#Florida title issues

[lawofficeofryansshipp]

Florida Quitclaim Deeds With Legal Insights From Mr. Deeds

Florida Quitclaim Deeds Thinking of transferring real property in Florida? A Quitclaim Deed may offer a convenient option, but it’s essential to know the details before proceeding. Known for his extensive work in real estate law, Ryan Shipp, Esq. – often called “Mr. Deeds” by his clients – provides guidance to those looking to navigate property transfers smoothly and with confidence. His team at…

[renthony]

This Week in U.S. Censorship News (Posted Nov. 14, 2024)

Shreveport Times: Increase of book bans across the U.S. in 2023-2024; Which books are being banned? (Nov. 8, 2024)

K-12 Dive: School book bans triple in 2023-34 (Nov. 11, 2024)

AP: Florida education officials report hundreds of books pulled from school libraries (Nov. 12, 2024)

The Conversation: Most US book bans target children's literature featuring diverse characters and authors of color (Nov. 12, 2024)

Clarksville Now: List of almost 400 banned books sent out as 'resource' to CMCSS school libraries, but not mandated (Nov. 13, 2024)

Arkansas Times: Conway School Board returns to book banning (Nov. 13, 2024)

Alabama: 'These issues are not going away': Alabama anti-censorship group urges action in library culture war (Nov. 13, 2024)

Tallahassee Democrat: Hundreds of books pulled from Florida schools listed in new DOE release. Here are the titles (Nov. 13, 2024)

Electric Lit: A Year of Giving Away Banned Books in Florida (Nov. 13, 2024)

KVUE: Austin gears up for annual Texas Book Festival as book bans sweep the state (Nov. 13, 2024)

KCRG: Iowa State Board of Education finalizing rules for book ban law (Nov. 13, 2024)

Axios Des Moines: Iowa, among the nation's top book-ban states, set to finalize school rules (Nov. 13, 2024)

WNEM: Michigan Library Association backs proposed bills about book banning procedure (Nov. 13, 2024)

Inforum: Book ban proposal sparks heated debate at Sargent Central Schools (Nov. 13, 2024)

Pipe Dream: On banning books, burning bridges (Nov. 13, 2024)

The Transfeminine Review: The Trans Literature Preservation Project: A Practical Guide to Resisting Censorship (Nov. 13, 2024)

TIME: The Woman Whose Crusade Gave Today's Book-Banning Moms a Blueprint (Nov. 13, 2024)

Literary Hub: Maggie Tokuda-Hall on Project 2025's Plans For Book Bans (Nov. 14, 2024)

The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Award-winning author, plaintiff in Volusia lawsuit talks Florida book banning, censorship (Nov. 14, 2024)

[argoscity]

ULTIMATE SUPERGIRL READING GUIDE

since i've been asked a few times in the past for various reading guides for kara, i thought i'd compile them all into one post for the sake of convenience!

this guide has reading orders for supergirl comics in PRE-CRISIS (1959-1985), POST-CRISIS (2004-2011), NEW 52 (2011-2016), REBIRTH (2016-2021), and INFINITE FRONTIER (2021-present).

if you have any questions at all don't be afraid to shoot me an ask!

for each section bolded comics are required, italicized comics are recommended, and everything else is optional!

[PRE-CRISIS]

ORIGIN AND MIDVALE ERA (NOTE: you'll have to flip to the back of each issue to get to kara's section!) action comics (1938) #252, 258, 267, 276, 278-282, 285, 295, 309-310, 313, 317

STANHOPE COLLEGE action comics (1938) #318, 366-368, 372, 374 world’s finest (1941) #169 adventure comics (1938) #381, 386, 391, 395, 397

K-SFTV REPORTER — SAN FRANCISCO adventure comics (1938) #406-407, 410-415, 419-424

VANDYRE UNIVERSITY supergirl (1974) #1-10

STUDENT ADVISOR — FLORIDA (NOTE: every member of the superfamily has a story in the superman family (1974), so you'll have to flip through to find kara's section!) the superman family (1974) #165, 168, 171, 174, 177, 180, 182 justice league of america (1960) #132-134 the superman family #183, 184-186, 187-189, 191-193, 194, 196-198, 199, 200, 201-202, 203, 204-205, 206-207

