Friday, November 12, 2021

The truth about 3 core lies of American fascism

Brandon Bradford
November 11, 2021



The US has a fascism problem. In its culture, in its hero worship, in its ideological makeup. Donald Trump was the culmination of that.


His supporters tried to whitewash the specifics, but they believed in a fascist hierarchy. There's no other explanation. Even for the current Republican Party, made of power-craving vultures whose only plan for America is inflaming white race hatreds and removing rights (voting, reproductive, et al.), January 6 should have been too far.

Fascism isn't something I say lightly.

Abuses of power and cults of personality can happen across the spectrum, but the current version of conservatism is something fascism easily maps over. The starting point on the right is "fascism now or fascism later," and it's intertwined with conversations about politics and society we have everyday. They are repeated and fundamentally false.


 A few ideas you've heard more than once:

You'll get more conservative as you get older.


I'm socially liberal but fiscally conservative.

We need a race-blind society.



These ideas build off of one another, because their foundations aren't rested on ideals, but ends.


You'll get more conservative …

It's generally believed the left is young and idealistic while the right is pragmatic and logical. The presumption is as generations age and accumulate wealth, they give up challenging political and social systems because it's in their best interest to keep things going as-is. I've always found this idea unconvincing for a few reasons.

What it means to be a conservative has shifted drastically as the far-right radicalization of the Republican Party has progressed to the mainstream over the last two decades.
Society has tended to get more liberal each generation. The arc of US history, in attempts to live up to the ideals we preach, is constantly moving left.
Society is more aware of systemic issues in education, finance, law, energy, and societal exploitation. The GOP has no plan for any of these. It hasn't for 20 years. Its stance is to figure it out when in office. Hope the Democrats actually put some plans in place while they pivot for more power. It's culture wars all the way down.

Maybe if Millenials and Gen Z had the same access to wealth, the same investment in wealth's political advantages and the same ignorance to the power structures that mold American society — maybe if all that, then yeah. Maybe they would skew more conservative as they age.

Maybe if they had been raised without the awareness of how power structures pool resources, and of how laws around housing and finance exacerbate compounded advantages coming from wealth.However, given that Millenials and Gen Z on average are three to four times poorer than Baby Boomers, grew up with multiple financial crises as well as a melting planet in an interconnected world, they are far less inclined to be skewing to the right. Which leads to:

"I'm socially liberal but …"

What is presumed is that equality is disconnected from equity. The modern generation knows that's false. There's no equality without equity and without access. In an intertwined, positive-sum economy, there is no such thing as socially liberal but fiscally conservative.

That phrase is about prioritizing money. Infrastructure they dislike? Waste. Infrastructure they like (i.e., that supports their own wealth)? Vital. It's an amorphous, 10,000-foot term that falls apart under any scrutiny. It justifies propping up defense contractors while cutting down education. It's a smokescreen and it always has been.

"We need a race-blind society"

You've heard this from the right in phrases like, "I don't believe race exists, so I'm not going to acknowledge it," and on the left in, "If we fix class issues, we will fix race issues." They never seem to get to how, because you can't fix problems made specifically with race in mind by ignoring that it exists. All their solutions require magic or time travel.

It's this: Completely change the past and the inequities it contains. Or this: Completely change the minds and experiences of everyone on the planet, all at once. A race-blind society without fixing engrained inequities ends up treating democratic baselines — like freedom, respect and empathy — as finite resources that those in power will dole out at their convenience. Or the "market" will dole out to those who are deserving of them. I call this trickle-down equality.

Trickle-down equality is the same magical nonsense as trickle-down economics. It focuses on changing society in superficial ways that ultimately protect the systems exacerbating the root problems.

On the right, trickle-down equality manifests itself in respectability politics — the model minority myth or means-testing food stamps. On the left, trickle-down equality deradicalizes and undermines the core goals of a movement to placate entrenched communities in power.

If you find yourself rising up to the subjectively elite class, they will placate your worries with comforts instead of community. This often happens with movement leaders who find themselves with a captive audience, a platform, but didn't find the amount of political success they hoped for. Slowly whitewashed down to be toothless representations of the political group they are now paid to speak for, as pundits and podcast hosts whose brand is "fight the power" in-between appearances on CNN panels, "both sidesing" slavery.

