails against the very idea of 'systemic racism,'" wrote Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. "She claims that 'racial justice' is a new 'secular religion' with followers guilty of 'Puritan-style intolerance.' Ironically, her denials illuminate her racism as well as the reasons for my own confession."
Her weekend column addressed a 2020 essay from an appointed committee member of the Minnesota Department of Education drafting standards for social studies classes. Jonathan Hamilton, along with lead author Brian Lozenski, argues that avoiding talking about racism throughout history just ignores the reality.
"What we are taught in school maintains the status quo of racial hierarchy in our thoughts and actions," the authors explained. Indeed, history in K-12 comes overwhelmingly from white teachers, white authors and from the white perspective, even when talking about the history of slavery or the Native American genocide.
Now, the far-right are rushing to ban the teaching of slavery, civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks under the guise that talking about those historical events could make white students feel sad. Parents are concerned that their children shouldn't be forced to hear about bad things people did decades before them.
Kersten just outright claims that teaching about people of color, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is some sort of madrassa move to turn students into terrorists.
The part some took issue with, however, is that the Star Tribune ran the column days before Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
See the comments below:
Cool just white nationalist talking points running in the paperhttps://twitter.com/teresa_m/status/1482732626935001090\u00a0\u2026— LEFT COAST RIGHT WATCH (@LEFT COAST RIGHT WATCH) 1642360271
Translation: "White power!!!" - Star Tribune commentary editor.\n\n Ethnic studies will turn schools into extremist boot campshttps://www.startribune.com/ethnic-studies-will-turn-schools-into-extremist-boot-camps/600136277/\u00a0\u2026— That Guy on Twltter (@That Guy on Twltter) 1642343182
How @StribOpinion troll factory works - saying schools will become 'extremist boot camps' if kids learn about other ethnicities besides white Christians. Tomorrow there will be 5 letters saying what a racist dolt Kersten is. Strib's idea of 'discourse"https://www.startribune.com/ethnic-studies-will-turn-schools-into-extremist-boot-camps/600136277/\u00a0\u2026— Rob Levine (@Rob Levine) 1642338619
Shame on the @StarTribune for running this pile of rot, a collection of hysteria, fabrications, & cherry-picking by a right-wing hack who repeatedly tries to scare MN parents into supporting fascist propaganda in schools. Fire the editor who ok'd this.https://m.startribune.com/ethnic-studies-will-turn-schools-into-extremist-boot-camps/600136277/\u00a0\u2026— Herr Dr. Prof. Emeritus \u20a5\u0246\u20a6\u20ae\u20b3\u2c60 \u20a9\u0142\u20a5\u20b1 (@Herr Dr. Prof. Emeritus \u20a5\u0246\u20a6\u20ae\u20b3\u2c60 \u20a9\u0142\u20a5\u20b1) 1642353202
Lady, if learning well-rounded US history makes you worry that kids will be angry about our true past... you're probably correct. Truehttps://www.startribune.com/ethnic-studies-will-turn-schools-into-extremist-boot-camps/600136277/\u00a0\u2026— Newfangled Dad (@Newfangled Dad) 1642348273
If I saw this on my timeline I would think \u201cthis is fake news\u201d. Unfortunately, it is not. This article was published 16 hours ago.https://www.startribune.com/ethnic-studies-will-turn-schools-into-extremist-boot-camps/600136277/\u00a0\u2026— Ben Caswell (@Ben Caswell) 1642351920
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Donald Trump's most recent rally in Arizona brought many opportunities for his supporters to explain why they think the former president will be back in office any day.
Politico spoke to a few MAGA folks on the ground at the event and got their thoughts on what's next in the Trump movement.
"I hope states decertify the election. I want to hear him say it’s over, we are ready to move on and hold a new election," Politico cited Ray Kallatsa from Tucson. "I do think it’s possible, very possible."
His thoughts echo those of pillow mogul Mike Lindell, who spoke to the crowd ahead of the former president. He cited QAnon language.
"Can you feel the storm building? It’s America," he said using the allusion of "the storm" which is part of the conspiracy group's messaging.
The storm, "refers to excessive social conflict that is predicted to occur prior to society reaching the point of 'The Great Awakening,' explained Murray State University.
See the photos from the event at Politico.
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