ACTRESS — NEW YORK the superman family (1974) 208-210, 211-214, 215-216, 217, 218 superman (1939) #373 (second story titled “an eye (and ear) on the world!”) detective comics (1937) #508-510 the superman family #219-222

THE GREAT DARKNESS SAGA (i recommend this storyline in it's entirety, but kara only appears in the last issue!) legion of superheroes (1980) #290-294

LAKE SHORE UNIVERSITY supergirl (1982) #1-12 (cw: nazi imagery in the brief interlude in #12)  supergirl (1982) #13-15 (cw: antisemitism, nazi imagery, depictions of the holocaust.) supergirl (1982) #16-23

LAST APPEARANCES AND DEATH legion of super-heroes (1980) #300-303 dc comics presents (1978) #28 tales of the legion of super-heroes (1984) #314-315 crisis on infinite earths (1985) #4-7

BONUS POST-COIE APPEARANCES christmas with the super-heroes (1988) #2 (last story titled “should auld acquaintance be forgot”) supergirl (1996) #49, 75-80 solo (2004) #1 (third story titled “young love”) convergence: adventures of superman (2015) #1-2

[POST-CRISIS]

ORIGIN superman/batman (2003) #8-13  (or you can watch superman/batman: apocalypse (2010) instead which I recommend! the art is a lot more tasteful and it's a very faithful adaptation of the comic so you won’t be missing out on anything.)

KARA WITH THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES supergirl and the legion of super-heroes (2006) #16-36

LOEB AND KELLY HELL ERA supergirl (2005) #1-5, 9-10, 19 (you don’t have to read any of this since it gets retconned anyway, but if you’re interested in kara’s early characterization, the beginnings of her friendship with cassie sandsmark, or her difficulty fitting in on earth then you’re welcome to read what i’ve provided.)

KELLEY PUCKETT ERA Amazons Attack! teen titans (2003) #47-48  amazons attack! (2007) #3  supergirl (2005) #20  amazons attack! (2007) #4  teen titans (2003) #49

supergirl (2005) #21-22  teen titans (2003) #50, 51-55  supergirl (2005) #25-33

Superman: Brainiac  action comics (1938) #866-870

GATES AND IGLE HEAVEN ERA supergirl (2005) #34

New Krypton (new krypton is one of my favorite events and i recommend it in its entirety, but for the sake of brevity I’ll only be listing the issues relevant to kara.) superman: new krypton special #1  superman (1939) #681  adventure comics special featuring guardian #1  action comics (1938) #871  supergirl (2005) #35  superman (1939) #682  action comics (1938) #872  supergirl (2005) #36  superman (1939) #683  action comics (1938) #873

teen titans (2003) #66  supergirl (2005) #37-42

Friends and Fugitives superman: secret Files 2009 #1  supergirl (2005) #43  action comics (1938) #881  supergirl (2005) #45  action comics (1938) #882  supergirl (2005) #46-47

supergirl (2005) annual 1, #48-50

Last Stand of New Krypton  adventure comics (2009) #8  superman: last stand of new krypton #1  supergirl (2005) #51  superman (1938) #698  adventure comics (2009) #9  superman: last stand of new krypton #2  adventure comics (2009) #10  supergirl (2005) #52  superman (1938) #699  superman: last stand of new krypton #3 superman: war of the supermen (2010) #0, 1-4 

supergirl (2005) #53-57, annual 2, 58-59

END OF SUPERGIRL VOL 5 supergirl (2005) #60-64 supergirl (2005) #65-67

[THE NEW 52]

ORIGIN and SUPERGIRL VS THE WORLDKILLERS supergirl (2011) #1-7

SUPERGIRL and SILVER BANSHEE supergirl (2011) #8-11

SUPERGIRL and SUPERBOY superboy (2011) #6

SANCTUARY supergirl (2011) #12, 0, 13

H’EL ON EARTH superman (2011) #13 supergirl (2011) #14 superman (2011) #14 superboy (2011) #15 supergirl (2011) #15 superboy (2011) #16 superboy (2011) Annual #1 supergirl (2011) #16 superman (2011) #16 superboy (2011) #17 supergirl (2011) #17 superman (2011) #17