Real equality — real equity — is about specifics. About actionable, comprehensive plans. About making sure plans address issues in ways that really do raise all boats. In the sometimes fractured coalition that is the American left, a sizable portion, over decades of in-fighting, has been centered around policies that leave communities behind.

Move left


Fascism paves over nuanced challenges inherent in fixing our country's problems — by ensuring those out of power don't have a choice.

To combat this, we must try to be cognizant of our worldview. We must be targeted in our support. We must listen to community allies. Most importantly, we have to be aware of how conservatives control the conversation. We cannot meet a mentality that doesn't believe in a democratic society in the middle. You want to fight fascism and push America towards the values it preaches? Move left, friend. Move left.

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Meet 'Paul Gosar the Titan slayer' -- Arizona's white nationalist icon and 'an awful human being'


James E. Garcia, Arizona Mirror
November 11, 2021

PAUL GOZAR ONE SICK FUCK 

Congressman Ruben Gallego got it right when he recently described his House colleague, Paul Gosar, as “Just an awful human being."

Gallego was commenting on the news that Gosar had posted an altered anime video of himself on Twitter, which he's since removed, that depicted him executing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, by slashing the back of her neck with a sword and nearly decapitating her, and then attacking President Joe Biden — the animated version of “Gosar" freezing a split second before his blades make contact with the president's head.

Gosar, a Prescott Republican and white nationalist icon, later said it all a big joke.

It was. A very sick and repugnant joke.

White supremacy is for extremely fragile people (and) sad men like him, whose self concept relies on the myth that he was born superior, because deep down he knows he couldn't open a pickle jar or read a whole book by himself.
– Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY

And while his “joke" may not mean that Gosar actually wants to kill Ocasio-Cortez, it's the latest illustration of just how far Gosar and a growing contingent of the Republican Party are willing to go when it comes to trivializing and often outright encouraging violence against anyone who disagrees with them.

Gosar has also described the throngs who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6 to block the certification of Biden's 2020 election as “peaceful patriots." Really? Those peaceful patriots left more than 140 Capitol and D.C. police officers injured, and one officer dead. Others also died as a result of the attack.

But in case you're wondering, Gosar's mock-murder of Ocasio-Cortez isn't really about politics, in the same way that rape isn't really about sex.

This isn't Gosar's way of saying he disagrees ideologically with the congresswoman's progressive stances on issues like climate change, universal pre-K or paid family medical leave.

Gosar's assault on Ocasio-Cortez is about race and gender — and especially race.

Ocasio-Cortez is everything Gosar and his ilk detest and fear: an intelligent Brown woman with power.

Gosar wouldn't dare circulate an anime video of him pretending to behead Rep. Lynn Cheney, and not because she's a fellow Republican — though she's recently turned her back on many of her Republican colleagues — but because she's a white woman, and even the most racist members of today's Trumpian GOP wouldn't stand for it.

“After all, Paul," I can just imagine some of them saying, “you wouldn't want to encourage anyone to do anything crazy now would you? You know, like chop Lynn's head off!!!"

Nevermind that that's precisely what Gosar's cartoon caricature of himself does to Ocasio-Cortez.

The video also goes out of its way to tie Ocasio-Cortez, who was born in Bronx, to the theme of illegal immigration.

The video repeatedly cuts to grainy clips showing immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, as Border Patrol agents, including some galloping on horseback, valiantly “defend" America.

And just so you know how dangerous these immigrants are, the video screen is splattered with anime blood stains, though I'm not sure if the implication is that the immigrants have sparked a murderous bloodbath or if “Gosar the Titan slayer" is slashing them as they cross.

Either way, the message is clear: Menacing Brown immigrants are invading the U.S. and our evil villain, Ocasio-Cortez, is leading the charge. But never fear, hard-right, neo-fascist white America, Gosar is here!

For her part, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted soon after landing in Scotland to attend an ongoing global climate conference about the “creepy" colleague “who fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups" that shared his fantasy of killing her: “This dude is just a collection of wet toothpicks anyway. White supremacy is for extremely fragile people (and) sad men like him, whose self concept relies on the myth that he was born superior, because deep down he knows he couldn't open a pickle jar or read a whole book by himself."

