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They were chanting about hanging Black students from trees. They were chanting about lynching Black students. This is 2015 and they were proud to sing about lynching Black people. They will cheer when their Black student athletes are busting their guts to win trophy after trophy for the school. But off the field? They’ll joyfully hang them from trees. People ask why racism hasn’t died? Here is your answer. Their great-great-grandparents, their great grandparents, their parents, all passed it down to them and they are simply carrying on tradition. Some people refuse to acknowledge that institutional racism exists. Here is institutional racism for you. These people are going to be the cops, lawyers, judges, bankers, university officials, teachers, realtors, city council members, etc., who make sure they harass Black residents like it was seen in Ferguson, who make sure they profit from the school to prison pipeline that destroys Black lives.
Who make sure that they provide bad loans to Black families as was revealed post 2007/2008 financial crisis. Who make sure that when showing Black families new homes, they show them way less than they show white families; even though their credit is stellar. This is not just about the University of Oklahoma. This just happened to be recorded and went viral this time. These are the racists who will interact with our Black children in all walks of life. This is the rot that is festering under the foundation of this country. It’s not just one isolated incident. We’ve made progress no doubt, and we will continue to make more. But for Black people, this is scary. This is hate. If they hadn’t been caught, what further dangerous steps would they have taken? This is how hate can lead to destruction. All because you don’t like the color of someone’s skin.
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Thank you again, Mr. Yardarm for this. Relevant yesterday, today, and tomorrow
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https://twitter.com/stereowilliams/status/574785193493467138
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https://twitter.com/lobstilly05/status/574755682936733696
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https://twitter.com/ianeBeE/status/574910917718245376
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https://twitter.com/thetrudz/status/540374226361126912
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https://twitter.com/ianeBeE/status/574830480094289920
https://twitter.com/XLNB/status/574823553305944065
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https://twitter.com/JRehling/status/574820714173222912
https://twitter.com/SpeedReads/status/574834489307758592
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https://twitter.com/jpbrammer/status/574809673762742272
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https://twitter.com/brianahunt123/status/574807598790144000
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https://twitter.com/drownsomebody82/status/574791418704613376
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https://twitter.com/rissa_rooh/status/574778588584673281
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https://twitter.com/jbuttsthird/status/574771781053071360
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https://twitter.com/MichelleHux/status/574925442366500864
The Obama Diary 
HI.
Fursties. It’s been a while. Thanks Nerdy. What a packed thread. Thanks.
Hi J4O Congrats on First
You asked about Vero over the weekend. She no longer post here but she is doing well. She worked on the O Campaign in 2012 and recently became engaged to be married.
Hi
Close, but no cigar for me. Congrats Jackie!!
Congrats on fursties Jackie 4 Obama
Theirs is a legacy of shame.
This happened at the event where President Obama just gave wonderful remarks about opening up the tech industry to more diverse voices and talents.
I LOVE this crowd. I loathe…LOATHE…when people, even Democrats and some TOD folks call him “Obama.” If you want to use a short form, use POTUS or PBO. He’s not your buddy. He’s not some boy. He is the first two term elected African-American president. Show him some damn respect. He’s more than earned it.
The crowd was not having it. They let him hear it and he had to apologize before he could move on. I don’t blame them. They probably couldn’t stomach his remarks about how President Obama was a weak POTUS during his first term, the Democratic electoral bench isn’t deep, how President Obama hasn’t really reached out to Boehner. Then to add insult to injury, he decided to call President Obama, “Obama.” Ugh.
This i no minor thing to me. I cannot listen to a media person referring to my beloved President as “Obama.” My blood boils. It is ultimate demonstration of disrespect.
“is”
What happened is appalling. It was hurtful, sad, disgusting and I’m ashamed. NW is it gut wrenching for you? I’m sorry. Not saying President Obama bothers me too.
Your post at the top was from the heart.
PS: do you mind if I point out a typing error I think?
These people are going to the cops, lawyers, judges, bankers, university officials, teachers, realtors, city council members,
I think you meant to be cops. . .