SUPERGIRL and POWERGIRL supergirl (2011) #18-20

CYBORG SUPERMAN supergirl (2011) #21-23 action comics (2011) #23.1 supergirl (2011) #24

KRYPTON RETURNS action comics (2011) annual #2 superboy (2011) #25 supergirl (2011) #25 superman (2011) #25

SUPERGIRL VS LOBO supergirl (2011) #26-27

RED DAUGHTER OF KRYPTON supergirl (2011) #28-29 red lanterns (2011) #28-29 supergirl (2011) #30 red lanterns (2011) #30 supergirl (2011) #31 red lanterns (2011) #31-32 supergirl (2011) #32-33

SUPERMAN: DOOMED (this is a whole storyline but I'll only be listing the issues that kara appears in!) superman/wonder woman (2013) #9 action comics (2011) #33 supergirl (2011) #34 superman: doomed (2014) #2 action comics (2011) #35 supergirl (2011) #35

FUTURES END supergirl: futures end (2014) #1

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED justice league united (2014) #1-5 justice league united (2014) annual #1 justice league united (2014) #6-10

CRUCIBLE supergirl (2011) #36-40

FINAL DAYS OF SUPERMAN (kara only appears in the issues i've italicized and bolded, but i put all the relevant issues if you wanted to read the full storyline!) superman (2011) #51 batman/superman (2013) #31 action comics (2011) #51 superman/wonder woman (2013) #28 batman/superman (2013) #32 action comics (2011) #52 superman/wonder woman (2013) #29 superman (2011) #52

[REBIRTH]

KARA IN NATIONAL CITY supergirl: rebirth #1

supergirl (2016) #1-8 batgirl (2016) annual 1 supergirl #9-12

supergirl (2016) annual 1supergirl #13-20

world's finest: batwoman and supergirl #1-2

ROGOL ZAAR and THE SINS OF THE CIRCLE the man of steel #1-2, 3-6 supergirl #21-33, #34-36

LEVIATHAN and BATMAN WHO LAUGHS superman: leviathan rising special #1 supergirl #34-36 supergirl (2016) annual 2 supergirl #37-42

HOUSE OF KENT action comics (2016) #1022-1023 action comics (2016) #1024-1028

FUTURE STATE superman of metropolis (2021) #1-2 kara zor el, superwoman (2021) #1-2

[INFINITE FRONTIER]

action comics 2021 annual

WOMAN OF TOMORROW supergirl: woman of tomorrow (2021) #1-8

WORLD'S FINEST batman/superman: world's finest (2022) #2-6, 8, 12

A WORLD WITHOUT CLARK KENT and RED MOON (kara is featured in the back-up story! if you want the full context of this plot i recommend reading the full warworld arc in action comics [action comics #1030-1046, superman: warworld apocalypse #1]!) action comics (2016) #1044-1046, 1047-1049

DAWN OF DC action comics (2016) #1051-1053, 1055-1056 superman (2023) #1-3 power girl special #1 steelworks (2023) #1-3

KNIGHT TERRORS knight terrors: superman (2023) #1-2

DAWN OF DC (continued) action comics: doomsday special (2023) superman (2023) #7 hawkgirl (2023) #4 supergirl special (2023)

NEW WORLDS [this arc starts on action comics #1057—kara doesn't appear in that issue but I recommend reading it for context!] action comics (2016) #1058-1060 action comics 2023 annual

JOURNEY TO FERIMBIA powergirl (2023) #5, 6-7

HOUSE OF BRAINIAC action comics (2016) #1064 superman (2023) #13 action comics (2016) #1065 superman (2023) #14 action comics (2016) #1066 superman (2023) #15

UNIVERSE END action comics (2016) #1070-1081

MISCELLANEOUS RECENT APPEARANCES: superwoman special #1 superman (2023) #21

[simply-ivanka]

Trump Gears Up for Change on Wokeness With Education Overhaul

The president-elect has laid out big changes for America’s classrooms, including expanding school choice—and shutting down the Department of Ed

By Matt Barnum and Douglas Belkin -- Wall Street Journal

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to remake education in the U.S., pledging to exert more control over funding and classroom lessons, to curb what he views as left-leaning tendencies at universities and even to dismantle the Department of Education.