Ocasio-Cortez predicted that Gosar, given the Republican Party's recent track record, is unlikely to face any serious consequences for what's become his pattern of reprehensible behavior.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called for a Congressional ethics inquiry and criminal investigation into Gosar's depiction of violence against Ocasio-Cortez and Biden.

Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu added this: “In any workplace in America, if a coworker made an anime video killing another coworker, that person would be fired."

Even the congressman's sister, Jennifer Gosar, has labeled him a “sociopath" and demanded that he be held accountable.

But Gosar won't be held accountable. He won't be fired by the Republican Party. He won't be castigated by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. And he won't be voted out by a majority of voters in his shamefully gerrymandered Arizona district.

Why? Because Gosar is a white supremacist, male member of a political party that's now dominated by white supremacists and whose core agenda has almost nothing to do anymore with so-called traditional Republican values.

The party's singular agenda today is the preservation, at all costs, of this country's historically white, male-dominated power base, and Gosar has become a sociopathic foot-soldier for cause.


Arizona Mirror is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arizona Mirror maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jim Small for questions: info@azmirror.com. Follow Arizona Mirror on Facebook and Twitter.
ROFLMAO
Fugitive MAGA JAN 6 rioter pleads for asylum on Belarus State TV: 'I’m not strong enough to withstand torture'

John Wright
November 11, 2021


MAGA rioter Evan Neumann has become "a convenient pawn" for Russian President Vladimir Putin since fleeing from California to Belarus to avoid prosecution for repeatedly assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Neumann appeared on state television in Belarus on Thursday, during a special called "Goodbye, America," where he bemoaned "political repressions" in the U.S. and "claimed that the criminal charges against him are totally unfounded," the Daily Beast reports.

"He accused the federal government of staging an elaborate set-up on Jan. 6 and claimed that the doors of the Capitol 'were opened from the inside and we were invited to come in,'" the site reports, adding that Neumann is seeking political asylum in Belarus because he says the U.S. is no longer a country of law and order.

Neumann claimed in the interview that he would "face certain torture" if he returns to the U.S. "I'm not strong enough to withstand torture," he said.

"Ironically, Neumann's flagrant resistance to lawful authority led him to seek asylum in authoritarian Belarus—often described as 'Europe's last dictatorship,'" the Daily Beast notes, adding that for Belarusian and Russian state TV, Neumann has become "a convenient pawn for besmirching the U.S. government."

"Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, repeatedly used the Capitol insurrection to take jabs at the U.S.'s election integrity and to claim that the rioters are facing 'political repressions,' in an attempt to deflect from domestic issues plaguing Russia and Belarus under their authoritarian leadership," the site reports. "Russian state TV is already using Neumann's saga as a basis to claim that the Kremlin is more lenient towards the protesters than the U.S. government."

Neumann was charged in July on six counts, including assaulting officers and violent entry, after he was identified in video recorded during the riot, but he had already sold his Mill Valley home for $1.3 million and fled to Ukraine before going to Belarus.


Italy grants citizenship to top Afghan woman prosecutor

11 November, 2021

Italy granted citizenship to Afghanistan's first woman chief prosecutor who fled her country when the Taliban took over


Italy was one of five countries most involved with NATO's US-led mission in Afghanistan [Getty]

Italy has granted citizenship to Afghanistan's first woman chief prosecutor after she fled the Taliban takeover of her war-torn country, a minister said on Thursday.

Maria Bashir, 51, was evacuated in September after the United States withdrew its last troops on August 30.

As chief prosecutor in the western province of Herat since 2009, she had battled corruption, violence against women and child marriage.

The US State Department recognised her with an award in 2011 for showing courage in the face of Taliban threats, and Time magazine listed her among its 100 most influential people the same year.

Justice Minister Marta Cartabia said Italy, through giving her Italian nationality, wanted to show its "support to all the other Afghan women, who continue to fight for their freedom and rights at a high price".

Cartabia had welcomed Bashir when she landed in Italy on September 9.

As it approved the decision late on Wednesday, Italy's cabinet said Bashir had "worked closely with the Italian authorities while they were in (Afghanistan), contributing to reinforcing institutions and, more generally, the rule of law".

