Families Belong Together events happened throughout the US on Saturday to protest the barbaric practice, now discontinued at the border allegedly but not within the US, of ripping children from their parents as some kind of retribution for wanting to live here. Celebrities participated, including Alicia Keys, America Ferrera, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Lin Manuel Miranda and more.
I’m going to focus on the biggest rock star, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who has been under fire since supporting the Red Hen’s decision to turn Sarah Sanders and her family away from their restaurant. Waters was one of the lone voices sanely calling for us to stop being civil to Nazis. This drew the ire of 45 himself, who mischaracterized her statements as inciting violence against his supporters (she did not), and deplorables more angered by a woman having to walk around the corner to have dinner than the fact that our government is stealing children and keeping them in cages. Waters has received death threats, and she had to cancel events as a result but she beefed up her security and went to the rally in Los Angeles, which is her district. Waters’ speech was awesome. She said that she’s not afraid, that we should continue to fight for immigrants and children, and that she wants to see 45 impeached. I’m not going to lie, I cried watching this. If you get a chance watch the video above and here are some highlights.
We are not afraid of you, you should be ashamed. We want our children connected back to their parents. How dare you take the babies from mother’s arms. How dare you take the children and send them all across the country into so-called detention centers. You are putting them in cages, you are putting them in jails and you think we’re going to stand by and allow you to do that? I don’t think so.
Donald Trump, you think you can get away with everything but you have gone too far when you’re trying to break up families in the way that you do. I don’t care what ethnic group you are, we all love the children and we’re going to stand by them.
Some of us know the history of those who have separated children from their parents. As an African-American woman I was raised on the stories of what happened on the auction block when they auctioned off Africans…We overcame that. We marched, we fought and we won and we’re going to win again.
Donald Trump, we are sick and tired of you, we have no fear. You will not intimidate us, we’re coming right at you and we’re saying to you that the Constitution of the United States of America gives us the right to protest and protest we will. You may not understand the Constitution [or respect it] but we’re going to teach you a lesson.
We know the Constitution [and] First Amendment rights. We are going to be in these streets until the children are reconnected with their parents.
[From video of Maxine Waters’s speech via The Hill]
After that Waters said that members of Congress have tried to censure her and kick her out and that she’s received very serious death threats, but that “I have no fear… if you shoot me you better shoot straight, there’s nothing like a wounded animal.” She is incredible.
I had a wedding to go to on Saturday and couldn’t make it to an event. I heard from an LA-area friend that the crowd at their protest was understandably angry at first and then energized by the speeches and support. In my area of Virginia there were multiple protests including people laying down with silver blankets in almost 90 degree heat. There are so many of us who care. We will stand up for our neighbors and friends, we will be loud, and we will not silently consent to the atrocities committed by this despicable administration. Thank you to Maxine Waters for being such an example of courage and conviction, and thank you to all of you who continue to stick your necks out and who speak up for what is right.
Let’s end with this video, posted by the Women’s March, of women protesting outside Washington.
She’s a badass! Glad she’s there.
Auntie Maxine is not here to play. She grew up during segregation and knows firsthand where this is going. She has power and a voice and she is going to use it to call out this bullsh@t and I’m here for all of it!!
I want her to be the next presidential candidate for the democrats.
You know, we lock ‘illegal’ migrants and their children up in Australia as well. It’s disgusting and a terrible blight as Australian’s don’t agree with the Government policy. It is fantastic to see people like Maxine stand for human rights.
Hold my purse while I get cuffed. Hero.
Hero??? What has she ever done? She’s a foul mouthed violence promoting hypocrite whose district is in a shambles. She only cares about herself!
lol.
Shut up, dummy.
I’m leaving this comment and we banned this idiot. There’s no need to report it thanks!
She cares so much about only herself that she’s enduring serious and credible death threats to do the right thing
Ok sweetie.
Uh, the poster is talking about the woman getting cuffed in the video that you clearly didn’t watch. And Dumpy says MW is Low IQ? He should check his supporters LOL!
Do you care that children are being locked in cages for being asylum seekers, or are you just an angry California voter who as 45’s wife so eloquently states on a jacket, “I really don’t care, do you?” Were you at any of the rallies to stop this barbaric practice, or are you just angry that people of color are speaking up? You are always free to move to somewhere where the district shares your same values, say Charlottesville. “Mamabear”, who are you protecting exactly? A senile old man who advocated a policy of separating vulnerable children from their parents and then proceeded to lock said children in cages?
Mama bear – Hi, Donald!
Or is it Vladimir Vladimirovich?
