Some of what I know about 2017 on its second-to-last day:
The bad news: Donald Trump became the US president.
The good news: North Korea has not (yet) been wiped from the face of the earth, despite Trump’s threats.
This year’s theme: Naked greed by the top 0.5%.
Russiagate: Soon after Trump became president he was sunk in scandal. It is still unfolding, with Michael Flynn now turning state’s evidence. Through it all, 35% (half of all White people) have stuck with Trump, while some 48% (myself included) suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome.
In 2017 Trump:
- Put Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court
- Passed the Billionaire Relief Act of 2017, aka “the middle-class tax cut”, which fewer than a fourth of voters support.
- Got part of his Muslim travel ban to take effect.
- Pulled the US out of the Paris climate change agreement.
- Overturned Obama’s rules on net neutrality.
- Ended DACA.
- Allowed the Dakota Access Pipeline to be completed.
- Pulled back on police reform.
- Loosened rules on civilian slaughter.
Etc.
People:
- Angela Peoples sucked a lollipop.
- Jordan Peele made his first film, “Get Out”.
- Donald Trump said some of the Klansmen and neo-Nazis at the Charlottesville riot were “very fine people” while those who took a knee against police brutality were “sons of bitches”.
- Jemele Hill called President Trump a “white supremacist”. The White House called that “outrageous”.
- Sgt La David Johnson died for his country, then Trump disrespected his widow.
- Ta-Nehisi Coates called Trump the First White President.
- Cornel West called Coates the Neoliberal Face of the Black Freedom Struggle.
#MeToo: sexual assault scandals felled Harvey Weinstein, Bill O’Reilly, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Al Franken, Roy Moore (barely), Kevin Spacey and many others – but not Donald Trump.
Three major hurricanes hit the US: Harvey, Irma and Maria.
Make America Safe: Two of the worst mass shootings in recent US history were carried out by Stephen Paddock and Devin Patrick Kelley. Neither were Muslim. Or Black. Or Mexican.
Jihad: Over 300 were killed in a Somalia truck bombing – and at a mosque in Sinai, Egypt. ISIS lost its two main cities, Raqqa, Syria and Mosul, Iraq.
Ethnic cleansing: Over a half million Rohingyas fled Burma.
Slave trade: seems to be making a comeback in Libya.
The Doomsday Clock is now two and a half minutes to midnight, a half minute closer thanks to Trump.
Global temperature average: 14.6°C in April (NOAA), down 0.17°C from last year.
Person of the Year: The Silence Breakers (Time magazine). They forgot to put Tarana Burke on the cover.
Top US R&B song: Bruno Mars: “That’s What I Like” (Billboard).
Top Hollywood film: will almost certainly be “Star Wars 8: The Last Jedi”.
Top images (on Google Images):
the most beautiful woman:
Dutch model Doutzen Kroes
well-dressed man:
car:
2018 Hyundai Sonata
computer:
president:
In memoriam: Erica Garner, Sgt La David Johnson, Heather Heyer (Charlottesville), Jordan Edwards, Charleena Lyles, Tommy Le, Justine Damond, Patrick Harmon, Daniel Shaver, Dick Gregory, Glen Campbell, David Cassidy, Joni Sledge, Fats Domino. Chuck Berry, Chuck Barris (The Gong Show), Walter Becker (Steely Dan), Tom Petty, Roger Moore, Mary Tyler Moore, Jerry Lewis, June Foray.
– Abagond, 2017.
See also:
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Angela Peoples sucking a lollipop at that Women’s March holding that sign that says “Don’t Forget White Women Voted For Trump.” Her given zero damns and the irony of it all. That’s such a great photo.
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If I were to add something for 2017, I would mention the Rise of China (PRC) on the world stage, something started under Obama, but propelled way forward by Trump.
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