The Mason Missile, August 31, 2024

Greetings, Americans! This month had the Democratic National Convention, in Chicago. There, the attendees heard from Congress-member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY; her district covers portions of the Bronx and Queens), UAW President Shawn Fain, Senator Raphael Warnock (GA), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX), Former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, AND—President Joe Biden. The speakers spoke about the serious issues facing Americans, such as workers organizing for their defense, trying to pay medical bills for loved ones, the dangers to women’s reproductive rights, lifting people out of poverty, and the dangers of a widening gap between the super-rich and the rest of us working and low-income Americans. But there still was a feeling of joy and positivity, and hope that we STILL CAN defeat the fascist forces of this country, and raise the country to an even higher level. Plus, it gave proper respect to Joe Biden, who cleaned up themes left by the regime of Donald whatshisface, dealt seriously with the COVID pandemic (instead, like one other person, of talking about injecting bleach or UV lights inside your body), and gave the nation a reason to hope for something better than racism, division, and hatred infesting our politics. Thank you, Joe, for all that you have done. (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-rep-alexandra-ocasio-cortez-speaks-at-2024-democratic-national-convention) (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-uaws-shawn-fain-speaks-at-the-democratic-national-convention-revealing-trump-is-a-scab-t-shirt) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JznC5vZnGOQ) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md0GA-T8Cv4) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8N9LJ1Tk1w) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np6ZGonecFE) One great part is when Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow hauled out to the convention a HUGE copy of Project 2025, the demon child of the Heritage Foundation, and she read some of the items it has in store for America, essentially turning the entire federal government into trump’s own enforcer, on behalf of his billionaire donors. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/08/19/mallory-mcmorrow-dnc-speech-michigan-state-senator/74857761007/) Others who have read portions of Project 2025 were Kenan Thompson, a veteran of Saturday Night Live, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and Pennsylvania State Representative (and candidate for Auditor-General) Malcolm Kenyatta. (https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/kenan-thompson-warns-voters-of-project-2025-217713733673) (https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/colorado-gov-polis-slams-project-2025-as-trump-s-roadmap-to-ban-abortion-217707589796) (https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/state-rep-malcolm-kenyatta-slams-project-2025-at-the-dnc-217567813821) (I myself will also keep mentioning Project 2025; the trump campaign has been distancing itself from it, but this is the plan they STILL have, and have been planning to do for decades; they WOULD put it to practice in a potential trump regime, IF we don’t go out and vote November 5.) Please contrast the Democratic convention to the Republican National Convention last month, in Chicago. In spite of the trump-worship, and all the silliness it entails, there was a look of doom in the hall, like they know they MIGHT lose (let’s work to see that happens), and, instead of substantive discussions about issues affecting the lives of Americans, they put on a freak show, including a lip-synch act by Kid Shlock, uh, Rock, and Hulk Hogan acting like he’s ready to take on Andre The Giant again in Wrestlemania, which, back in the day, took place at trump’s casinos in Atlantic City (before he bankrupted them and they had to be demolished; quite a business whiz, he). The fight is on for America’s democracy, and to improve it however we can. The labor movement is an excellent resistance movement against everything that trump, Project 2025, and all their corporate sponsors are trying to accomplish: eliminate women’s right to control their reproductive systems, eliminate any and every intelligent and fact-based discussion of our nation’s history (including racism and oppression of workers), along with any restraints on the President removing career, competent civil servants and replacing them with his hacks and flunkies, and turning our own military—our own fellow Americans, our own sons and daughters—into his own private crew of leg-breakers; and let’s not forget their targeting LGBTQ+ Americans, in the name of “traditional values.” You know I’ll do my part! This Monday, I’ll take part in Philadelphia’s Labor Day Parade and Festival, joining my union brothers and sisters in honoring the work WE have done to build up this nation, no thanks to the billionaires who just take the profits and get all the publicity; and to prepare ourselves for the election, November 5, where we can strike a blow, with our ballots, for freedom and against fascism. We GOT this, Americans! Stay safe, stay strong, and stay together! Slava Ukraini! Am Yisrael Chai! America will be free! Bye!