Maxine, like John Lewis, needs to do something, anything to help their districts. For all the uproar they make, their decades long holding of office, has nothing to help their districts. Maxine’s district is a hell hole, and so is John Lewis. For all the noise they make at a national level, they had done nothing to improve their districts.
“Like John Lewis”…..gee, I wonder what these representatives have in common and why you would lump them together?
I know for certain that John Lewis’s district is not a “hell hole” (tell me, is that similar to sh*thole”?). I know some of the areas that Maxine represents, and they have challenges for sure, but they are historic in nature. Even still, they have been greatly improved in recent years and property value is going way up.
Do you have any legitimate reasons to trash Maxine and John Lewis?
Tiffany – Cat listens to Trump, who yammered on about John Lewis assuming his district was overwhelmingly poor because he’s black. Trump and Cat don’t realize that black Americans can be of any economic class. If either of them bothered to look up information about Lewis’ district, they would know that.
Maxine Waters is black, and therefore according to Trump and his followers her constituents must all be desperately poor. Trump actually campaigned to black Americans by telling them they didn’t have anything to lose by voting for him since they were living in such awful circumstances already. The idea that where many blacks live must be shitholes runs deep with The Donald.
You’re right mama bear!!
To be clear, I was referring to the woman being cuffed in the video. But yes, Congresswoman Waters is a hero, too.
If the Dems get control of the House in the midterms, Maxine Waters would become Chair of the Financial Services Committee.
The Financial Services panel has the power to subpoena Trump’s financial information, but there has been no will from the GOP to do this yet.
They’re going to keep going after her personally and this is probably part of the reason why.
VOTE
VOTE
VOTE
This! I hope all the people attending all the protests since the election are also getting out there to vote because I don’t think the deplorables give a fig about the show of support.
Sadly I think you’re right..I doubt faux news gave it a mention..if the dems were really smart, they’d cut an ad featuring the ice agents who are saying before trump, they’re job was to screen for dangerous people, but now they don’t have resources to do that because they’ve been told to treat children like felons..and run it non-stop..to abolish their illusion that this plan is ‘safer. They are only concerned with themselves..the crying of these children doesn’t faze them at all.
Belluga
I was going to post the exact same thing.
VOTE and turn the House Blue!
Post it! No harm in it, some people might scroll down and miss this one! 🙂
Ooooh I didn’t know that! And she would do it immediately too. MW is a hero, and will go down in history as such. Dump will go down as a traitor, a con artist, and the worst and most illegitimate POTUS ever. I just hope that happens sooner rather than later.
I just volunteered for a campaign trying to stir up local Dem voters who tend to sit out midterms. I’m hoping to get to work on it tonight!
I really want to be around in 100 years to read the history books on this. It’s a weird feeling, knowing that people will study this. And it’s worrying that it feels like this is an “Events Leading To…” chapter. I hope that it never gets worse than this and all of the ugliness under the rock is exposed to the harsh light of day very soon.
Good luck with the campaign! We’ve got our fingers crossed for you over here!
Well, this explains a lot. No wonder he’s been going after her. I think she, Warner, Schmidt and others scare him.
Just screenshotted this and put it on my Instagram story – I didn’t know that and I bet a lot of other people didn’t either! THANK YOU BELLUGA!! ❤️❤️
That’s sweet, thank you! I first saw it in a tweet that I can no longer find, but please keep spreading the word! Hopefully your post fuels at least one person to vote! <3
If you need a bit of backup, here's the Snopes summary of it:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/maxine-waters-subpoena-trump/
There are lots of articles backing up the various parts of this, but that has some pretty good links and it's worth reading through and checking out the sources.
So to sum up:
1) Maxine Waters, along with 4 other committee members, requested that Deutsche Bank* turned over their records on Trump. They didn't.
2) That information could be subpoenaed by the committee. It hasn't, because the Republicans control the committee.
3) The power to subpoena rests solely with the chair of the committee.
4) As the most senior Democrat on the committee, if the Democrats take the House in November it would be unprecedented if Maxine Waters weren't made chair.
____
*This is the same Deutsche Bank that was fined for offences relating to money laundering involving Russia. And the same Deutsche Bank that loaned Trump billions when no other bank would.
I am not American. If Dotard and his ilk are not afraid of speaking about anything really, she shouldn’t have to shut up either. I liked that she is calling for impeachment. She doesn’t seem to care whether it is political suicide, she is just calling the ugly things out, unlike her colleagues, and most of the press. Wish her well. Incredible woman.
In her district, it isn’t political suicide. Maxine will be back in Congress next January unless she chooses otherwise.
