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Republican senator calls out GOP for 'enabling white supremacy'—then gets asked to leave

Republican senator calls out GOP for 'enabling white supremacy'—then gets asked to leave

Nebraska state senator John McCollister took to Twitter over the weekend, calling out the Republican party's enabling of white supremacy and tolerance of racism. The kicker? He himself is a lifelong Republican.

Senater McCollister wrote in a series of tweets:

"The Republican Party is enabling white supremacy in our country. As a lifelong Republican, it pains me to say this, but it's the truth."

Daaaaang. He just went and dropped the bomb right out of the gate. Even with the "not all Republicans" caveat, he still spoke his truth.

After pointing out the president's racist rhetoric along with Congress folk who "look the other way and say nothing," he explained why he's speaking up:

"When the history books are written, I refuse to be someone who said nothing."

Related: Using the 'dictionary definition of racism' defense is a sure sign you don't understand racism

THIS. This is what at least half of America has been wanting to see—people willing to step outside of party loyalty or political sycophancy to stand up for what they know is right.

Ah, that fresh air smells so sweet.

Finally, he implored his fellow GOP members to "stand up and do the right thing" like Lincoln would have done.

It takes moral courage to stand up to the group you identify with. Some might say that it took too long for this kind of statement to be made, but late is better than never. Scores of people on Twitter thanked the Senator for speaking out.

And wouldn't you know, the Republican party thoughtfully took McCollister's words to heart. They thanked him for his honesty and immediately began to examine how the GOP had become the party of white nationalists. They decided to unite in condemning the president's bigoted language and start listening to try to understand the intricacies of racism in America.

Just kidding. They didn't do that.

What they did do is ask Senator McCollister to leave the Republican party. Seriously.

RELATED: Obama's latest tweets consoled a grieving nation in a way that Trump never could

The official Twitter feed of the GOP in Nebraska said that McCollister should "tell the truth and change his party registration."


They basically accused him of being a liberal in sheep's clothing and told him he should just declare himself a Democrat. The funniest part, though, is when they said that after McCollister's statements, "we're happy he has finally shed all pretense of being a conservative."

They state in their own letter that he had advocated for higher taxes, gun control, and abortion rights—but apparently naming racism and calling out white supremacy is the defining factor in losing one's conservative status? That's the final straw? Is that really what the party whose demographics speak straight to the heart of white supremacy wants to go with?

(If you want to know what I mean by demographics, here's a screenshot of charts from Legistorm.com showing Congress Republican members and staffers by race. The blue are "Caucasian":


Screenshot via Legistorm

And for comparison, here are the member and staff charts for congressional Democrats by race:


Screenshot via Legistorm

Huh. I mean, if I were a white supremacist, I know I'd be celebrating the party in our highest legislative body that's like, 95% white. I'd definitely think they were working for me and my white supremacist interests. And when leaders in that party say things that I like to hear—like that immigrants and Muslims are inherently dangerous or that we don't want people from sh*thole countries (only countries that are a majority brown and black, of course) from coming here—then yeah, I'm all for them. And if they don't overtly state that I'm not welcome in their party, or that my white nationalism is basically white supremacy by a different name, then naturally I'm going to think they're cool with letting me do my racist thing, or maybe that I even have their blessing.

I'm not even a partisan person, and I can see this as clear as day.

Kudos to Senator McCollister for swimming against the stream and saying what needed to be said. Some issues will only be addressed if they are called out by enough voices from the inside, and it's always hard to be one of the first. Keep encouraging your fellow GOP members to take a stand up and be on the right side of history.

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10 anti-holiday recipes that prove the season can be tasty and healthy

Balance out heavy holiday eating with some lighter—but still delicious—fare.

Albertson's

Lighten your calorie load with some delicious, nutritious food between big holiday meals.

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The holiday season has arrived with its cozy vibe, joyous celebrations and inevitable indulgences. From Thanksgiving feasts to Christmas cookie exchanges to Aunt Eva’s irresistible jelly donuts—not to mention leftover Halloween candy still lingering—fall and winter can feel like a non-stop gorge fest.

Total resistance is fairly futile—let’s be real—so it’s helpful to arm yourself with ways to mitigate the effects of eating-all-the-things around the holidays. Serving smaller amounts of rich, celebratory foods and focusing on slowly savoring the taste is one way. Another is to counteract those holiday calorie-bomb meals with some lighter fare in between.

