In the aftermath of Donald Trump's swearing in as president, the first legislative wave was, in fact, a set of bills dubbed the "suck it up, buttercup" laws.
While overshadowed by the president's own dramatic coup, these initiatives were the earliest expression of the meaning of Mr Trump's triumph to conservatives – not just those who voted for him but a wider slice of America that felt it had steadily lost out in its own country.
After more than a decade of suffering a pummelling in the culture wars — the tide turned shortly after George W Bush's mishandling of the Iraq war — the US political middle and right was sickened by the progressive agenda.
Development after development was used to delegitimise not only the views but also the emotions of conservatives.
Hence the "buttercup laws" that stripped funds from universities providing counselling for students who claimed they had been subjected to hate speech as well as institutions providing space for students seeking shelter in "cry zones" from their peers.
To proponents, the measures were fightback against the shutdown of the American psyche. To detractors, the laws were a form of attack in themselves.
In truth, the buttercup movement was another road marker in the crushing of civility across US politics – maybe not the first in the recent cycle but one worth noting as Mr Trump's ascendancy reaches maturity.
The tragic events of Thursday in Maryland underscored just how tensions over incitement now easily dominate a news cycle. Reportedly, the attack on the local newspaper offices was carried out by a former litigant against the newspaper, whose grievance had been dismissed.
Yet as Mr Trump routinely smears the press as enemies of the American people, it is not hard to see how the environment has become more permissive for such attacks.
Two years ago, a British MP was murdered by one of her constituents at a time when the political atmosphere was charged with the most extreme invective.
Words have consequences. Witness how the president's own inner circle are up in arms over a slew of in-your-face incidents targeting leading members of the White House and Congress.
Around Washington DC and the suburbs, flash mobs have recently hounded figures in the Trump administration and its allies in Congress. The White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell have all had to weather protests in social settings.
The rationale for these restaurant ambushes are clear and equate to the suck it up tendency. Angered over penal policies towards migrant children or thinly camouflaged race-based travel bans, a good section of Americans detect dictatorial policies emanating from their government.
Taking cues from the mantra "all that is necessary for evil to flourish is that good men do nothing", the protesters have shed social norms, such as not making a fuss in a restaurant.
This could be a blindingly obvious but somehow hitherto neglected tactic. The fact enormously divisive public figures can go about their private lives unmolested is in many ways puzzling.
The instantly identifiable British foreign secretary Boris Johnson claims he is often verbally assaulted in the streets. If so, he is one of the few. For example, retired generals who have orchestrated major wars seem to bear no legacy from their public duties.
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Read more from Damien McElroy:
The European project is failing when it comes to migration, the economy and the defence
Military pressure is a legitimate tool to use in the deadlock in Yemen
The G7 summit separates the strongmen from the chaff
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It is important to retain some perspective. Fifty years ago, the tensions in US public life were far more deadly than today. In a few short months, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were killed. The mayor of Chicago put troops and live fire on the streets to quell the surging tides of anti-Vietnam protesters during the Democratic Party convention.
However, a membrane may have been broken and the private sphere of politicians and prominent officials could soon be fair game.
As politicians push through the trapdoors at every extreme, the public will obviously take its cues from its leaders. There is a early stage dynamic to this that makes the future unpredictable.
The politicians in the revanchist vanguard are such an offensive proposition that the tide of public opinion can suddenly snap back. But it is not enough to think that these events can be just ignored until they pass.
One notable feature of the new politics is that the thrill of giving offence outweighs the fear of falling from good grace.
Lessons learned from history are suffused with inconvenient truths. The best intellectual thinking on all sides is deemed too complicated to digest.
A ready wit or a smart-sounding proposal is the political currency of the day.
Rough-hewn cowboy language captures both the tone and the impact of politics. Buckle up.
More on Quran memorisation:
THREE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Quick%20facts
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg:
Juventus 1 Ajax 2
Ajax advance 3-2 on aggregate
WHAT ARE NFTs?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.
An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.
This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
FIXTURES
UAE’s remaining fixtures in World Cup qualification R2
Oct 8: Malaysia (h)
Oct 13: Indonesia (a)
Nov 12: Thailand (h)
Nov 17: Vietnam (h)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
