bmoreisapunkrocktown

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West Papua’s Indigenous people have called for a boycott of KitKat, Smarties and Aero chocolate, Oreo biscuits and Ritz crackers, and the cosmetics brands Pantene and Herbal Essences, over alleged ecocide in their territory.

All are products that contain palm oil and are made, say the campaigners, by companies that source the ingredient directly from West Papua, which has been under Indonesian control since 1963 and where thousands of acres of rainforest are being cleared for agriculture.

More than 90 West Papuan tribes, political organisations and religious groups have endorsed the call for a boycott, which they say should continue until the people of West Papua are given the right to self-determination.

Raki Ap, a spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is overseeing the call, said: “These products are linked to human rights violations, in the first place, because West Papuans are being forced, with violence, to get off the land where they’ve lived for thousands of years, which has now resulted in ecocide.

“This is a signal to the countries who are dealing with Indonesia, especially those in the Pacific region, to take notice of who they’re dealing with and how they are basically allowing Indonesia to continue the colonial project in West Papua, the human rights violations, and also ecocide.”

West Papuans say more than 500,000 of their people have been killed by the occupation in the past six decades, while millions of acres of their ancestral lands have been destroyed for corporate profit. Indonesia, already the world’s largest palm oil exporter, is now breaking ground in West Papua on the world’s biggest single palm oil plantation, as well as a sugar cane and biofuel plantation that will be the largest deforestation project ever launched.

“West Papuans’, especially the ULMWP, position is very clear: we are a modern-day colony,” said Ap, speaking from the Netherlands.

“Indonesia hijacked the right to self-determination in 1962 when the Netherlands and Indonesia signed an agreement without any consultation in West Papua … After that, in 1969, there was a so-called referendum, which wasn’t fair, which wasn’t under international law, one man, one vote: just 1,025 men were handpicked at gunpoint to vote for integration to Indonesia.

“So this is the foundation of the Indonesia’s colonial project. When we became part of Indonesia against our will, basically the genocide unfolded.”

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'you are not immune to propaganda' is true but sometimes the way people deploy this particular soundbite reveals a complete unwillingness to attribute any agency or ideology to people who espouse some pretty heinous bigotry.

like there was a post going around recently talking about people whose parents became increasingly radicalized by fox news and it had one of those tumblr style comments on it along the lines of "REMEMBER! THIS COULD BE YOU! You are not immune to propaganda either. STAY VIGILANT" and the implication here is always that right wing radicalization is something that somehow happens to otherwise pleasant people without their consent or knowledge. But perhaps some of you guys just need to grapple with the fact that your parents might be more bigoted and reactionary than you want to believe.

nobody is immune to bad information ecosystems or groupthink or poor science or anything else that makes radicalization possible, but i do think the idea that anyone is just a bad news pipeline away from supporting white supremacy does a lot to let white supremacists off the hook. it's the same kind of line of thought that gets people to talk about how bad things in fiction shouldn't be 'romanticized'. its a kind of worldview that operates under the implicit belief that a human being is a vessel being uncritically filled with whatever you pour into it and does nothing to grapple with what the actual appeal of these far right talking points is to the sort of otherwise ""normal"" seeming people that can be sold on them.

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The rhetoric of this case is exceedingly important. Anti abortion groups first got their hooks in in otherwise abortion ambivalent populations by first going after midwives and other "informal" medical providers. This was viewed as a "reasonable" compromise and "common sense" regulation. Surely everyone could agree that providing medical care without a license was dangerous? Surely everyone could agree that doctors were an important and needed gatekeeper of medical care to make sure people weren't being frivolous and using abortion as birth control?

That is where the anti abortion movement started, that is why so many of the old anti abortion laws vaguely allude to "best medical opinion" or that concept, because they were originally meant to be used against (Black) midwives and doulas.

When you say "abortion is a decision made by a woman and her doctor," you agree with that sentiment. When you say "GPs aren't qualified to provide abortions" (true argument I've seen), you agree with that sentiment. When you say "abortions should be performed by those who are trained to do so" (lmao as though midwives aren't that bitch), you agree with that sentiment.

And anti abortion activists know this, that's why they say it, and that's why they do it. You have to watch the ways in which you agree with anti abortion activists, because that's the inroad they use to push and enforce these policies.

Texas doesn't need to find a jury of 12 people to be abortion abolitionists. It doesn't need for them to agree that abortion should be illegal or that Texas is actually in the right for this arrest and persecution. All it needs is enough people to agree that only *certain* people should be able to provide abortions, that abortions should require special licenses, training, and experience. And that otherwise, abortion is wrong and dangerous.

Don't be one of those people.

(9) BREAKING: Texas Midwife Arrested on Felony Abortion Charges

This afternoon, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the arrest of midwife Maria Margarita Rojas, charging her with providing illegal abortions—a second-degree felony in the state. The 48-year-old now faces up to 20 years in prison.

