#Dignity in Life

[inkskinned]

it's extremely critical that you see the photo of the perp walk for luigi mangione as being propaganda. i've seen so many people wave it off and instead fawn over his looks. and trust me, i know it ended up being kind of pathetic and weird - but please don't brush it off as a "modelling opportunity" for him. it's a fucking terrifying message the police are sending.

i want to make a few comparisons here, in case you're not from the US or familiar with why the perp walk thing is something to pay attention to. just to set the groundwork for why this is a purposeful, unusual, and cruel act by the nyc police - for why this is not a common occurrence and for why that matters.

the prosecution alleges the show of force is due to the charge of "terrorism." for comparison, in june 2015, tsarnaev was found guilty for the boston marathon bombing, which killed 3 people and injured hundreds. his actions are considered to be an act of domestic terrorism. i have spent the last hour looking through google for pictures of similar to mangione's perp walk - and so far, i have found zero. i also just do not personally remember a moment like that, despite living in boston at the time.

they allege that luigi is a stone-cold killer who carried out a longterm plan, making him particularly dangerous. again for comparison: in nyc, recently cory martin was found guilty of the killing of brandy odom. the murder was planned and premeditated to steal insurance money. and yet no staged perp walk. why didn't her life matter enough for a "show of force"?

but mangione gets paraded by a veritable army of police officers as if he is a rabid animal. for a single citizen who allegedly killed one other single citizen, the "largest perp walk ever" occurs.

so what is the "strong message" that the mayor and the police were trying to send here? the mayor speaks as if mangione is already convicted of terrorism. there is a very thin number of people who feel threatened by the CEO's death. none of us felt like mangione needs to be under massive armed guard.

the message is that you shouldn't resist. they are trying to "make an example" of him - that if you behave badly and kill a single rich person, you'll be treated as if you killed hundreds of people. you will be treated worse than a man who was found guilty of terrorism. you will be considered guilty without trial. the message is that the rich are a protected class, and you cannot touch them without massive punishment. they are trying to prevent a revolution by showing dominance and force against you.

the message is that the police are a puppet of the wealthy and that the law is not equally applied across class disparity. it is "some are more equal than others." it is "one life is more precious than another."

the show of force wasn't for luigi. it was for us. it was a warning. they are trying to remind us who is really in control.

[tmarshconnors]

Assisted Dying is Murder

This Friday, the House of Commons will debate one of the most contentious issues of our time: assisted dying. The proposed bill seeks to legalize physician-assisted suicide under certain circumstances, purportedly offering terminally ill patients the right to end their lives with medical assistance. Advocates argue it’s about dignity, autonomy, and relieving suffering. But let’s not mince words—this is state-sanctioned murder disguised in a cloak of compassion.

As MPs prepare to vote, they face not just a political choice but a moral reckoning. Legalizing assisted dying is not a slippery slope; it’s a moral cliff edge, and stepping over it would fundamentally change how we value human life.

The Sanctity of Life

At the heart of this debate lies the sanctity of life—a principle that has underpinned our civilization for centuries. Life is sacred not because of its quality but because of its inherent value. Allowing assisted dying shifts the cultural narrative: life becomes conditional, and its worth is measured against suffering, convenience, or perceived "burdens." This is not just a danger to the terminally ill; it risks redefining our collective ethics.

Once we legalize the idea that some lives are not worth living, where do we stop? It won’t take long before subtle pressures arise—financial, emotional, societal—on vulnerable individuals to consider ending their lives to ease the burden on others. That’s not autonomy; it’s coercion wrapped in faux liberty.

The Role of the State

The government’s primary role is to protect life, not to facilitate its destruction. Enacting a law that permits assisted dying would cross an ethical boundary that no legislature should breach. The moment we allow the state to sanction killing, even under tightly controlled conditions, we open the door to future expansions. History teaches us that such boundaries rarely remain static.

Consider the experience of countries like Canada, where medical assistance in dying (MAID) has led to a widening scope of eligibility. Initially intended for terminally ill adults, the law now includes those with chronic illnesses and, in some cases, mental health conditions. This mission creep demonstrates how quickly safeguards erode when human life is reduced to a question of utility.

The False Promise of Safeguards

Proponents of assisted dying assure us that strict safeguards will prevent abuse. But no safeguard is foolproof, especially when it comes to subjective judgments about suffering or consent. How do we ensure someone isn’t being subtly pressured by family members, caregivers, or even their own feelings of guilt about being a burden? Vulnerable people—elderly, disabled, or financially strapped—could easily feel obligated to choose death.

Moreover, once the principle of assisted dying is established, it will inevitably be applied more broadly. After all, if it’s compassionate to help a terminally ill patient die, why not someone with chronic pain? Or severe mental illness? These "logical" extensions lead to a world where the most vulnerable are encouraged, even subtly, to end their lives rather than live with dignity and care.

Real Compassion

True compassion isn’t about helping people die; it’s about helping people live, even in the face of suffering. Palliative care, mental health support, and community resources are where we should focus our efforts. We can alleviate pain and provide emotional and spiritual solace without resorting to lethal injections.