Good to know and thanks Lightpurple 🙂
She’s in a S. California district. Trump needs California (for the economy) more than California needs Trump. A lot of the California politicians are calling out Trump.
I went to D.C. for the march this weekend. It was very hot, but I brought a hydration backpack and a cooling towel and I was fine. Lots of people, great signs. I felt I had to do it, but I don’t know what difference it will make. I feel like more is called for. I dunno.
Those images were broadcast around the world 🙂 good for you – it was an impressive sight.
The most important thing now is to make sure you vote and make sure you get as many other people to vote as you can. Some places offer assistance to get to the voting station that you might be able to help with or there’s postal voting, which some people might not be aware of. Democrats benefit from a large turn out, Republicans from a small.
Full disclosure: not American, but very concerned for you guys over there
I vote every year, and just voted in the congressional primary, so i am registered. I think volunteering to drive others to the polls this November is an awesome idea, I’m going to do it!
Fantastic! We’re rooting for you!
I was supposed to go but woke up very ill and didn’t want to infect others (thanks, toddlers!!), so my mother and I decided to donate to RAICES in the meanwhile and plan on attending the upcoming ones, I’m so impressed by you guys sticking out that heat to stand for immigrants, though! My mum’s a bit old to be out doing extensive protesting, but going gives her some sense of agency. She’s (understandably) pretty upset about Kennedy’s retirement and has been distressed since.
Thank you. The only good thing Trump has done is awaken the activism of people who care.
I was out in California. I think it does do some good. It makes them realize that we aren’t silently accepting their cruelty. We had our two oldest with us because I want to them understand and remember these moments in history.
It also sends a message to the world that 45 does not speak for all of us.
I got to go to the one in Middletown Connecticut (it was hot there too this weekend) and they also had one in Hartford/West Hartford, East Haddam, and even Deep River. Hopefully seeing these marches happening, combined with everything that’s been going on since Trump’s “win” will move some who didn’t vote before to vote this time. I’m not really holding out hope that anyone supporting Trump at this point can be motivated by anything though.
My god she is amazing. We need more dems to start talking like this.
She should be in leadership. I don’t dislike Pelosi. I absolutely cannot stand Schumer.
The fact is that black women voted en masse to prevent this shitshow before it began. They always have. They should be in Democratic leadership positions across the board. I love Maxine.
Agreed. I don’t dislike Pelosi but she needs to retire. Her leadership style is absolutely wrong for this moment in time.
I agree – it’s time to elect more black women across the board.
One of the very few bright spots in this 2 year nightmare has been the surge of women running for office, and the diversity of those women.
The Dems who chided Maxine Waters really should apologize. Trump hates her because she won’t shut up and faces him down. And she’s quite right – this is an emergency and Trump’s people should be shamed every time they show their faces until all the children are returned to their parents. Let them eat peanut butter sandwiches at home for the duration. This is not normal. They can ignore quiet demonstrations and polite phone calls and letters. They never even see those. They need to feel uncomfortable enough that they finally do something.
This isn’t a difference of opinion about politics. This is thousands of Amber Alerts. Those children are hurting and our President deliberately did it to them and won’t fix it because he is saying “I don’t wanna and you can’t make me, waahh waahh”. Trump is already talking about reversing his executive order to start kidnapping children again. He is a spoiled brat who never got to the developmental stage when empathy appears.
One father has already died by suicide after he failed to keep the government agent from kidnapping his small child. One child has already attempted suicide. Babies and toddlers have already suffered permanent trauma and who knows what drugs they have been given to quiet them down. Three year olds are being pushed in front of a judge all by themselves to explain why mom and dad decided they had to leave home. This is insane. We need international observers NOW. Make it happen, please.
Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have been consistently underestimating the danger Trump poses. They keep trying to treat him like a normal person, but he isn’t. Maxine Waters sees him clearly for what he is and she is sounding the alarm.
It’s a very difficult situation for people in Congress. They are used to a slower pace and reasonably polite discussions. They are continually baffled by the way Trump operates. But they need to respect people like Maxine Waters and realize that even if they can’t follow her lead, they have to let her do it her way because their way isn’t working at all and we don’t have time to wait for leisurely investigations that go nowhere or votes that never come to the floor because the Republicans have the power to prevent it.
Maxine Waters has been following Trump’s money since day one and calling him out every chance she gets. She has more leadership in her little finger than Pelosi and Schumer have in their entire bodies. She understands quite clearly that America’s very existence as a constitutional republic is in grave danger, and she is not going to let it die on her watch – not without one hell of a fight. They may take her out, but she is willing to take that chance to fight for democracy.
I am sending her a thank you letter with a campaign donation. We need more Maxines!
