Thorns & Roses: The Worst, Best And Most Absurd (6/2)

Rose: Real Reparations 

Change Today, Change Tomorrow, a nonprofit that serves Louisville’s Black community, says it recently received a six-figure payment from someone who learned they were descended from slaveowners. While we wait… and wait… and wait… for the federal government to make a move on state-sponsored reparations to African Americans in America, this is what the current movement should look like: White people who have benefited from generational wealth donating to Black-led organizations and Black people who haven’t had the same luxury. Who’s next? Mitch McConnell, we know you have some questionable apples on that family tree.

Thorn: A Family Member Haunted, Then Handcuffed 

David McAtee’s brother, Jamie McAtee, was arrested last Wednesday as he protested in search of justice for his slain sibling. The day before, Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine announced that he would not pursue criminal charges against the Louisville police officers and National Guard members at the scene of David McAtee’s shooting by a National Guard member. As a small group of demonstrators including Jamie McAtee marched peacefully in the streets, Louisville police following the protest started to make arrests. McAtee was charged with unlawful assembly and obstructing a highway — nevermind the “obstruction of justice” he’s faced while seeking accountability for his brother’s death.

Absurd: Rand Paul, National Embarrassment

Proving time and time again that he is a national embarrassment and all-around fucking buffoon, Rand Paul decided to start beef with… wait for it… Richard Marx. The singer of many late ‘80s hits said that if he met Paul’s infamous neighbor — the one who tackled him — he’d hug him and buy the man a drink. When someone recently sent a “suspicious package” to Paul’s house, he blamed Richard Marx for inciting violence against him. The package apparently contained a white powder. The sheriff’s office has said the substance doesn’t appear to be dangerous. Marx pointed out that Paul’s behavior as the first Senator diagnosed with COVID put more people’s lives at actual risk than his tweet. For now, the friction appears to be over. It seems Marx deleted his original tweet, and Rand Paul has slithered away with his knickers in a twist to sulk about some other nonsense like refusing to be vaccinated against COVID.

Thorn: Rand Paul’s Crown Of Thorns 

Last week, the Courier Journal published the column “Rand Paul: The science proves people with natural immunity should skip COVID vaccines,” and it was exactly what it sounds like, an opinion column by Rand Paul, built on a bunch of shaky bullshit that deals in half truths and is a giant conspiracy-nut dog whistle to brew public distrust. The Courier even ran a fact check of the column a couple days later, which stated at the end: “Paul has decided not to get one, citing his prior infection with COVID-19 last year as his primary reason. However, his decision flies in the face of recommendations by the CDC, the WHO and many public health experts, which say people who’ve previously been infected still should get vaccinated against this dangerous virus.” Seems like they realized their mistake: Balanced journalism doesn’t mean letting brain dead frauds write science columns.

This article appears in June 2, 2021.