Rojas' arrest marks Texas’ first post-Dobbs criminal case for abortion, which means it will dominate national news and social media. Before the flood of coverage begins, here’s what to keep in mind:

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Some Democrats said they expect leadership to take a harder tack going forward to prevent these moments of public disunity from happening ahead of time. Said a second House Democrat who spoke anonymously: "It doesn't surprise me leadership is very upset. They gave specific instructions not to do that." "Would they have done that to [Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi]? You know the answer: Never," the lawmaker said. "So you've got to put the hammer down."

What a way to admit that your current guy has less juice than an octogenarian whose brain rebooted on live TV four years ago. Absolutely rudderless boatload of clowns.

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One of the common mistakes I see for people relying on "AI" (LLMs and image generators) is that they think the AI they're interacting with is capable of thought and reason. It's not. This is why using AI to write essays or answer questions is a really bad idea because it's not doing so in any meaningful or thoughtful way. All it's doing is producing the statistically most likely expected output to the input.

This is why you can ask ChatGPT "is mayonnaise a palindrome?" and it will respond "No it's not." but then you ask "Are you sure? I think it is" and it will respond "Actually it is! Mayonnaise is spelled the same backward as it is forward"

All it's doing is trying to sound like it's providing a correct answer. It doesn't actually know what a palindrome is even if it has a function capable of checking for palindromes (it doesn't). It's not "Artificial Intelligence" by any meaning of the term, it's just called AI because that's a discipline of programming. It doesn't inherently mean it has intelligence.

So if you use an AI and expect it to make something that's been made with careful thought or consideration, you're gonna get fucked over. It's not even a quality issue. It just can't consistently produce things of value because there's no understanding there. It doesn't "know" because it can't "know".

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A law proposed yesterday in the House is to "authorize the President to enter into negotiations to acquire Greenland and to rename Greenland as " Red, White, and Blueland"."

There are, in fact, millions of conversations we need to have about government waste, misuse of taxpayer dollars, and government overreach, and they ALL apply to Congress.

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Rep Biggs is running for governor now, which makes this all the more important.

His proposed bills this term include (these are just the important ones, he's proposed nearly 90 bills since the start of the leg session):

“No Free Rent for Freeloaders Act of 2025”

Full Obamacare Repeal

“Protect the Gig Economy Act of 2025”

A whole host of anti-COVID bills, aimed at undoing ALL COVID-19 mandates and vaccine requirements, including limiting liability for knowingly transmitting COVID to someone.

A whole host of anti-abortion bills , including one that purports to "protect" pregnant women, one that explicitly defines abortions as "not healthcare" (for the purposes of tax deductions), and one that mandates ultrasounds. The bonus on the last one is that it defines EVERY "female" as a "woman", regardless of age. A 1 year old baby would be legally federally classified as a "woman".

This also includes the House Resolution that establishes anti-abortion centers as "life-affirming" for women and states, "Whereas health care for women should also address the needs of men, families, and communities as they relate to women's healthcare."

A bill that allows lobbyists to avoid registering with the DC government

WHO withdrawal act

Several bills seeking to push federal punishments onto those who investigated or opposed Trump.

These are just the laws he, himself, has sponsored/proposed. The ones that he's cosigning are also really fucking awful.

The man is a monster.

@socialistexan

U.S. Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona has introduced a new bill aimed at abolishing OSHA. The bill, titled the "Nullify Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act," or "NOSHA Act," was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce for further review.

The proposed legislation seeks to repeal the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which established OSHA as a federal agency dedicated to ensuring workplace safety and health standards. If passed, the bill would effectively dismantle the agency.

In this new bill from 2025, Biggs is introducing language similar to a bill he proposed in 2021.

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Excerpt from this story from National Geographic. All photographs byJoel Sartore:

CARACAL | CARACAL CARACAL Consummate predators, some small wildcats can take down larger prey. The caracal of Asia and Africa is less than two feet tall but has been filmed leaping over nine-foot fences to prey on sheep. PHOTOGRAPHED AT COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM, OHIO

PALLAS'S | CATOTOCOLOBUS MANUL A famously grumpy expression made this Central Asian species an Internet star. Conservationists hope the cat’s celebrity will help save its habitat from encroaching farms and other threats. PHOTOGRAPHED AT COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM, OHIO

IBERIAN LYNX | LYNX PARDINUS One of the world’s rarest cats, the Iberian lynx is slowly increasing in number as scientists release captive-raised cats and boost populations of rabbits, the lynx’s staple food. PHOTOGRAPHED AT MADRID ZOO AND AQUARIUM, SPAIN

FISHING CAT | PRIONAILURUS VIVERRINUS The cat may look peculiar, but it’s perfectly adapted to its lifestyle: Big eyes help snare prey underwater, double-coated fur keeps out the wet, and partially webbed feet and a muscular, rudderlike tail aid in swimming. PHOTOGRAPHED AT POINT DEFIANCE ZOO AND AQUARIUM IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON

EURASIAN LYNX | LYNX LYNX The largest of the four lynx species, the Eurasian lynx also has a huge range, including most of Europe and parts of Central Asia and Russia. Unlike many other small cats, its population is stable and threats are relatively low—although some isolated subgroups are critically endangered. PHOTOGRAPHED AT COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM, OHIO

