Lindsey Granger – The LCR

An Attempt at Redemption in the 11th Hour

January 8, 2021

by Wildflower Phoenix with No Comment Featured Politics

One question keeps playing over and over in my mind. Was it worth it? Four people are dead. More than 60 people arrested, and 50 police officers injured is the direct result of the onslaught on Capitol Hill. I keep asking myself: Was it worth it?

As I sat and watched, alongside the rest of the world, Trump followers under the guidance of their (cult) leader, ripped through the Capitol to terrorize Congress members, and attempted to derail the vote to certify President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory. Chaos ensued and members of Congress were forced to shelter in place in order to avoid the dangers that awaited them just outside of their doors. All I could seem to ask is “was it worth it?” Was the violence worth it… a culmination of years of lies and propaganda put forth by the President and backed and promoted by the GOP worth the attempted slaughter of our democracy?

Here we are, now at the end of an anarchic assault, members now wanting to chastise the President’s inciteful actions and we, the American people, are supposed to just accept that?

I’m not impressed by the sudden change of heart of those Republican Senators whose intentions were to object to the certification, but now decide to move forward with the vote. I’m not impressed by the statements of Senator Lindsey Graham now wanting to publicly state that President Trump’s actions were reprehensible. The fact that Graham is “embarrassed and disgusted” does not absolve him of his involvement, quite frankly, his redemption song is bullshit. We won’t forget. Americans won’t forget.

I find myself wondering how this country can become unified when those who helped launch this attack will ultimately not see consequences for their actions? Senator Graham, Senator Cruz, Senator Hawley, and the like put themselves and their own political self-interests first.

In two weeks’ time, the nation will usher in a new administration, yet we’re left with members of our government who are just as culpable? What are their consequences for fanning the flames to literally overthrow our democracy? As the calls for Trump’s removal increase, so should the removal of those members of Congress who have aided and abetted him in his thinly veiled attempt to turn our democracy into a totalitarian dictatorship.

This 11th-hour redemption by GOP members is nothing short of a failed hail mary. I only can assume that these new condemnations come with the hope that the American people will overlook the roles they played in the embarrassment and shameful acts that took place on January 6, 2021. The American people should NEVER FORGET what they tried to do to our democracy. As the new administration prepares to take office on January 20^th, our nation can begin to have hope in our Democracy again.

Similar Read: My Reaction to the Storming of Capitol Hill

We Are All Talked Out

June 22, 2020

by DERONAE SMITH with No Comment Featured Politics Race Relations

The other week South Carolina’s Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was asked what was his opinion on chokeholds, police brutality as well as the rise of racial unrest. Sen Graham responded, “Well I think we need to learn how to start talking to each other.” He added, “First we should start talking then look at data.” I am personally sick of people, mainly White people, telling Blacks they need to start talking about it. Black Americans have been talking and talking for years, decades and centuries. The truth is some White Americans in power have never been interested in doing anything to address the issue of race.

On Monday, June 22, 2020, the US House discussed voting on their police reform bills. The Republican bill does not address issues with police brutality but actually give them incentives if they do not do chokeholds. It explicitly states, “Give Incentives to Police Departments that Do Not Do Chokeholds, Let States Maintain the Tracking of Police Misconduct, Would Not Amend Federal Civil Rights Law, No Change in Qualified Immunity, and just Collect State Data on No-Knock Warrants.“ On the other hand, the Democrat bill says, “Ban on Chokeholds, National registry to Track Police Misconduct, Would amend Federal Civil Rights Law, Change in Qualified Immunity and Ban No-Knock Warrants in Drug Cases.“

As to expected… night and day.

Clearly, Republicans believe that just because they proposed a police reform bill that would appeal to African-Americans voters. However, African-Americans will not allow the GOP to use their community as a prop. The evidence is in their bill, that Republicans in the House of Representatives do not believe that Black Lives Matter. The Black Community has been clear that they are ALL TALKED OUT, they are ready for ACTION.

Similar Read: My Letter to John Lewis

Respectful Journalism… and Kobe’s Past

February 2, 2020

by The LCR Editor with No Comment Culture Featured Sports

There’s been a lot of debate about how many journalists have chosen to focus on Kobe’s 2003 rape allegation just moments after the news broke about him and his daughter dying in a helicopter crash on the morning of Sunday, January 26, 2020.

That same afternoon, Felicia Sonmez, a political reporter for the Washington Post, tweeted a 2016 Daily Beast article entitled, “Kobe Bryant’s Disturbing Rape Case: The DNA Evidence, the Accuser’s Story, and the Half-Confession.” People were outraged and quick responded to her tweet. Sonmez deleted her initial tweet but the damage had already been done.

Tracy Grant, a managing editor at The Washington Post, released a statement on Monday (1/27):

“Sonmez was placed on administrative leave while The Post reviews whether tweets about the death of Kobe Bryant violated The Post newsroom’s social media policy… the tweets displayed poor judgment that undermined the work of her colleagues.”

Did she display poor judgement?

Perhaps Lindsey Granger (below), a former journalist and current talk show host from the Daily Blast Live, offers a much-needed perspective on the role journalists should play in the immediate aftermath of such a conflicting and tragic incident.