The argument for assisted dying often stems from a place of fear: fear of pain, fear of dependence, fear of loss of autonomy. But instead of addressing those fears with care and support, this bill offers a permanent, irreversible solution to what are often temporary or manageable problems. That’s not compassion; it’s surrender.

A Call to MPs

On Friday, MPs must confront a fundamental question: will we remain a society that values every life, no matter how fragile, or will we take the first step toward normalizing state-assisted death? Assisted dying may seem like an easy answer to a difficult problem, but it is a betrayal of our moral responsibility to the most vulnerable.

Assisted dying isn’t about choice—it’s about abandoning those in need. It’s murder under the guise of mercy. MPs must reject this bill and reaffirm our commitment to life, dignity, and genuine compassion.

[sneakyboymerlin]

Merlin is kind of like a dog to Arthur. I mean this in all of the good and all of the bad ways.

[mojinchiimanga]

[idylls-of-the-divine-romance]

I say, "Ableism is bad." You say, "Ableists all live in their mom's basements and don't contribute anything to society!"

I say, "Misogyny is bad." You say, "Fuck all men."

I say, "Homophobia is bad." You say, "All religious people should be shot in the streets."

I say, "Racism is bad." You say, "White people are the devil."

I say, "Murder is bad." You say, "I hate any idiotic bitch who disagrees with this."

I say, "Body shaming is bad." You say, "Everyone who disagrees is ugly and has small dick energy."

I say, "Fascism is bad." You say, "Yeah, kill all nazis!"

To which I say: you do not know why ableism, misogyny, homophobia, racism, murder, and body shaming, and fascism are wrong.

Go, go and meditate on why these things are wrong and don't come back until you arrive at the answer.

[canisalbus]

To me, Machete kind of has the energy of a secondary villain/coldhearted side character in someone else's story that a lot of fans latch onto, moreso than the protagonist. Question is, would he be the villain in anyone's story?

Why, thank you! I'm actually glad to hear he gives off that vibe. I don't think he set out to become a villain but a lot of people certainly view him as one.

[askblueandviolet]

I need to see the spider demons please 😭🙏

[londiii5]

Rayelin Hotel in Istanbul Old City

[violottie]

"A mother was in shock after finding out her son was killed alongside the despair of her other family members in the discovery. at Al Aqsa Hospital" from Belal Khaled, 05/May/2024:

[heybiji]

double life

[usefulquotes7]

Someone who is worthy of your love will never put you in a situation where you feel you must sacrifice your dignity, your integrity, or your self worth to be with them. Unknown

[aiwaly]

i saw this post this post and

[tinysweetflour]

Me: repeatedly watching the few (you know what) scenes from the trailer.

Realises there are three set of scene clips here. Tries figuring out which ones are from which scene. So here's my presentation

Set 1:

Set 2:

Set 3:

All gifs from @laurenkmyers thank you so much for letting me use your gifs💕

[mojinchiimanga]

[pinkgrapefloyd]

Anti-Hero finally has a sequel! ✨

Ruin My Life

by pinkgrapefloyd

Johnny has no idea how to plan a proposal – especially one that Daniel will actually say yes to. Fortunately, he has a ragtag team of teenaged wannabe relationship experts standing by. But between Miguel’s sense of romance, Robby’s identity crisis, Sam’s blossoming boldness and Tory’s eagerness to prove herself, it’s anyone’s guess how that will turn out. 

relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence, Sam LaRusso/Tory Nichols, Robby Keene/Miguel Diaz

length: 5k so far (will probably end up around 100k in total)

rating: Explicit

additional tags: #the problematic codependent karate gang in all their lovable three-dimensional glory, #established relationship, #marriage proposal, #fluff, #humor, #angst, #hijinks & shenanigans, #implied/referenced sexual harassment, #internalized homophobia, #kiaz, #samtory, #e rating for the lawrusso chapters, #porn with feelings 

I love this fic so much and I hope I get more time to work on it in the new year. So happy to have you along for the ride again!

[randomness-is-my-order]

and speaking in a similar vein––because i recently saw a few takes like these––i wonder if people realise that it takes great dignity, self-respect and love for oneself to be so firm in one’s ideals and morals to be willing to fight to death for them. wei wuxian, wen qing, wen ning were willing to give up their lives because that was the right course of action, that was what they believed in and doing any less would be an insult on their person, would be an act that would devalue their sense of self, than preserve it.

if you ever learn about freedom fighters... i kind of see it like that. those people fought against the system, knowing the stakes, and died years and years before their efforts would ever bear fruition. but that was their choice, their deliberate stand to respect their own belief system and fight for a whole.

this is how i see wei wuxian’s actions regarding the wens. this was a cause he wanted to put his all behind. it was a show of incredible respect for his ownself––for him to not be deterred by anyone who wanted him to stop. i think it makes perfect sense that he’d be offended, infact, if someone downplayed the importance of saving the wens or implied he should abandon them because for him, this is worth everything.