In comments relayed by the ANSA news agency, Bashir said she was "honoured" and hoped to be able to continue working for Afghan women, "with the help of our Italian friends".

Bashir lived under Taliban rule in the 90s, which she described in 2010 to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime as "a particularly grim time for women".

"Everybody was scared to go to work and I, too, had to stay at home. So, I started a secret school at home, for the neighbourhood girls," she told the UN body.

Italy was one of five countries most involved with NATO's US-led mission in Afghanistan along with Germany, Britain and Turkey.

In early September, Rome said it had evacuated almost 5,000 Afghans following the Taliban takeover.
UK caves, allows Assange to get married in jail

12 Nov, 2021 00:29
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FILE PHOTO: Julian Assange and partner Stella Moris 
are seen in an undated photo shared by Moris on social media November 11, 2021. 
© Twitter / @StellaMoris1 / screenshot

Imprisoned WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange will tie the knot with the mother of his children at a maximum security UK prison, after Stella Moris sued the “creepy” British government for denying them the right to marry.

“Julian and I now have permission to marry in Belmarsh prison,” Moris tweeted on Thursday evening, explaining that the UK government “backed down” 24 hours before the legal deadline.

“I am relieved but still angry that legal action was necessary to put a stop to the illegal interference with our basic right to marry,” she added.

Moris, who has two sons with Assange, filed a lawsuit against Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Belmarsh Governor Jenny Louis on Friday, arguing that “creepy elements of the UK government” engaged in “unfair, irrational and sinister” behavior to illegitimately interfere in their plans.

READ MORE: Assange & fiancĂ©e sue ‘creepy elements of UK government,’ and here’s why

Assange and Moris have been engaged for five years, and have been asking officials at the maximum-security prison for permission to arrange a wedding since May. When they finally received a reply, they were told the matter was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

As the CPS represents the US government in the extradition proceedings against the Australian-born publisher, putting them in charge of the marriage basically gives Washington veto powers, which is “completely outrageous,” Moris told Democracy Now.

Speaking with the Independent, Moris said the interference with the marriage request was a bid to “break [Assange] psychologically” and that there were no legitimate reasons for it.

“It’s a really basic, essential thing, a human thing, and it’s not for the intelligence services, our politicians or anyone else,” she said





Night sky glows in North Carolina as ‘incredibly bright’ meteor ignites at 33,000 mph



Mark Price
Thu, November 11, 2021

An “incredibly bright” meteor traveling at 33,000 mph lit up the night sky over eastern North Carolina, before burning up over Edgecombe County, scientists say.

More than 200 eyewitness accounts came from at least 11 East Coast states and Washington, D.C., late Wednesday, Nov. 10, according to the American Meteor Society.
Photos and videos posted on social media show the fireball briefly turned night into dusk as it neared the ground.

“At its brightest, the fireball rivaled the Full Moon, suggesting it was caused by an object roughly 45 pounds (20 kg) in weight and 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter. The low speed could imply an asteroidal origin,” the society said in a release. “It survived only 3.5 seconds before disintegrating 28 miles (45 km) above Macclesfield (in the Rocky Mount metro area.)“

The society added: “The brighter the fireball, the more rare is the event.”

Witnesses began seeing the meteor around 9:12 p.m., including some who admitted being frightened by the flash.

It appeared just minutes after a Falcon 9 rocket launch, leading some to confuse the meteor for a rocket on social media. However, the society said, “nearly all of the witnesses were outside the view (of) the launch.”

Meteors are expected this time of year — September through November — as “the Earth passes through a broad stream of debris left by Comet Encke,” NASA says.

“The dust associated with the comet hits the Earth’s atmosphere at 65,000 mph and burns up, creating the Taurid meteor shower,” NASA reports.

“Most years the shower is weak, and only a few Taurid meteors can be seen each night,” NASA said. “Other years, the Taurids can put on a show.”


The story of the Edmund Fitzgerald endures

Tom Emery
Wed, November 10, 2021

The Edmund Fitzgerald sunk in Lake Superior on today's date in 1975 taking 29 men with her.