If his White House delivers on those promises, more families could get money to send kids to private school. Schools would face pressure to limit accommodations for transgender students and to end some initiatives aimed at addressing racial disparities.

The goals are at once ambitious and controversial.

“There are a lot of very smart people who are very excited to get into positions where we can actually start making change happen,” said Tiffany Justice, a Trump ally and the co-founder of the conservative parents group Moms for Liberty.

Eliminating the Department of Education

Trump has promised to close the Education Department and has criticized U.S. school spending. 

In his first term, he proposed merging the education and labor departments, but Congress didn’t proceed. It isn’t clear whether lawmakers would go for the idea in a second term, nor how the department’s functions—such as protecting students’ civil rights, providing funding for students with disabilities and distributing student loans—would be handled if it were closed. 

Some Republicans have been reluctant to eliminate the department or cut federal funding that flows to schools in their constituencies. An Associated Press poll last year found that nearly two-thirds of Americans said the federal government spends too little on education.

“I don’t think you’ll see enormous cuts because that’s super unpopular,” said Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education think tank.

Trump will have to fill the education secretary role for now. Cabinet positions often go to prominent politicians and political allies.

Presidents sometimes look to state education chiefs. High-profile leaders in Republican states include Oklahoma’s Ryan Walters, who has fought culture-war battles in schools; Louisiana’s Cade Brumley, who has supported private-school choice and tougher school disciplinary measures; and Florida’s Manny Diaz Jr., who has overseen many conservative policy changes.

In an interview, Walters said he is focused on implementing Trump’s agenda in Oklahoma. Through a spokesperson, Brumley said “my focus is on continuing the historic educational progress we are making in Louisiana.” Diaz, through a spokesperson, said if asked to serve, “Of course you listen.” Justice of Moms for Liberty said that she would be open to the position, though hasn’t spoken to the Trump team about it.

A Trump transition spokeswoman didn’t comment on specific candidates.

Waging war on ‘woke’

Trump has said he would use the power of the purse to limit left-wing ideology in schools and universities.

Although a president can’t immediately cut off money to any school, he could use various laws to pressure schools to address antisemitism on campus, disband programs that focus on nonwhite student groups or reduce accommodations for transgender students.

Trump has said that he believes that Title IX, which bars sex discrimination in education, should prevent transgender girls from playing on female sports teams. This would be a stark reversal from the Biden administration, which has interpreted Title IX to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.

During the campaign, Trump attacked Kamala Harris for being too supportive of transgender rights, an issue that resonated with some voters.

Trump has also indicated that he would use civil-rights law to challenge critical race theory, a term used by conservatives to describe some efforts to teach about racism and racial disparities. This could include targeting university diversity, equity and inclusion offices, legal analysts have said.

“On issues that I worry about…this is at the top,” said Rachel Perera, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, a center-left think tank.

Another tool Trump has at his disposal is the accreditation system, which gives universities access to federal money. He has called it a “secret weapon.”

Colleges and universities need to meet standards set by independent accreditors to be eligible for federal funds.

Trump could weaken the influence of accreditors—which he considers too left-leaning—by reassigning some of their responsibilities to the Education Department, said Judith Eaton, past president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Alternatively, the administration could replace current accreditors with ones more closely aligned with Trump’s vision, she added.

Members of Trump’s inner circle “regard the higher-ed cartel as fundamentally out of order,” said Frederick Hess, director of education policy studies at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute.

‘Universal school choice’

Trump wants “universal school choice for every American family,” according to his platform. That likely means providing a public subsidy for private-school tuition or other educational expenses outside the public school system.

Trump has indicated he would support the Educational Choice for Children Act, already proposed in Congress. The law would provide $10 billion in federal tax credits to go toward private-school tuition, home schooling or other educational costs.

Backers say the bill would provide money for up to two million children, and help parents direct and customize their children’s education. School-choice critics say that these programs drain resources from public schools.