😢 😢 😢
Thanks, CarolMaeWY.
YW
From the musical South Pacific
You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff’rent shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
As true today as it was then. We are not born racist or bigoted. We learn to be that way.
Children are born perfect. Adults ruin them
And this song was considered so controversial at the time that many of the musical’s backers begged Hammerstein to change the lyrics. Being the staunch Liberal that he was, he categorically refused.
Thank goodness he told them to stuff their fear where the sun don’t shine.
Just had the chance to watch the president’s selma speech. Thank you guys for posting that for me to see. The comments have been great. it was an emotional and powerful truth-telling from our president. I wish i could force the 25% or so of this country that needs to see it to see it.
It will be an impossible task to follow Our President’s footsteps. #notreadyforhillary
Andrea Greenspan cut off the the President of Oklahoma University to talk about e-mails and the letter from the Senators about a deal that does not exist yet.
Adam Schiff set her straight.
Brilliantly done Nerdy, my God what a world. As you said, “This is not just about the University of Oklahoma. This just happened to be recorded and went viral this time.” They were just unlucky, they got caught, how many more behave like this and are never exposed? All you can do is despair.
What’s so disheartening, Chiparoo, is that it’s not just on red states campuses. It’s also on blue states campuses.
Campuses where they have “Catch An Illegal Day.” Where for every Hispanic student you catch, you win $1.
Campuses where they haze Black pledges to the point where the Black pledges die.
Campuses where fraternities wear blackface at party after party.
Campuses where fraternities hold parties that mock Native Americans.
Campuses where groups of guys go around chanting “No means Yes!” about raping their fellow female classmates.
What terrifies the people under attack is that these are not old people. These are millennials. These are young people with such barbaric and hateful minds. We’re making progress, yes; but there are a lot of people like these who slip through the cracks and pass on their hate. These are the people that if society does not reach at a very young age, they’ll take their parents racism, misogyny, prejudice, and bigotry, and pass it on from generation to generation. That’s dangerous.
THIS x1000000000000000
You’re so right about the terrifying part, Nerdy. I see so many young people who have evolved and do “get” the meaning of living in a modern, diverse world and then I see these horrifying examples of those who’ve chosen to face backward and bury their feet and hearts in racism and ignorance. The small glimmer of light I see is the way that modern technology does not allow racists acts to pass under the cover of darkness. Someone has a camera, captures the truth and delivers the image to thousands of eyes and ears. I don’t believe for one minute that the administration of OU was unaware of what went on in that fraternity. But it went public and they had to act and one more chapter of the junior KKK got closed. In my youth nothing would have happened except for some hearty comments about how “boys will be boys,” and something being “all in fun.” If we let nothing go by without exposing and condemning it, if we all work together with one voice and one conviction, then we will make it better. As President Obama said at Selma, racism isn’t over, but it’s no longer endemic and legally condoned. I lived through the period of things being “condoned” and that actually has changed in my lifetime. We have to have hope, Nerdy, because it’s the only thing that sustain our hearts and gives us the courage to get up in the morning.
Absolutely, Jackie.
Hope – That’s what keeps me going.
I read all of this and it is deeply depressing.
The plan of the 1% seems to be to keep the rest of us from uniting. Racism is the sharpest knife in the repertoire.
I wish I could see the path to a better future, but it is not apparent to me right now.
Vicki, I would only disagree with you on this–cynicism is the sharpest knife in the repertoire of those who would destroy the hope of a democratic America. We have to keep believing in a better path and clearing out the rocks and barriers because we can never afford to give up.
JackieG – you are AWESOME {{{{{hugs}}}}}
I am so glad there are people like you in this world we live in ❤
I feel the same way about you, GGail. We are all in this together and the fight goes on.
THIS
Wow…..from Happy to sad…….seriously? Awesome Post NW. I read every tweet. Holy freaking smokes.
Great R&S Chips.