+1000. Your comment makes the dotard’s racist little tweet about ‘brave’ ICE protecting the country from the ‘worst criminal elements’ sound even more disgusting. Maxine Waters is demonstrating real bravery here.
I love her so much. It enrages me Schumer and Pelosi were so quick to criticize her. Can’t wait till Boomers that refuse to move with a sense of urgency get voted out. I’m so tired of the Pelosi’s and the Schumer’s.
I think Schumer and Pelosi were panicked that she would be spun as an “angry black woman.” Which she was, most notably by Hannity. But hopefully they are realizing their instincts are wrong, despite how the deplorables try to claim she’s inciting violence.
I don’t mind that the Dem party has some moderate leaders, but trying to silence the more progressive and honest members of the party is not a good look.
Killjoy – yes, the strength of the Democrats is their diversity and nobody should try to crush that. They need to get comfortable with many different ways of talking and acting. We need people like Maxine Waters also. She’s not crazy and she’s not promoting violence. She just clearly sees this is an emergency, and meek and mild isn’t going to deal with that. Ambulances and fire trucks don’t observe speed limits.
The Dems also need to stop trying to avoid antagonizing people like Hannity. There is nothing they can do that will avoid such people trying to trash them anyway. Just stand up and stand proud, like Maxine Waters. If you’re not into public chanting, just quietly stand with those who are. Don’t try to get your colleagues led in a different direction to tone it down for the likes of Hannity or Trump. You are not responsible for the reactions of Trump and the Trumpies. If they are angry with you, that just means you are doing something right.
And stop trusting Trump! Pelosi and Schumer keep getting fooled by that guy, thinking they can manipulate him better than the Nazis surrounding him all the time. Trump is not normal, so stop treating him as though he is. He may be pushed into doing something on a Monday and then reverse himself by Tuesday. He doesn’t even understand the words you are using, people. You are dealing with a seriously disordered impulsive personality who is also a world class ignoramus. Think about how you would modify the behavior of a two year old too heavy to lift. Keep repeating to yourself: “This is not normal. This is not normal”.
Longtime reader, first-time poster from AL here. I was unable to go to the rally in our town, which was slated for a fairly good turnout of around 200 people (a good amount for a super-Red area). Saw on our local news later that afternoon that an anti-protester had shown up with a gun. He was screaming at people and waving it around but didn’t shoot anyone before he was arrested. Scary times. I rarely discuss politics with people I don’t know.
I saw that video, how terrible. But, not at all surprising. To be honest, I went knowing that violence could break out. A mass shooting, a car or van running into the crowd. We all know what they do.
Yayyyyy Maxine!
I can’t vote yet in this country but I’ll be doing whatever I can to volunteer and help people get to the polls. Our red state’s district voted for Clinton by a margin of 1% and with the current sh*t show there are many vying for the seat. I hope the Democrat that wins the primary next month is a strong one but I’ll be ride or die with him/her right up until the polls close.
Ms. Waters is a national treasure.
I’m so sick of trying to deal with Trump supporters. This weekend I commented on a friend’s Facebook post about this and several of her friends that I don’t know jumped on me saying that I need to watch non liberal news to get the truth. I said I really watch everything thanks. That I got called a person who just wants to argue who think she’s a hero in her own mind and just wants attention. Why else would you be so contrary? One of them said. Weather responded to my request for a source of information that she was spouting with a completely illegitimate source. Another said that I was “regurgitation Liberal talking points”(Her actual words ) While spouting right wing talking points.
Frye, I had to stop feeding the Trolls. It’s like banging your head against the wall.
I was half asleep this morning and didn’t proofread my comment properly, so I’ll repost since I can’t edit:
I’m so sick of trying to deal with Trump supporters. This weekend I commented on a friend’s Facebook post about the camps, and several of her friends that I don’t know jumped on me, saying that I need to watch non liberal news to get the truth. I said I already watch/read everything, thanks. Then I got called a person “who just wants to argue” that “thinks she’s a hero in her own mind” and “just wants attention.” “Why else would you be so contrary? “one of them said. Another responded to my request for a source of information that she was spouting with a completely illegitimate site. Another said that I was “regurgitation Liberal talking points”(Her actual words ) while spouting right wing talking points.
Sigh. I had to stop feeding the Trolls. It’s like banging your head against the wall.
Has anyone seen the documentary about the L.A. riots? If you have, you know Maxine has been working for this country for a very long time and she sure as hell is not going to take shit from anyone!
^^^^This
In case any of you didn’t get the notice, Alex Jones says that we liberals have scheduled to start a civil war on the 4th of July, so I’ll see you at the barricades and Soros had better provide us with some good refreshments.
