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https://www.themarysue.com/trump-pence-fight-friendship-over/

Another day, another book going behind the scenes of the presidential administration we wish we could Eternal Sunshine out of our brains entirely. The latest installment in this series is Peril, from veteran journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. And like the others, I look forward to never reading it, but I am enjoying the titillating anecdotes coming out ahead of its release.

According to Woodward and Costa (as relayed by CNN), the last few months of Donald Trump’s time in office were just as tumultuous as they appeared to be from the outside, and possibly even more so. Trump’s advisors worried he “had gone into a serious mental decline in the aftermath of the election,” and after the January 6 Capitol riot, he was “now all but manic, screaming at officials and constructing his own alternate reality about endless election conspiracies.”

Trump tried to get others, including Mike Pence, to adopt that “alternate reality.” On January 5, he and Pence met in the Oval Office, where Trump pressured his vice president to help him overturn the election results. Pence—evil in his own right but still not trying to make the U.S. a full dictatorship—reportedly tried to convince Trump that he did not have the power to singlehandedly decide the outcome of an election, and that he “wouldn’t want any one person to have that authority.”

Trump’s attempts to convince Pence otherwise read like a child’s tantrum, confined by a child’s logic. He asked if Pence thought it would be “almost cool to have that power.” He threw a fit when Pence apparently wasn’t swayed by how “cool” it would be to go full authoritarian.

“No, no, no!” Trump shouted, according to the book. “You don’t understand, Mike. You can do this. I don’t want to be your friend anymore if you don’t do this.”

The next day, while would-be insurrectionists stormed Capitol and chanted “HANG MIKE PENCE!” with actual gallows sitting outside, Trump fueled their rage by tweeting that his VP lacked “courage”—Which I suppose is as clear a message of “friendship over” as you can send.

Just in case we walk away from this anecdote thinking Mike Pence has anything resembling principles, another story from the book—this one as relayed by the Washington Post—makes it clear that was not the case, and that it actually took the coaxing of fellow former VP Dan Quayle to convince him to stand up to Trump.

From the Post:

So intent was Pence on being Trump’s loyal second-in-command — and potential successor — that he asked confidants if there were ways he could accede to Trump’s demands and avoid certifying the results of the election on Jan. 6. In late December, the authors reveal, Pence called Dan Quayle, a former vice president and fellow Indiana Republican, for advice.

Quayle was adamant, according to the authors. “Mike, you have no flexibility on this. None. Zero. Forget it. Put it away,” he said.

But Pence pressed him, the authors write, asking if there were any grounds to pause the certification because of ongoing legal challenges. Quayle was unmoved, and Pence ultimately agreed, according to the book.

I really was not expecting our Democracy to hang on the words of Dan Quayle, but here we are.

(image: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

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The post Gigantic Baby Donald Trump Reportedly Told Pence He Wouldn’t Be His Friend Anymore if He Didn’t Help Him Do a Coup first appeared on The Mary Sue.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/candace-bufords-debut-novel-kneel-delivers-a-powerful-message-on-racism/

Russell (Rus) Boudreaux is the star player and team captain for the Jackson Jaguars football team, in Monroe, Louisiana. Rus and his best friend and co-captain Marion know that football is their ticket out of the small town. After an incident occurs at the opening game against a rival team, Marion is unfairly arrested and benched for the remainder of the season. During the next big game, Rus makes the decision to kneel during the national anthem as a protest against injustice.

His choice makes him a target of hatred and jeopardizes his chances for a scholarship. Rus finds it within himself to fight for justice but faces many challenges. Kneel, the debut novel by Candace Buford, explores racism, injustice, and the power of Black male friendship.

On September 1, 2016, at a San Francisco 49ers final preseason game, quarterback Colin Kaepernick opted to take a knee during the national anthem. His act was a powerful message against the racial injustice and police brutality in this country. Backlash and hatred poured in, as many twisted the meaning of what Kaepernick had done. 

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” — Colin Kaepernick

Candace Buford’s Kneel keeps a powerful message alive about the effects of racism in a small town, white privilege, and Black boys dying just for being Black. It also gives us a look at strong friendships between young Black men and how they are capable of more than just sports. It’s poignant and timely.

Truth be told, I am not the biggest reader of young adult fiction. However, I quickly became attached to Rus and Marion — two young Black teenagers from the “other side” of the tracks just trying to survive, literally. We learn early on about the racial divide in the small town of Monroe. A Black teenager has recently been killed by the police, and tensions are high.

I appreciated the story being told through Rus’ lens — a young Black teenager — which was grounding and convincing. Also, the author’s ability to present various forms of activism and protest was refreshing; Buford didn’t just resort to the characters organizing a march but went above and beyond to show the reader something different.

I expected Rus to have internal conflict, and this was properly explored. Rus battled whether to speak up or remain silent. His battle was rooted in the fact that no one was on his side in the beginning. The people he thought would be weren’t. He also knew that he would be jeopardizing his one chance of getting out of Monroe. This back-and-forth happened until he had those he cared about on his side.

Before reading the book, I assumed that it would be mostly teen angst. However, the author allowed us to feel what Rus’ parents were going through. His mother is a proud woman and cares deeply for her family. Like most Black mothers of sons, she doesn’t want to see hers stuck in Monroe or, worse, dead. Always giving instructions to say “yes, sir” “please” and “thank you” was her way of keeping him safe and ensuring he made it home.  