Congratulations to all Gold ⭐ winners, starting with this post and several back.
Hello {{{ G ❤ B }}}
It is sunny, will inch up to 49F today in my Neck of the Woods. It was to be a Happy Monday, until I was able to read all these tweets above. Shame.
03-09-15
WH presser with Josh “The Voice” Earnest
LIVE…….to start momentarily.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/press-briefing-press-secretary-josh-earnest-70
A worthy message to pass to your (great)(grand)daughters, nieces, etc. Listen to your inner child.
Don’t sleep on this one folks $142 billion is HUGE!
If we had a decent Congress, we could have some really nice roads, bridges, maybe even the start of high-speed railways for that money.
“The federal deficit may be rising, but projections on how much the Affordable Care Act is supposed to cost the U.S. over the next decade will be $142 billion less than anticipated, the Congressional Budget Office said Monday.
As part of an overall assessment on the budget, the CBO said that for the years 2016 to 2025, Obamacare will cost a cumulative $1.21 trillion. That’s 11% less than the $1.35 trillion estimated just two months ago, a figure that had already been lowered by $101 billion from a projection made in April.”
Thanks Nerdy for putting this altogether. I read this when I woke up this morning and was sick to my stomach reading this stuff.
Here is something to get the stain of racism out of your eyes.
This is a beautiful sight.
Beautiful Pete Sousa photos
View at Medium.com
trying again
View at Medium.com
OMG, just absolutely STUNNING.
Sighs. This is so not what I wanted to be greeted with as I fired up the computer box.
I’d say these young men were cruelly indoctrinated, but I don’t think there was anything cruel about it. It flowed like water from the mouths of their fathers and grandfathers. The casual way in which they sing about lynching is just indicative that it’s not something to which they give much thought. It’s as natural as putting pants on one leg at a time. It just is the way their world is.
This might be a fine point to you, LL. Actions that are unconscious but cruel in effect are equally “cruel” with more “thoughtful” ones. Being unconscious is a choice and reflexive is a choice as well.
oh, as outsiders we can certainly discern that these people have a paucity of humanity, and thus the methods by which they reached this state are a priori “cruel”. But they don’t see themselves that way. It’s the water in which they swim, as natural as anything. And that’s what’s both depressing and frightening.
It’s the water in which they swim..
**************************
yes
A great deal just keeps getting better!
This is a BFD. (Biden F..ing Deal).
That’s a huge saving by any measure. Pity the innate hatred will blind the most against facts.
Is this from the new Republican Director of the CBO ?
I was wondering the same thing!
No, I don’t think so. I think I read somewhere that he doesn’t take office until April.
Gorgeous. A very welcome sight.
Vladimir Putin admits for the first time that Russia’s annexation of Crimea began weeks before its disputed referendum on self-determination.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31796226
Nena, I tried so hard not to read them. But I had to……
Not 24 hours has passed since the march in Selma and the historic speech our President delivered then reality hits me……no, slaps the taste out of my mouth! I called the number to the University of Oklahoma’s president’s office listed on one of the tweets above which asked us to call and let our voices be heard. (405-325-3916)
Instinctually, I am wired to do something, act. Thank God, it is positive now rather than negative.
I called and the woman who answered sounded as hurtful as I felt.
She had compassion in her voice and somehow I knew her day was going to be overwhelmed. I tried not to care.
I really can’t tell you all that I said. I do know that it was one long sentence that was at least three minutes long. I do not remember breathing. I was expecting a clueless defensive voice on the other end. Instead, her voice calmed me.
She said the president was making a statement as we were speaking. And she just found out like I did.
She said she was shocked, hurt and disappointed like I was. I remember asking her, “What do I tell my children and grandchild?” As if she knew what to tell hers. I think by asking her that that question I was hoping that she did not teach them to hate.
After such a beautiful weekend I wanted to feel angry and hurt that this video had the audacity to take away that feeling from me. I took it out on her. In the end I felt sorry for her and glad for me hate was NOT taught in my home.