If you really want to laugh, check out Jones twitter account. The responses to his claim are brilliant.
Jones is a fool, but I have worryingly noticed in uptick in right-wing propaganda painting liberals as enemies of the state. I fear if Trump gets his way political dissenters will be considered criminals. And I do fear the right is preparing for civil war.
Don’t they know we on the left are buying guns with our Soros checks, lol?
Yeah, it’s funny but also not. Calling people “enemies of the state” is a way to dehumanize them and legitimize active violence. Bush did the same thing with his “you’re either with us or against us” approach to the Middle Eastern conflicts.
There is definitely civic turmoil brewing in America. The question is how ugly it will get before it’s over.
I’m scared that, like Pizzagate, people will believe it and show up with weapons. Jones is so dangerous.
So when do we get our paychecks from Soros, anyway? I could use the money.
We were at a family reunion in Chicago this weekend, and there were THOUSANDS of people in the streets protesting. I missed the Houston march though. 🙁
#silenceisnotanoption
LEGEND. I am so happy ‘Auntie Max’ is loud and active and speaking out. Long may she shout.
Dayum. Seventy-nine years old and still a baller. Wail all you want, 45, Maxine Waters survived nearly thirty years of segregation. She’ll survive you, too.
And yet, the Republicans say nothing, do nothing to stop this man.
Kidnapping children (and possibly sending/”selling” them to new parents doesn’t raise a single objection.
KIDNAPPING.
CHILDREN.
His use of fascist tactics to dehumanize non-white, non-Christians means nothing to them.
His embrace of our enemies means nothing to them.
His embrace of neo-Nazis, KKK and White Supremacists gets no reaction.
His destruction of our alliances — which will seriously damage our strength in the world — means nothing to them.
Children being gunned down in public schools mean nothing to them.
His trade policies, which are going to destroy the economy, mean nothing to them.
His threats to American citizens and the free press mean nothing to them.
Paying no taxes and having all the power – that’s all they care about.
And they don’t even notice his destruction of unions, the environment and anything that might cost a dollar to protect or educate average Americans.
This is who we are and where we are.
Every day we’re existing in poison.
I’ve never been so down and terrified.
Thank you, Rep Waters, for doing your job — serving the American people. As opposed to serving them up for slaughter.
This isn’t the first time that Maxine has gotten death threats. She gets death threats every single day, yet she is still willing to go out there and fight for us. The day that the Dotard, republicans, and civility Democrats were attacking Maxine was the same day that one of the Dotard’s supporters was charged with making death threats towards her. But this wasn’t covered much in the press because the press was much more concerned with helping Sarah and the Dotard spread the civility talking point. Now compare that to Sarah Sanders. Sarah gets kicked out of Red Hen, she then goes on a revenge campaign(giving woe is me interviews) to ruin the Red Hen and it’s owner, after being told that she committed an ethics violation by using the WH account to seek revenge on Red Hen, Sarah then uses her kids for cover, claiming that someone threatened to steal her kids, and then she gets Secret Service protection.
I’m glad that we have people like Maxine out there fighting for us because Democrats like Nancy, Schumer, Amy Klobachur and aren’t doing anything to oppose the Dotard. They are willing to participate in his photo-ops, but not willing to do what really matters.
Did Sarah ever contact the FBI? If not – why not? Afraid of a felony charge for lying to the FBI, mayhap? She can get Secret Service protection by order of the POTUS.
My bet is that somebody said “How would you feel if it was your children who were kidnapped and sent who knows where?” and she morphed it into an actual threat against her kids rather than an appeal to empathy.
My experience has been that dissidents from government policies, especially on hot button issues like war and immigration, routinely get threats but it’s quite rare for proponents of government policies to get such threats (except as false flag operations). That’s just the dynamic here in the USA. They may experience unpleasant public demonstrations, as she has. Not impossible for her to be threatened privately by some whackadoodle, but just not so likely.
Maxine Waters, on the other hand, has had a target on her back for a long time and that’s the normal way these things go.
I have an image next to my name, but I never signed up for one. Strange.
I love what she said. May she be heard.
Dems like Schumer and Pelosi are absolute cowards. We need more – a LOT more – like Maxine Waters who isn’t afraid to call a fascist a fascist. That is what this moment in history demands. Cautious remonstrators will not save us from puppet Mussolini, and that is a fact.
I’m weeping. I was 16 in 1968. Maxine Waters is a martyr walking, right now, and I’m terrified for her, and for us.
I was there. I also mooned the Trump Hotel.
I love you WendyNerd. I don’t mean that in a creepy way.