My look back on the year 2018 as it ended:
The bad news: Donald Trump is still the US president.
The good news: Trump lost control of the lower house of Congress in the midterm elections.
This year’s theme: Fear. Criminalizing and fear-mongering on mom-and-pop asylum seekers from Central America. The caravan of several thousand asylum seekers crossing Mexico were painted as an invasion bringing disease, crime, and terrorism to the US. When they tried to cross the border, they were gassed, men, women, and children (pictured at top).
Making a comeback: family separation.
This year’s new/old trend: Calling the police on Black people minding their own business. Among this year’s trendsetters: Starbucks, #BBQBecky, #PermitPatty, #PoolPatrolPaula, #CornerStoreCaroline, #BrooklynBecky, #PaulBlartPoolCop, #BaggageClaimBecky, #CouponCarl, #DepressedDebbie.
Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate to serve on the US Supreme Court, giving it a 5-4 hard-right majority. In spite of riveting Senate testimony by Christine Blasey Ford of an attempted rape by Kavanaugh in 1982, all but one Republican senator backed him.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the future US president (2037-2045), was elected to Congress.
Russiagate: Robert Mueller’s investigation proceeds apace. Trump calls it a witch hunt, but in July he all but licked Russian President Putin’s boots at a summit in Helsinki.
North Korea can now nuke California. Trump met with Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, in a historic photo-op that at least cooled tensions.
Brazil took two steps backwards, murdering Marielle Franco in February and electing Jair Bolsonaro in October.
Britain has worked out a deal with the EU on Brexit but cannot get it through parliament.
Film: Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians.
Television: Pose, grown-ish, the first female Doctor Who (still White).
Music festivals: Coachella became Beychella.
Music videos: Childish Gambino’s This Is America.
The Doomsday Clock is now two minutes to midnight, a half minute closer than last year, thanks mainly to Trump.
Global temperature average: “The website you are trying to access is not available at this time due to a lapse in appropriation.” (Thanks to Trump’s current partial shutdown of the US government.)
Word of the Year: toxic (Oxford), as in toxic masculinity.
Person of the Year: The Guardians: news reporters who were persecuted, arrested or murdered, Jamal Khashoggi (pictured) being merely the most famous.
Top US R&B song: “God’s Plan” by Drake (Billboard).
Top Hollywood film: “Avengers: Infinity War” (“Black Panther” was number two).
Top images (on Google Images):
the most beautiful woman:
well-dressed man:
car:
computer:
president:
In memoriam: Trojan Pam, Marielle Franco, Ntozake Shange, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson, The Old Kanye, Linda Brown, Winnie Mandela, George H.W. Bush, John McCain, Stephen Hawking, The Village Voice, Tumblr, The Weekly Standard, Ursula K. Le Guin, Douglas Rain (voice of HAL), Les Payne, Yvonne Staples, Dennis Edwards, Jamal Khashoggi, Razan al-Najjar, Saheed Vassell, Jackeline Caal, Sandra Parks, Stephon Clark, Antwon Rose, Botham Jean, E.J. Bradford Jr, Jemel Roberson, Patrick Kimmons, the 11 gunned down at the Tree of Life synagogue by Robert Bowers, and the 17 gunned down at Parkland high school in Florida on Valentine’s Day.
– Abagond, 2019.
See also:
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Reblogged this on We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident.
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Excellent summation of the past year … may I have your permission to re-blog?
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RIP Trojan Pam.
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@ jill dennison
Feel free so long as there is a link back to the original.
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I could look at that picture of “Former US President Obama” all day and time machine myself back to when the world felt a little more intelligent…and safe.
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Thank you … it will definitely link to your original!
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Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
I came across this post this afternoon through our friend Xena’s blog, and found this to be the best summation of the past year that I have seem. Clear, concise, and accurate. Short enough to hold my interest, yet detailed enough to be meaningful. Thank you, Abagond, for your kind permission to share this insightful post with my own readers!
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“Brazil took two steps backwards” from our suicidal move towards abysm – we were close to becoming Venezuela
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Nice global perspective here.
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“Top Hollywood film: “Avengers: Infinity War” (“Black Panther” was number two).”
If I recall, BP was still in the lead despite Infinity Wars. BP did waaaaay too good.
Also, lol at the Bad news.
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it’s been a hell of a ride!
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