It is NOT in my DNA. I did have empathy for her.
Just like our President said yesterday,”It starts with us.”
So please call the number if you chose. I hope you get the same person. It took away the iniquity that was trying to rise up in my Spirit.
In the end I had to wish that person a blessed day and even had sympathy to forewarn her for the day that she was about to face.
She thanked me for calling. I said she was welcome.
That vicious, vile, hatred video will not dictate my day nor diminished all the beauty that happened this weekend here at TOD and in Selma.
Thank God President Obama is still our President.
Bless you, LDS on this. I am going to call too. I hope that I can get through and will be as articulate as you were.
Bless you.
No answer……probably, they have gotten an ear-fold today.
I will try again….later…..
I am sure that folks on Twitter, Tumblr, FaceBook, etc are making their voices heard on this matter.
Since 2007, SAE members have been in several despicable conducts across USA. People are getting tired of being sick and tired.
Bless you LDS….
Blessed are the Peace Makers….Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Justice….
Bless you LDS…
My God! I just tried again and I do think I got the same person. I was so angry before I did not hear a name. But this time I heard the name “Linda”. She was so gracious. I called again to keep the calls flowing because Nena got a busy signal. I truly did not expect anyone to pick up.
I did tell her that I was not able to listen to the president of the university’s statement as of yet.
She in turn said that since 12:00 they have been very busy answering phones calls and that I could Google the video.
As soon as I said thank you she asked me if I wanted her to read the statement. I said, “Yes” really as a dare.
She did……the whole thing. I detected no hint of viciousness, disdained or rancor in her voice.
I thanked her. She thanked me for calling and I thanked her again.
I like this woman. I really do.
Whether she is sincere or just doing her job or scared shit of losing her job. I don’t know.
I do know it was nice of her to be nice to me twice.
Every day we don’t always dot every “I”and cross every “T” in life. It’s impossible.
But it days like today that I personally felt kept from myself.
I don”t know what tomorrow has in store for us. But as our President quoted my Mother’s favorite gospel song on Saturday.
“God will take care of You. Us. We.”
bbc – at least that racist frat has been shut down and its despicable cowards have been suspended.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-31802738
Good Afternoon TODVille,
I am speechless. After the high of the Selma weekend to this OK frat racism and the letters from the GOP senators, I am speechless.
Chips, where is that big old eagle “I see you” picture?
Found my cat.
TO THE GOP CONGRESS
At least he didn’t parse words on this point.
I’m getting more cynical by the day, and usually I don’t like being led around by cynicism. But do these universities get state and federal funds with “no discrimination” clauses in them? I’m guessing this university president – and I may be cynically misjudging him – hasn’t forgotten that, and needed to step up right away.
But, you are right, he didn’t parse words – and I’m hoping it’s because he’s mad as a hornet. He should be.
While I am very appreciative that the OU President took swift and decisive action, the problem with this fraternity as we know, as a whole goes much deeper. Let’s hope (but not hold our breath) that more actions are taken against this pile of a s**t.
What a phony.
Thank you
hahahahahahahahaha
Love her!
Where is the national headquarters of this fraternity? They should be getting calls/emails too. It’s appalling.
The racist panic that has plagued this country ever since PBO first took office is continuing unabated. This is not a surprise to me. I understand the stakes at risk for the White racist psyche. PBO’s success is a death blow to their beliefs of White superiority. Just as the Voting Rights Act, which enabled the election of PBO, is a threat because it puts into question who controls this country. The treasonous acts of the GOP Senate is related to this question of who controls the country (this stunt would not be pulled on a White president). Their message is clear, PBO and the multi-racial coalition that twice elected him do not count. The only real political party that speaks for “America” is the one that is 99% White (i.e., the GOP). The racial undercurrent of all this acting out is undeniable. The silver lining is that the racists, judging from their actions and demeanor, must see themselves as losing. This is why they are engaging in more and more reckless actions. The racists feel under attack, they feel the ground moving beneath their feet. This is why the racist hate is becoming more out in the open. The GOP’s racists base (both rich and poor) is demanding “action” of some kind to show that they have the power, that they control the country. This is why we have all the gov’t shutdown threats. This is why we have treason on the House floor. This is why we have college students reciting racists “songs” about lynching Black folks (an extreme form of “control” over Black people). America has a very large number of racist individuals and institutions, it would be naïve to think they would give up centuries of unearned privilege without a fight. Hopefully now, the decent folks in this country realize that there is a war going on for the soul of this country. For far too long, the very real concerns and fears of Black folks were ignored and the war was one sided, with the GOP and racists attacking, while “decent folks” chose to ignore the situation or explain away the racism.