It was far from the deadliest shipwreck in the history of the Great Lakes. But none are more enduring.

November 10 marks the anniversary of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a 729-foot ore carrier in Lake Superior that was lost amid one of the worst storms in Great Lakes history on Nov. 10, 1975. All 29 men on board the Fitzgerald were lost and researchers still debate the cause of the wreck, which remains in the public consciousness.


“I think that’s one of the reasons that the Fitzgerald stays with people,” said Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. “No one really understands why it sank, and it’s still a mystery. It’s sort of the age old, man-versus-elements aspect.”

The Fitzgerald, which was based in Milwaukee, was the flagship of the Columbia Transportation division of Cleveland mineral concern Oglebay Norton. It was launched on June 7, 1958 and quickly became one of the most revered ships on the lakes. Though it was no longer the longest ship on the inland seas by 1975, it was still considered the “Queen of the Lakes” both on and offshore.

The ship regularly made ore runs between upper Lake Superior and ports southward, and on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 9, 1975, loaded at Superior, Wisc. for another routine voyage. In the past week alone, the Fitzgerald had sailed from Toledo to Silver Bay, Minn., loaded for a run to Ashtabula, Ohio, and sailed back to Superior to load again for a scheduled run to the Detroit area.

The Fitzgerald finished loading 26,000 tons of taconite pellets, which held substantial qualities of iron, and left Superior just after 2 p.m. in mild conditions. By evening, though the weather started to deteriorate, and by Monday afternoon and evening, recorded gusts of 90 miles per hour were coupled with blinding snow squalls and 30-foot seas.

"It’s hard to compare the bad storms throughout the years, and shipping has changed over time, with better weather reporting and safety procedures,” remarked Lynn. “But there’s no doubt that the 1975 storm was clearly one of the worst.”

One of the few options was to reach safety in Whitefish Bay in northern Michigan. Trailing behind the Fitzgerald was another giant ore carrier, the Arthur M. Anderson, which kept in radio contact with the Fitzgerald during the storm.

Seeking some protection, the Fitzgerald hugged the northern shoreline of Lake Superior, but around 3 p.m., the ship is believed to have sailed over Six Fathom Shoal, a treacherous reef that was not properly documented on industry maps. Shortly after, Fitzgerald captain Ernest McSorley radioed the Anderson that he had “a bad list” to starboard and indicated his pumps were not keeping up.

Many, including Anderson captain Bernie Cooper, believe the Fitzgerald suffered damage in the incident that may have proven fatal. Around 4 p.m., the storm disabled both of the Fitzgerald’s radars, and to make matters worse, the weather also knocked out the light beacon at Whitefish Point, at the top of the bay.

Around 7:10 p.m., with the Fitzgerald nine miles from Whitefish Bay and traveling at reduced speed because of the horrific conditions, the Anderson made its last radio contact. McSorley’s last words were “we are holding our own.”

Shortly before that, Cooper reported two massive waves as high as 35 feet that rocked his ship. Cooper and others since have wondered if the enormous waves caused the Fitzgerald, riding low from its earlier damage, to be lifted from the rear and driven downward into the frigid, swirling water.

No distress calls from the Fitzgerald were made, and only fragments of debris, including remnants of two lifeboats and several unused life preservers, were found in a three-day search. The ship was later discovered laying in two sections at the bottom, with debris and its load of pellets spilled in between.

In a highly controversial finding, a Coast Guard Marine Board of Inquiry determined in 1977 that hatch covers on deck had not been properly tightened, causing water to infiltrate the ship. The finding has been bitterly denounced by many mariners and researchers.

"The truth is, we really don’t know why the Fitzgerald went down,” commented Lynn. “There are a number of theories, and it’s a tough call. It’s still being debated today.”


In 1976, Canadian folk-pop singer Gordon Lightfoot wrote The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which further captured the imagination of the North American public and helped ensure the ship’s place in lore. The haunting melody and lyrics launched the song to #2 on the Billboard charts and remains a favorite on classic radio today.

The Fitzgerald is the last major shipwreck on the Great Lakes, where Lynn and others estimate that over 6,000 ships have been lost. However, small planes and watercraft are routinely reported missing on the five lakes.