JAGUARUNDI | SHERPAILURUS YAGOUAROUNDI With long, squat bodies and tiny ears, jaguarundis are otterlike in appearance. Thanks to their huge range—parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America—and lack of widespread hunting, the cat is considered a species of least concern. PHOTOGRAPHED AT BEAR CREEK FELINE CENTER, FLORIDA

LEOPARD CAT | PRIONAILURUS BENGALENSIS. PHOTOGRAPHED AT ANDERSON, INDIANA

RUSTY-SPOTTED CAT | PRIONAILURUS RUBIGINOSUS The smallest of the small cats, the rusty-spotted cat, a native of India and Sri Lanka, can weigh as little as two pounds. Not much is known about the speckled feline, but destruction of habitat, hunting, and hybridizing with domestic cats are threats. PHOTOGRAPHED AT EXMOOR ZOO, ENGLAND

AFRICAN GOLDEN CAT | CARACAL AURATA Inhabiting the rain forests of West and Central Africa, this species is threatened by forest loss and bush-meat hunters. This seven-year-old male, Tigri, is likely the only cat of its kind in captivity. PHOTOGRAPHED AT PARC ASSANGO, LIBREVILLE, GABON

SAND CAT | FELIS MARGARITA. PHOTOGRAPHED AT CHATTANOOGA ZOO, TENNESSEE

CANADA LYNX | LYNX CANADENSIS Like the Iberian lynx, the Canada lynx is a specialist hunter, preying almost exclusively on snowshoe hare. The North American species has giant paws that help it run through deep snow after prey. PHOTOGRAPHED AT POINT DEFIANCE ZOO AND AQUARIUM, WASHINGTON

MARGAY | LEOPARDUS WIEDII. PHOTOGRAPHED AT CINCINNATI ZOO AND BOTANICAL GARDEN, OHIO

SERVAL | LEPTAILURUS SERVAL. PHOTOGRAPHED AT FORT WORTH ZOO, TEXAS

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anyway ceasefire doesn't mean boycotts are stopping and BDS has called for a boycott of the new captain america movie. please remember this when it comes out in two weeks. please remember this with the news articles about conservatives boycotting the film, and when those same conservatives claim the movie failed for having a black lead or "being woke".

Marvel Studios included an obscure comics character called Sabra in this movie, who is basically Captain Israel and literally had no necessary reason to be included other than Disney being zionist. this character did not need to be there at all but has been left in despite the ongoing genocide over the past year and a half. BDS put out a call to boycott it in early 2024. BDS strong.

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via NYPost: Immigration and Customs Enforcement is preparing to launch a “big f–king operation” across sanctuary cities — including Chicago and New York — immediately after President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, multiple sources told The Post.

Starting Jan. 21, multi-day “ground operations” will be launched across cities that have served as safe havens for migrants because the local authorities do not cooperate with the federal government when it comes to immigration issues, sources said.

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i'm glad the ceasefire is finally (hopefully!) happening, and that less people will be hurt. i still wonder what that means for the future with regards to us-1srael relations (as the us is 1srael's biggest benefactor, and contributed an outsized amount to the genocide). my thought based not only on how the ceasefire talks are going but on a few years of deliberating are that if a significant change regarding us relations to 1srael happens, it'll be through congress rather than through any individual presidential administration, just like what happened with apartheid south africa. whether it's this senate/hr or another idk. but i do think that, domestically in the us, representatives/voters is where the last two years will have the biggest effect. there has been a huge increase of awareness about palestine in the us. which is a good a time as any to bring up the map of anti-bds laws in different us states:

other countries have these sorts of laws on the books too. if you live anywhere with them, annoy your representatives about them. chances are there's at least one palestine advocacy group in your state doing that already. (the bds website isn't a bad place to start checking.)

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every day online theres some post that's like "art is supposed to cause people discomfort" "being uncomfortable does not mean something is unethical" which are fine, meaningless statements that get put into context when you go five posts back in OPs blog and it turns out people are mad at them for being a white person drawing confederate soldier yaoi

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It's amazing how many notes these posts get, as compared to posts about making life better for yourself and your community. I've seen those posts go by with little fanfare. I've made those posts that go by with little fanfare.

I've had people like this say point blank that community care was less important than supporting future lobbying opportunities or organizations that perpetuate harm.

I've seen people like this say that reporting homeless encampments counts as community care, because having their belongings thrown away will galvanize them into accepting police intervention.

I've seen people like this say that racism is "pointless infighting", that asking people to use masks in public spaces is abusive, that caring about Gaza is a political derailment, that voting for a third party candidate has never worked, that no revolution has ever been successful (so therefore moderate changes to the existing system is inconceivable and therefore stupid to push for.)

Making life better for yourself isn't an inherently noble goal, because for [white] people it seems to somehow exclusively come at the expense of others. But if you're focusing on yourself and your community, where is your community coming into it? Who in your community is doing the work? It fundamentally doesn't matter, because you actually don't give a shit about your or any community, and you never will.

It's perfectly fine to keep that to your fucking self.

something has gone deeply wrong when "focusing pragmatically on issues you can influence and working to make life better for yourself and your community" is considered an unserious distraction while "endlessly exposing yourself to media about distressing situations you can't control" is considered political engagement