The White House just released details about building the National Garden of American Heroes — or as I prefer to think of it, the Social Studies Hall of Fame.

Some notes on what Trump won in his war against symbols:

Last summer, Trump gave a July 3 address at Mount Rushmore. His speech dwelt on vandalism and symbolism. He compared the effort to suppress BLM protests to America's participation in WWII.

That was the roll-out for the National Garden of American Heroes: https://t.co/pSoQPopEop
Trump signed another executive order on June 26 on monuments and memorials. This order spelled out severe consequences for people accused of destroying federal *and even state* memorials, including sentences of up to 10 years. https://t.co/XfrdVAnczW
Trump's order on monuments was hugely consequential. Lawfare obtained a DHS document authorizing "expanded intelligence activities necessary to mitigate the significant threat to homeland security" — domestic surveillance of BLM — rooted in this order. https://t.co/dyqQ1CsUIG
Then-AG Bill Barr also found in the White House executive order on monuments the authority for "Operation Legend," the deployment of federal law enforcement to Portland and other cities. https://t.co/GKXfBjWxvP
The Trump administration used the destruction of Confederate monuments during BLM protests in June as pretext to federalize law enforcement in Portland, Albuquerque, Kansas City, and Chicago in July over the objections of state and local leaders. https://t.co/GKXfBjWxvP
BLM protesters who toppled Confederate monuments in June were met with a staggering federal response in July.

Right-wing extremists who colluded to capture Gretchen Whitmer were arrested in October. But the Michigan plot didn't trigger the same response. https://t.co/BlXYJq5IYr
Incredibly, in light of the attack on the Capitol, the White House *still* points the finger at the left. Today's order on the National Garden of American Heroes unironically says, "America has come under attack in recent months and years by a dangerous anti-American extremism."
This new White House order on statues is a master class in trolling. It cites the razing of the White House in 1812, the assassinations of Lincoln and MLK, and even 9/11. It presents the National Garden as a response to an attack of similar scale: toppled monuments.
Here's the full rundown of the Social Studies Hall of Fame: https://t.co/5P7n8G5zkJ
Hannah Arendt is on the list, which is hilarious, a sublime troll. https://t.co/EKNDJoWVPT
It goes without saying that the White House dictated the design for all 250 statues in the National Garden, a meek vision of authoritarian-realism. Kitsch over modernism: https://t.co/pSoQPopEop
On one hand, the National Garden of American Heroes smooths the edges of American history, offering Christopher Columbus and Andrew Jackson as the same class of beloved characters as Betsy Ross, Emily Dickinson, and Alex Trebek. (With affirmative action for Rehnquist and Scalia).
The more important reading of the National Garden of American Heroes — consistent over White House actions since June 2020 — is the evocation of Black Lives Matter protests as a national tragedy, on par with 9/11 or the assassinations of Lincoln and MLK. https://t.co/2zwBCQ8KRT
Lot of names to hate-read on Trump's 250 Americans list but the standouts to me are Rehnquist and Scalia. Other Supreme Court Justices who don't make the cut: Story, Holmes, Brennan, Hughes, O'Connor. Obviously Warren is out but Scalia beat freaking John Marshall!
FIRST LOOK at National Garden of American Heroes. Collect them all!!

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The community’s response? Outrage.


Amazon is a billion-dollar company. The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here.

When we talk about bringing jobs to the community, we need to dig deep:
- Has the company promised to hire in the existing community?
- What’s the quality of jobs + how many are promised? Are these jobs low-wage or high wage? Are there benefits? Can people collectively bargain?

Displacement is not community development. Investing in luxury condos is not the same thing as investing in people and families.

Shuffling working class people out of a community does not improve their quality of life.

We need to focus on good healthcare, living wages, affordable rent. Corporations that offer none of those things should be met w/ skepticism.

It’s possible to establish economic partnerships w/ real opportunities for working families, instead of a race-to-the-bottom competition.

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The chorus of this song uses the shlokas taken from Sundarkand of Ramayana.

It is a series of Sanskrit shlokas recited by Jambavant to Hanuman to remind Him of his true potential.

1. धीवर प्रसार शौर्य भरा: The brave persevering one, your bravery is taking you forward.


2. उतसारा स्थिरा घम्भीरा: The one who is leaping higher and higher, who is firm and stable and seriously determined.

3. ुग्रामा असामा शौर्या भावा: He is strong, and without an equal in the ability/mentality to fight

4. रौद्रमा नवा भीतिर्मा: His anger will cause new fears in his foes.

5.विजिटरीपुरु धीरधारा, कलोथरा शिखरा कठोरा: This is a complex expression seen only in Indic language poetry. The poet is stating that Shivudu is experiencing the intensity of climbing a tough peak, and likening

it to the feeling in a hard battle, when you see your enemy defeated, and blood flowing like a rivulet. This is classical Veera rasa.

6.कुलकु थारथिलीथा गम्भीरा, जाया विराट वीरा: His rough body itself is like a sharp weapon (because he is determined to win). Hail this complete

hero of the world.

7.विलयगागनथाला भिकारा, गरज्जद्धरा गारा: The hero is destructive in the air/sky as well (because he can leap at an enemy from a great height). He can defeat the enemy (simply) with his fearsome roar of war.