GOOD MORNING, BLOGTOWN! If it's not a letter sent from you, then I donāt read it. If itās not a gift sent from you, then I donāt need it. LET'S GO TO PRESS.
Finally noting that sending overly aggressive riot police to peaceful protests isn't making him any friends (except with the usual gang of hateful jerks), Mayor Ted Wheeler admits that police response on President's Day was overzealous and vows to rein it in.
In related news, a protest march to Mayor Ted Wheeler's house has been cancelled, BUT! You can expect a lot of rowdiness at today's city council meeting. Follow along with News Editor Dirk VanderHart on Twitter for the blow-by-blow.
Governor Kate Brown is calling for stricter gun control measuresāin particular, new legislation that requires completed background checks.
Police in Beaverton shoot and kill a man who they say was on top of a house threatening people with a rifle.
Four more of the Malheur Refuge hillbillies are on trial, and this time prosecutors are taking a different legal tact so they don't slip off the hook.
"Democracy dies in darkness." The @washingtonpost's new masthead: pic.twitter.com/AKVQMtdOxZ
ā Louisa Loveluck (@leloveluck) February 22, 2017
Today in OH HELL NO: The Trump administration has laid out their plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. From the New York Times:
Documents released on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security revealed the broad scope of the presidentās ambitions: to publicize crimes by undocumented immigrants; strip such immigrants of privacy protections; enlist local police officers as enforcers; erect new detention facilities; discourage asylum seekers; and, ultimately, speed up deportations.
And...
Despite those assertions in the new documents, research shows lower levels of crime among immigrants than among native-born Americans.
America is temporarily closed. Reopening soon under new management.#RejectedStatueOfLibertySigns
ā āļøInkpenbanditšŗ (@InkpenBandit) February 22, 2017
That being said, Trump's deportation plan would not include "dreamers," AKA those born in this country to undocumented parents. CORRECTION: I got the definition of a dreamer wrong. Hot tipper Jenni wrote in to say, "Any persons born in the United States and residing here is a citizen, with very limited exceptions. A 'dreamer' is a resident that came to the United States as a young child, but without proper documentation, and has lived nearly all, or most of their life exactly as a citizen. Citizens cannot be deported, as they are citizens and you get deported back to your country of citizenshipāno matter who your parents areāand thus would not be in danger of deportation no matter what changes the president makes." Thanks for educating me on that, Jenni! My apologies.
Meanwhile Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his country will continue to accept people crossing their border seeking asylum.
By the way, if you've been wondering why we haven't heard much from Rex Tillerson and the State Department about how they've been explaining Trump's policies to other countries... well, they have not been saying much. Like, at all.
If you enjoy reading about furious constituents giving their Republican reps hell at town halls, then read this. And if liked that, you're going to love this.
Also if you enjoy reading about the swift and forceful downfall of fucking awful internet trolls (like Milo Yiannopoulos), then don't miss this one.
BREAKING: a federal judge issued a temporary injunction blocking Texas from defunding Planned Parenthood. pic.twitter.com/h1gXydzXND
ā Lauren Rankin (@laurenarankin) February 21, 2017
And just as a reminder that there still plenty of good, ethical people in the world, Muslim activists have raised $60,000 to help rebuild a desecrated Jewish cemetery.
Have you caught yourself thinking, "This weird story about the Kim Jong-nam assassination could not possibly get any weirder," well, it just got weirder.
And now? THE WEATHER REPORT: More showers and a high of 48ābut a mostly sunny weekend!
And finally, Donald Trump sounds incredibly drunk when you slow his voice down slightly. HERE IS THE PROOF.
Wow. Trump slowed down really does sound like a drunk ranting... pic.twitter.com/oUuw8Wbssc
ā Jack Slater (@Jack_Slater) February 21, 2017