Originally published at: Rep. Jamie Raskin perfectly mocks Speaker Kevin McCarthy with facts about the Republican's high-crime district (video) | Boing Boing
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I hope his treatments are going well! Looks like he’s well enough to show up and do his job!
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It should probably be pointed out that much of the crime in Bakersfield is from the cop side of the equation, too.
ETA: One thing bugs me, though. Michael Scott is not the hero of The Office. That do-rag isn’t a great look.
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Bakersfield is also a hotbed of activity for the Proud Boys, which is basically a street gang.
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Yeah, but they’re the “right” kind of street gang… /s
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He is in cancer treatment.
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A street gang that has been declared a terrorist organization in multiple countries now.
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I get it, and good luck to him. Still, Steven is kind of behind the curve of celebrity recognition these days (and I’m definitely NOT saying he deserves it). Most folks are gonna see this…
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I dig watching Rep Raskin talk. He’s articulate and spot on with his points. I like it about as much as I like watching Rep Porter take down pharma execs, which is very much.
Glad to hear his treatments are going well. We need him.
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I have to admit that Prison Mike is exactly who I thought of when I saw him.
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I’m pretty sure that’s not a do-rag, it’s a bandanna worn in the same way many people do, as a head-covering to protect from sunburn, etc. I wear bandannas like that, for that very purpose.
A person-of-colour might like to correct me, but I’m certain a do-rag is a different beast that looks similar.
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That was the first time I saw Raskin with the bandana so I googled the reason. Wow, what a trooper.
I see today he’s a wittness on that weaponization of the federal government committee.
I wish he would slow down, he’s at a much greater risk of getting ill form any number of illnesses floating around that place. I’m glad he’s wearing a mask but wouldn’t it be nice if everyone around him or at least within 20 feet or so would also wear a mask to help keep him healthy.
That “do rag” has to do with hair loss due to treatment, I’ll let him decide what look he wants to be comfortable out in public.
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My point being that it’s the same color (or very close) this day as Prison Mike, speaking about crime statistics, which also invites inspection into unfair treatment of POC. One would think someone on his team might have noticed the resemblance.
And we didn’t give Aramark any quarter about optics when they served chicken & waffles and watermelon on the first day of Black History Month, did we? 
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“… you will never find a more wretched
hive of scum and villainy”
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Democrats are on fire since President Biden’s most recent State of the Union adress. Speaking truth to power appears to be a very effective tool in dealing with the petty grievances and power grab ploys of the Republican held House majority.
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Yep. Mr. Raskin could probably take a few style lessons from Mr. Van Zandt so he looks less like a Crip, though.
OTOH, maybe the gangsta look is entirely appropriate when he’s calling out the clowns across the aisle for their deranged, cartoonish and fiscally reckless rhetoric and behaviours.
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Steven Van Zandt gifted Raskin a bandana.
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I don’t think the “Chicken & Waffles for Black History Month” analogy is really fitting in this case since Raskin was already wearing bandannas during chemo treatment before he gave this speech.
If he’d chosen this particular moment to start wearing a fashion accessory associated with the Crips then that would certainly be suspect.
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This is exactly why I spoke up, because the bluish-purplish bandana is one associated with the Prison Mike meme (which highlights white privilege concerning racism, crime, and prisons), and he was on the floor talking about high crime statistics and all that.
Same color any time he’s NOT talking about high crime stats? Fine. I see no issue there.
Regarding the Prison Mike meme, I hear a lot of folks saying they don’t know what that is, but it’s out there and has been for many years. Because of that, I would not be caught dead wearing a bandana of that particular color on that particular day if I were in his place because of that particular meme. I would not want to be associated with Prison Mike.
I know Raskin’s a great guy, so if anyone is thinking I’m trying to stir up anything more than “of all the days/times to do that”, they’re mistaken.
