Pam's Points: So many outrages, so little time

This image provided by the U.S. District Court in Maryland shows a photo of firearms and ammunition seized from Coast Guard Lt. Christopher Paul Hasson. Prosecutors say Hasson is a "domestic terrorist" who wrote about biological attacks and had a hit list that included prominent Democrats and media figures. (U.S. District Court via AP)
This image provided by the U.S. District Court in Maryland shows a photo of firearms and ammunition seized from Coast Guard Lt. Christopher Paul Hasson. Prosecutors say Hasson is a "domestic terrorist" who wrote about biological attacks and had a hit list that included prominent Democrats and media figures. (U.S. District Court via AP)

Last week was one of outrages.

One outrage was old. One was truly sad. And one simply went too quietly past the news gods - or at least too quietly past the conservative news gods.

The past keeps haunting us

The old was made new again with the 1980 yearbook photograph of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee wearing a Confederate uniform for an Auburn, Ala., annual fraternity celebration of Robert E. Lee's birthday.

Lee says he now regrets participating in "Old South" parties.

"I never intentionally acted in an insensitive way, but with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that participating in that was insensitive and I've come to regret it," the governor said.

The fraternity in 2001 prohibited displays of the Confederate battle flags at fraternity functions and banned members from wearing Confederate uniforms at events.

Lee has moved on to 21st century clothing.

Looking for attention

Jussie Smollett, the "Empire" actor who was arrested Thursday on suspicion of filing a false police report about a January incident in which he said he was the victim of a hate crime, was removed from the final two episodes of the popular Fox show's fifth season.

Police say he paid two men to stage a hate crime attack against him. Smollett had told police that two masked men with MAGA hats tied a noose around his neck and poured bleach on him, calling him racist and homophobic names.

Two men were arrested by police, but they were released without charges.

News reports of a hearing in the case indicate prosecutors in court on Thursday read a lengthy series of text messages between Smollett and two men that painted a picture of a clearly pre-planned attack. The texts included preparing money to buy supplies, buying drugs, setting up meetings and ensuring that MAGA hats and chants were part of the assault, according to a report from Deadline Hollywood.

Police say they believe Smollett was seeking attention to advance his entertainment career.

@realDonaldTrump tweeted: "@JussieSmollett - what about MAGA and the tens of millions of people you insulted with your racist and dangerous comments!? #MAGA

Shame on both of them.

What Coast Guard terrorist?

Then there's the 49-year-old self-described white nationalist who sat at his desk at a Washington, D.C., Coast Guard headquarters and plotted domestic terror attacks that he hoped would spark a race war, according to federal authorities.

Lt. Christopher P. Hasson even used his work computer to study the methods of the Unabomber, the Virginia Tech gunman and other extremist killers. At home, he stockpiled guns and drugs and drew up a target list of prominent cable news journalists and Democratic politicians to be killed, according to court documents and prosecutors.

He also had researched biological weapons and improvised explosives, the authorities said, and had $13,000 worth of guns, ammunition, ballistic vests and other gear in his apartment, suggesting that he had both modes of violence in mind.

Hanson, who remains in custody, wrote that he wanted to "kill almost every last person on the earth" in pursuit of a white homeland in America.

But if he had a MAGA hat, it didn't come to light.

Maybe that's why our president didn't tweet about this outrage early last week when the arrest came to light.

Comedian Stephen Colbert summed it up: "This man is a homicidal, racist monster serving in our military. But don't worry, the commander-in-chief slapped him down with a savage tweet of nothing."

On Friday, Trump told reporters, "I think it's a shame. I think it's a very sad thing when a thing like that happens."

Asked by reporter if he bears any responsibility from his own rhetoric, Trump said he did not.

"I think my language is very nice," he told Philip Rucker of The Washington Post.

And not to worry

In a very long week of outrages, none of us could keep up.

Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Massachusetts, in a tweet summarized just one day:

"1 day of Trump headlines:

- Senior officials ignored law to help Saudi Arabia get nukes

- President asked Acting AG to interfere with SDNY [Southern Division New York federal court.]

- Dept of Ed tried to obstruct investigation into Sec. DeVos

- Commerce Sec. lied on his financial disclosure

This isn't normal."

Nope. It's the new normal.

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