Contrary to popular belief, eating “light” doesn’t have to be tasteless, boring or unsatisfying. And contrary to common practice, meals don’t have to fill an entire plate—especially when we’re trying to balance out heavy holiday eating.

It is possible to enjoy the bounties of the season while maintaining a healthy balance. Whether you prefer to eat low-carb or plant-based or gluten-free or everything under the sun, we’ve got you covered with these 10 easy, low-calorie meals from across the dietary spectrum.

Each of these recipes has less than 600 calories (most a lot less) per serving and can be made in less than 30 minutes. And Albertsons has made it easy to find O Organics® ingredients you can put right in your shopping cart to make prepping these meals even simpler.

Enjoy!

eggs and green veggies in a skillet, plate of baconNot quite green eggs and ham, but closeAlbertsons

Breakfast Skillet of Greens, Eggs & Ham

273 calories | 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (5 oz) pkg baby spinach

2 eggs

1 clove garlic

4 slices prosciutto

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 medium zucchini squash

1/8 cup butter, unsalted

1 pinch crushed red pepper

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bow of cauliflower ham saladGet your cauliflower power on.Albertsons

Creamy Cauliflower Salad with Ham, Celery & Dill

345 calories | 20 minutes

1/2 medium head cauliflower

1 stick celery

1/4 small bunch fresh dill

8 oz. ham steak, boneless

1/2 shallot

1/4 tspblack pepper

1/4 tsp curry powder

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1/8 tsp paprika

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

tofu on skewers on a plate with coleslawPlant-based food fan? This combo looks yums. Albertsons

Grilled Chili Tofu Skewers with Ranch Cabbage, Apple & Cucumber Slaw

568 calories | 20 minutes

1 avocado

1/2 English cucumber

1 (12 oz.) package extra firm tofu

1 Granny Smith apple

3 Tbsp (45 ml) Ranch dressing

1/2 (14 oz bag) shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix)

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

frittata in a cast iron skilletSometimes you just gotta frittata.Albertsons

Bell Pepper, Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata with Parmesan

513 calories | 25 minutes

6 eggs

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

2 oz Parmesan cheese

1 red bell pepper

1/2 medium red onion

8 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with slices of grilled chicken and a caprese saladCaprese, if you please.Albertsons

Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Classic Caprese Salad

509 calories | 25 minutes

3/4 lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless

1/2 small pkg fresh basil

1/2 (8 oz pkg) fresh mozzarella cheese

1 clove garlic

3 tomatoes

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 3/4 pinches black pepper

1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

four stuffed mushrooms on a plateThese mushrooms look positively poppable.Albertsons

Warm Goat Cheese, Parmesan & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

187 calories | 35 minutes

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1 1/4 pinches crushed red pepper

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with open English muffin with goat cheese and sliced baby tomatoes on topMove over, avocado toast. English muffin pizzas have arrived.Albertsons

English Muffin Pizzas with Basil Pesto, Goat Cheese & Tomatoes

327 calories | 10 minutes

3 Tbsp (45 ml) basil pesto

2 English muffins

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/2 pint grape tomatoes

3/4 pinch black pepper

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

pita pocket on a plate filled with veggies, meat and cheeseThis pita pocket packs a colorful punch.Albertsons

Warm Pita Pocket with Turkey, Cheddar, Roasted Red Peppers & Parsley

313 calories | 20 minutes

1/4 (8 oz) block cheddar cheese

1/2 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

4 oz oven roasted turkey breast, sliced

1/2 (12 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers

1 whole grain pita

3/4 pinch black pepper

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp mayonnaise

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with toast smeared with avocado and topped with prosciuttoDid we say, "Move over, avocado toast?" What we meant was "Throw some prosciutto on it!" Albertsons

Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto

283 calories | 10 minutes

1 avocado

2 slices prosciutto

2 slices whole grain bread

1 5/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bowl of chili with cheese and green onions on topVegetarian chili with a fall twistAlbertsons

Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili with Cheddar

444 calories | 30 minutes

2 (15 oz can) black beans

1/2 (8 oz ) block cheddar cheese

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 green bell peppers

1 small bunch green onions (scallions)

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 7/8 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes, visit albertsons.com/recipes.

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