Lynn says the Fitzgerald is “by far, the most famous shipwreck on the lakes. It’s the one that most visitors to our museum talk about, and our exhibit on the Fitzgerald draws the most attention. The Lightfoot song, the mystery that surrounds the ship, it’s a combination of factors. It’s a really good story, and one that still resonates.”

Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Illinois. He may be reached at ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: The story of the Edmund Fitzgerald endures

Edmund Fitzgerald and Crew - Rare Footage
 


The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in vehicle simulator
Archaeologists find pre-Columbian mass grave in Peru
 
Archaeologists find pre-Columbian mass grave in PeruChan Chan was a citadel of the Chimu culture, which flourished between the years 900 and 1450 on the north coast of Peru before falling to the Incas (AFP/Handout)


The mass grave contained the remains of about 25 people, mainly women and children (AFP/Handout)


Thu, November 11, 2021

Archaeologists have found an ancient mass grave containing the remains of pre-Columbian men, women and children in the citadel of Chan Chan in northern Peru, a member of the team said Thursday.

They found the remains of some 25 people, mainly women and children, as well as dozens of ceramic vessels and objects such as needles used in textile work, archaeologist Jorge Meneses told AFP.

The tomb was discovered about three weeks ago at Chan Chan, some 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of the capital Lima.

The human remains are all but intact, said Meneses.

Chan Chan was a citadel of the Chimu culture, which flourished between the years 900 and 1450 on the north coast of Peru before falling to the Incas.

Chan Chan means "resplendent Sun" in the Chimu language.

The citadel was constructed in an area of some 20 square kilometers (7.7 square miles), had ten walled palaces and some 30,000 citizens at its height.

It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, but also on its list of World Heritage in Danger.

Pre-Columbian remains and artefacts are frequently discovered in Peru.

Last month, workers laying gas pipes on a street in Lima stumbled on the remains of a gravesite that included 2,000-year-old ceramic burial vessels.

cm/fj/mlr/dw
Mexico loses bid to stop auction of pre-Hispanic artifacts

Wed, November 10, 2021

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Christie’s auction of pre-Hispanic artifacts went ahead Wednesday despite the Mexican government’s appeals to stop it, the latest round in Mexico’s losing battle to stop such sales.

Christie’s Paris branch auctioned off 72 sculptures and figurines from the Maya and Olmec cultures despite Mexico’s claim that the pieces were national treasures and part of its national heritage. Fifteen other items failed to sell.

One stone Maya carving, traditionally known as an “Axe” because of its shape, went for almost $800,000 (692,000 euros). The Christie's catalogue described the piece as a “sculpturally-carved with a bearded dignitary with his head dramatically thrown back and struggling with a sinuous, mythical rattle snake.”

The Mexican government said a dozen of the artifacts put up for sale were fake, but most of those sold anyway.

Mexican officials had demanded Christie's stop the sale, which included other artifacts from the Taino and other cultures, and launched a social media campaign under the slogan “#my heritage is not for sale.”

Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said that the majority of items in the auction reached the market by illegal acts and that “this type of actions represent an attack against culture, not only that of the peoples to who it belong, but against the understanding of the history of humanity and its cultures.”

Leonardo LĂłpez Luján, who has overseen the excavations in Mexico City's Templo Mayor, wrote on his Twitter account that “this is a never-ending story.”

“It's proven that the old, recurring method of sending letters and demands does not have any effect, other than pretending that something is being done,” LĂłpez Lujan wrote. “Complex problems are solved with complex strategies.”

Mexico has failed to stop several auctions, including a sale of pre-Hispanic sculptures and other artifacts by Christie’s Paris earlier this year.

The Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History protested the Christie’s Paris sale in February. The collection included a 1,500-year-old stone mask from the ancient city of Teotihuacan and an ancient statue of the fertility goddess Cihuateotl, apparently from the Totonac culture. The auction brought in more than $3 million.

Paris auction houses often sell Indigenous artifacts that are already on the art market, despite protests from activists who say they should be returned to their native lands. Christie's said the Mayan sculpture, for example, had been bought by a European collector from on in the United State around 1970.

That appears to pre-date a 1972 Mexican law that forbids export or sale of archeological or significant cultural artifacts.