Eric, I totally agree with you that the racist psyche has been in crisis since the election of PBO and they have pulled out all the stops they can think of–literally debased and took possession of a whole political party–to try to reassert their sense of God-given superiority. But what the 2008 and 2012 elections showed is that we can fight back and win when we work together. When we surrender our strength, as we did in 2010 and 2014, we lose. So our task, as monumental as it seems, is to keep hope alive, keep fighting, keep registering voters, keep instilling a sense of what PBO and MLK called the ‘fierce urgency of now.’ The push is on now as we come up to another presidential year to do everything possible to discourage, disenfranchise and demean. We’ve showed before that we can fight against that and win and we have to do it again and again and again.
Outstanding Comment….
i believe…just as Dr.King called on the moral conscience of decent white folks…so now we are at that same crux….and some have heeded the call..(aka,..interracial and international protest re: Ferguson)…we must not give into despair or hate…because we must Organize….or as Rep John Lewis says…STAND UP! SPEAK UP!…SPEAK OUT!….. #MarchOn
Amen, Pf. The haters WANT you and me and all of us to give up, throw in the towel and surrender the field to them. We will not and must not let that happen. There really are more of us than there are of them and we are fierce fighters who do…not…give…up!!!!!
I agree with you both, PF58 and Jackie. I take solace in the fact that the racists are in a panic which tells me they know they are losing. In addition, the Obama coalition, with its multi-hued members, gives me hope for this country’s future.
As always, very well said, EricFive. What has happened since the election of President Obama is what has historically happened whenever Black folks make some progress towards equality.What’s happened since the election of the first Black President is what used to be called “white backlash.” Any one familiar with the historical trajectory of this country knows that Black progress, no matter how limited it may be, always provokes the so called “white backlash.” There was “white backlash” following the American Revolution when Northern states, inspired by the egalitarian ideals of the Revolution, began abolishing slavery. That “white backlash” resulted in segregation in the Northern states that abolished. There was severe “white backlash” following the Civil War because Black folks had not only gained freedom, but they had also been declared citizens entitled to the right to vote and the right to participate in the governing of this country. That “white backlash,” in Response to Black advances during the Reconstruction period, brought us the “Jim Crow” (both de jure and de facto Apartheid) period, which lasted almost a century. There was “white backlash” in response to the large scale migration of Blacks to the cities, which resulted in violent attacks on the Black communities in the cities, and especially in the “Red Summer” of 1919. And, there was “white backlash” in response to the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which began the dismantling of legal “apartheid” in this country. Like you, the “white backlash,” or what you called “racist panic,” in response to the election of the first Black President, has not been a surprise to me. It’s absolutely in keeping with the history of this country. Until this country seriously addresses the problem of “white backlash,” which has deep historical roots, history will continue repeating itself.
Excellent comment and great historical context, Nathkatun7. I too am a student of U.S. history and agree with your assessment of the backlash that has followed every advancement of Black folks in this society, The scope of the importance Black folks play in the self-image of the White racist is impossible to overstate. Any rise in the Black man’s stature is seen as a direct threat. This is why PBO is driving them absolutely insane.
OMG, how stupid! Some people just seem go out of their way to search for things to be offended about.