Rus’ father’s anger at what happened comes from a place of regret. We learn that the father also played football when he was in high school. He remembers having bananas thrown at him by white people as they called him a monkey.

Rus did not like that his father was living vicariously through him. It explains why he was told that football was his job and family contribution. That made me sad, because that’s a lot of pressure for a kid to have. His family couldn’t afford for him to throw away his only chance of doing better. The father admired his son for speaking up for himself because it was something he couldn’t do. This was the turning point of the book because Rus realizes that he did make the right choices. It was the validation he needed all along.   

I loved the fact that Rus was a good kid with flaws; smart and trying his best to do what’s right. Gabby, his love interest, plays into that narrative. The innocence of their relationship was actually a breath of fresh air.

Ms. J’s English class also played an integral role in Rus’ decision-making process. First, it was the assignment based on James Baldwin’s novel If Beale Street Could Talk. It’s the story of a couple’s relationship strained when the male character Fonny is falsely accused of a crime and sent to jail. Having this in Buford’s book sets the reader up for what’s to come. Later, the class is analyzing the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou. This is another window into what is to come later on in the story.  

I started to suspect the identity of Dante’s Shadow early on — and I was right. Unfortunately, I did not see the point of this side story, especially with nothing significant happening after the reveal.

Another aspect of the book that threw me off was Rus’ language. There were instances where he would use Black vernacular when speaking with his parents, friends, etc., but then it would switch to a completely different voice that was not believable.

There were a few things that were resolved too quickly, while also understanding that every issue will not be resolved by the end of the book.

Kneel is an opportunity to have meaningful conversations about racism, accountability, and social activism. Young adults will be able to see various ways they can contribute to causes they believe in.

http://www.afronerd.com/2021/09/a-purple-rain-what-if-more-on-michael-k.html

 

Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes

Time to make the donuts, people!  Check out a new installment of Afronerd Radio's Grindhouse broadcast-airing this Sunday at 6 p.m. eastern on BTalk 100.   Listen to your favored AFROnerdist hosts wax about the following topics:  Dburt, while perusing a burgeoning Youtuber, Sinnik22 's channel, which is dedicated to curating the late music icon, Prince's legacy-thought of a potential What ....If? scenario. What if  Purple Rain had been produced by Richard Pryor and Jim Brown's Indigo Productions?  What if the cult classic film had a black director and financing? Would the film have been equally (or more) impactful to pop culture history?

 A recent Undefeated.com article posits that the late Michael K. Williams' character, Omar Little, and perhaps the actor himself, taught Black men an alternate perspective of masculinity. Let's discuss that premise; Has it really been twenty years?  The crew commemorates the lives lost on September 11, 2001, but through a discerning Black lens; our thoughts about the Matrix Resurrections trailer that just hit the cyberwebs:

Aquaman's "Joker," Black Manta gets his closeup via a limited graphic novel series; and then there's an upcoming VG that has a black protagonist and his African-American nemesis entitled, Deathloop.  It doesn't hurt that the game possesses a swinging 60s spy genre aesthetic to boot:

And lastly,  Screenrant.com highlights the growing popularity of the other Wonder Woman (of color), Nubia.  The question remains....when will we see Nubia make her big-screen debut?

   

   

One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF

Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!! 

Also, Afronerd Radio's podcast format can be heard via BTalk 100 Pandora, Spotify and,  IHeartRadio....more formats to follow!

https://blacknerdproblems.com/ka-zar-lord-of-the-savage-land-1-review/

Writer: Zac Thompson / Artist: Germain Garcia / Marvel Comics

I’ll be honest. When I was younger, I was only fond of Ka-Zar because of his obvious comparisons to Tarzan. (I had a thing for pulp heroes). That obviously waned as I got older and came to understand that Tarzan, despite being exciting and adventurous, is a blatantly racist concept as a label and a crew. So, I didn’t know exactly what to expect when I decided to read a Ka-Zar comic for the first time in years.

However, I was pleasantly surprised when I cracked open Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land #1. The book seems to pick up directly after the events of books I haven’t read. But, the point is that our hero has died and returned with a newfound connection to his adopted home, the Savage Land. Much of the book is served well by its self awareness. The script doesn’t just acknowledge the unsavory parts of the titular character’s origins and station. It holds them up against the light and thoroughly interrogates them.

Reckoning with the past

Lord Plunder’s newly discovered abilities and oneness with nature don’t necessarily absolve him from the sins of his family bloodline. The script often riffs on Ka-Zar’s antiquated backstory and how, even with his newly “enhanced” sense of the world around him….there’s still an element of white arrogance that smacks of outright colonialism. The Plunder family unpacks the notion of breaking generational curses, improving upon the well-meaning ideas of those that came before.

A hero for the future?

Ka-Zar’s son has all the makings of a pulp hero for Gen-Z. He walks the tightrope between questioning his family legacy and following his father’s footsteps: headfirst into the heart of danger. Meanwhile, Germán Garcia’s flawless linework pairs well with Mat Lopez’s unique color palette to truly bring out the strangeness and otherworldly aspect of the Savage Land. The moments of exposition feel alive and lived-in and the action beats move fast and maintain a fun, swashbuckling feel.

Bottom Line: A strong start to what could end up being a subversive but fun book that questions its heroes and unpacks the history behind their rise. It’s a superhero sociology class.

8 potential fancasts Travis Fimmel would come up in out of 10.

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The post Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land #1 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.