 A large manufacturing company that employs over 600 people is closing its Dayton-area plant.

By John Bush
Senior Reporter, Dayton Business Journal


Tenneco announced Thursday it intends to shutter its shock absorber manufacturing facility in Kettering. The nearly one million-square-foot plant, which currently employs 648 people, is expected to completely close before the end of 2023.

“This difficult decision is part of the company’s need to realign its manufacturing footprint to respond to changing market conditions and capacity requirements,” Tenneco stated in an email to the Dayton Business Journal. “The North America conventional shock market has significant over-capacity. Adjusting the size of its operations to match the current market demand, as well as what is anticipated in the future, is necessary to strengthen Tenneco’s long-term sustainability in the North America shock market.”

The company added it has “a great team in Kettering,” and that it recognizes the impact this action will have on its employees, who are represented by a union.

“We will work to provide transition assistance for all affected team members, including some opportunities to transfer to other Tenneco locations,” Tenneco stated. “The company and union will be meeting in the coming weeks to bargain on these topics.”

Kettering City Manager Mark Schwieterman said Tenneco called Thursday morning to notify them of the closure. When asked if the city is attempting to negotiate with Tenneco to avoid the closure, Schwieterman said they did not have much discussion about what could be done to keep them in Kettering.

“The information given to us is really about a capacity situation,” Schwieterman said. “They have excess capacity for manufacturing, and the capacity for the market they serve is over capacity, so they can meet their demands without the Kettering plant.”

Schwieterman said Tenneco plans to continue operating at the Kettering facility until it closes at the end of 2023.

The closure deals a big blow to the city of Kettering, as Tenneco was one of its 20 largest employers. Schwieterman acknowledged the city’s tax base will take a hit, but he said they are mainly thinking of the workers who will be affected by the company’s decision to close.

“The city of Kettering, Montgomery County and the state of Ohio will all work together to do what we can to assist people that are impacted by this decision,” he said. “Our concerns go out to the families that work there.”

Schwieterman said the closure of the Tenneco plant could present an opportunity to bring in another large end user to the 940,000-square-foot facility, which would hopefully fill some or all of the jobs that were lost.

“We’re a resilient community, and we’ll work with Tenneco and the landlord to make the best out of this situation and prepare ourselves for redevelopment of that site once Tenneco leaves,” he said. “This will give us an opportunity, once again, to prove we can attract jobs to the region.”

Kettering Mayor Donald Patterson said the city “always had a good relationship with Tenneco,” so they were “shocked and sad” to learn of their plan to leave the city.

“Our hearts go out to the employees who will be impacted over the next 24 months, and we are working to prioritize and put plans in place to make sure those people are provided the assistance they need to find new jobs,” Patterson said. “We have solid relationships with state and county agencies that will assist the employees, and we have talented people working to bring new businesses and jobs to Kettering. We have proven time and again that relationships lead to resiliency. This occasion is no different. We will do our utmost for the impacted employees and to welcome new opportunities for the continued health of our city.”

Julie Sullivan, executive vice president of regional development for the Dayton Development Coalition, said “our hearts go out to the employees and their families affected by today’s announcement.”

“While today’s news is difficult, I am confident these individuals will find new opportunities in our region,” Sullivan said. “They have highly valuable skills, and we and our workforce development partners will help them connect to new employers. We will work closely with our partners in Kettering and the building ownership to market the facility to new users. This is an excellent heavy industrial facility and we don’t have enough of this type of site in our region or across the state.”

Tenneco came to Kettering in 2008 when it purchased the former Delphi Corp. plant. It initially employed 400 people, but over the years the company made significant investments in the plant that led to additional jobs, capacity and equipment. In 2018, Tenneco announced a $61 million investment and 300 new jobs in Kettering as part of its plan to make the site a “center of excellence” for shock absorbers and other component parts.

Since arriving in Kettering, Tenneco has consistently been listed among the region’s top employers and manufacturers, according to DBJ research.

Lake Forest, Illinois-based Tenneco designs, manufactures and markets automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers. In 2020, its revenue was $15.4 billion and it employed 73,000 people, though that number will decrease with the closure of the Kettering plant. Despite the closure, Tenneco still has around 270 sites worldwide.