I guess they cropped out Malia also…..sigh
Yeh, cuz “freedom”
“Some people just seem go out of their way to search for things to be offended about.” How else can they justify the hatred that consumes their hearts and minds? Without someone to demonize, they would be forced into some self-reflection, which they cannot handle.
Wait.. Doug Mills, photographer. White House staff photographer, right? I thought he was still #2 guy under Pete. What? He left?
Boy, am I outta touch!
Doug Mills never worked under Pete Souza for President Obama.
Okay. Thanks for the correction. Dunno how/where I got that. Oh well. His photos are great.
No……I disagree.
The poll doesn’t say how many of the TBGOPers were polled.
They vote in unison….hence, the 29%. If 29% of 318.9M would have said that……then, Jon, We The People have a problem. It is 29% of say 1K or so samples…..the Ditto-heads Voted for Fox and everyone else split their votes.
The Media really should be ashamed of themselves.
Politico is the Dick Cheney mouth piece.
Racism in USA is a dormant Volcano that has irrupted since Nov 4th, 2008 slowly and the lava flow started on Jan 20th, 2009.
I was feeling bad when I made my call to OK U.
Now, I am feeling fine.
For their fiery Lava flow is a fleeting of wicked bottled up bigoted racist Souls.
In the Age and Era of Pres Obama……their hatred are being exposed. In the long run…..they are dying out…..and their younger trained trolls are systematically not finding a Huge audience. Social Media is outing them……and wilt and fade…..they will and must for We The People are Not having it any longer.
Pete Souza writes of Medium:
“It is perhaps fitting that we’ve chosen a gallery on the 50th anniversary of that day in Selma to kick off a new way of presenting photographs. In the weeks and months to come, we’ll regularly post galleries like this — providing a different perspective on life here at the White House or on the road. Sometimes it will be a series of thematic images. Other times, it might just be a single photo with a great story behind it. Take a look, check back for more, and let us know what you think.”
I worry about what will happen to the White House archives of his administration when POTUS leaves. So it’s good that they’re starting to document in other places on the web.
I’ve been in meetings all morning, but silently seething about that Iran letter and how BOTH of Iowa’s stupid “senators” signed it. BOTH! So I finally got a chance to fire off a note about to both idiots, using words like “treason” and “failure” and “disappointment”. Unfortunately, I still don’t feel any better. 😦
That was a great response. President Obama should have them charged with treason.
President Obama had a perfect response for the GOP members that sent that letter to Iran. He said that they have aligned with the hardliners in Iran
Very interesting read from Rembert Browne, among the journalists with President Obama on the flight to Selma:
http://grantland.com/features/barack-obama-selma-50th-anniversary/
I love this picture from Pete Souza’s photo gallery.
View at Medium.com
I’m sad that AG Holder’s family is blocked from view, but WOW! Look at our wonderful First Family and our fearless AG!
People are Speaking out and Exposing Bigots and Racists……..We Must.
Christian School my behind.
Actually this isn’t what you would think.
” The skit was reportedly intended as a comic reenactment of a scene from “Bad Boys II,” which mocks the KKK. I was shocked when I first heard that symbols with a history of racist violence had been used on our campus. Although I was somewhat relieved to learn — almost immediately — that the skit was intended to subvert racism, not promote it, I also knew that when students heard what had happened, it would understandably cause a lot of distress. Recent incidents have shown us how issues of prejudice and sexual misconduct damage trust and disturb the peace. Sadly, this is a campus where we have sins to confess and people to forgive every day.
Team captain, Josh Aldrin, was one of the skit’s organizers and one of the black players who participated in the skit. He apologized on Sunday in a letter to the college community.”
The Israeli election is on March 17. It may take a week or two for it to be resolved.
Iran talks begin again on March 15. There may be some resolution forthcoming then as well.
It is probably not so odd that the sound and fury seem to be accelerating now.
Iraqi military told CNN’s Ben Wedeman that they prefer the 4 Iranian advisers that are on the front line with them to the 400 American advisers sitting in the Green Zone.
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/03/09/pete-souza-selma/