Prior efforts by Republican presidents to subsidize private schools—including those supported by Ronald Reagan, and Trump in his first term—have failed to garner congressional support. And while many Republican-controlled state legislatures have adopted such programs in recent years, voters in Colorado, Kentucky and Nebraska rejected school-choice ballot measures on Nov. 5.

Some Republicans “are not fully on board yet,” said Jim Blew, who served as an education official during Trump’s first term. “I think they will be in the new administration.”

[earl-grey-teacake]

I’m not sure if I’m doing this right since this is my first time actually using the app properly but I absolutely love your work and I HAD to put my two cents in. Logan on multiple occasions has said Kyle Kirkwood is one of his closest friends since they grew up together in Florida. Would Kyle and Logan meet in this au? and if so how? Do you think Kyle and Oscar would fight over Logan’s attention?

You’re doing great!

Thank you for loving my work🥰

I am answering this on the day the news of Logan being dropped came out and I wanted to write something cute and happy.

To answer your question, YES! Those two are absolutely friends, I would never dare to separate them from each other.

I believe in an Andretti interview with Kyle, he reveals that he met Logan when he was karting in Florida. So, I can see Logan meeting Kyle around 7 years old when he goes to see a karting competition in Florida while on vacation. Logan is watching with his parents and this kid who is 2 years older than him is absolutely wiping the floor with the rest of the field. Logan goes up to congratulate him and tell him how good he was and they just hit it off. The parents exchange numbers and Logan and Kyle slowly start building a very strong friendship.

I don’t see Kyle fighting over Logan because Kyle is a good kid who understands what it means to share. Oscar, however, absolutely has a one-sides rivalry with Kyle. Oscar has had other kids befriend him and Logan but nothing as serious as Kyle’s friendship with Logan. He’s prissy, and jealous but won’t show it since it might upset Logan. He does, however, get a bit annoyed when Logan mentions going to see Kyle.

The one who would cause issues would be Colton. Colton meet Kyle when he’s young, maybe around 6 and clinging to his dad’s leg. Kyle is there to see a race and they hit it off really well. Colton sees Kyle as the super cool senior who’s nice and takes the time out of his day to say hi to him instead of treating him like a baby. This sparks a friendship and a little bit of infatuation for Kyle. It also leads to jealousy when Kyle mentions how he has a friend named Logan who lives in Monaco and his dads are race car drivers because Colton lives in California and his dad is also a race car driver- it’s practically the same thing.

Colton wants to fight Logan for the right to be Kyle’s best friend. Oscar wants to fight Kyle for the title of Logan’s best friend and Colton by extension because Colton will always jump to the defense of Kyle. Kyle and Logan are just chilling, doing their own things and chasing after fishes in the lake.

Thank you for the ask!

I hope this ask made everyone’s day a little bit better

[todays-xkcd]

Running for office in Minnesota on the single-issue platform 'dig a permanent channel through the Traverse Gap because it will make this map more satisfying.'

Dubious Islands [Explained]

Transcript Under the Cut

[Title:] Dubious Islands of North America [Subtitle:] And the waterways that separate them

[A map of mainland North America, down to the Panama isthmus. It is internally separated by various waterways, given labels or otherwise.]

[Separating land approximating Nunavut (with some Northern Territories) from neighbouring Canada:] Mackenzie Athabasca Churchill

[Comprising the much of the remainder of Canada, much of the northern United States (including Alaska), additionally separated by:] Columbia Snake Madison Missouri Chicago

[Unlabelled, some of the Great Lakes and the channel past Quebec] [An incursive gap near the central point, from the north:] Nelson Red [An internal label, with arrow:] Traverse Gap [An incursive gap near the central point, from the south:] Mississippi [A separate fragment of land south of the Madison, in the western half of the land-mass, bordered to its south by:] Yellowstone [A small fragment off the southen part of the western edge, an arrow and a label:] Chehalis/Black Lake

[Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and parts of the adjacent US, disconnected by:] Champlain Hudson [Label with an arrow on the east coast:] Cape Cod Canal

[A small triangle of territory, further isolated by:] Erie

[Most of the Eastern Seaboard of the US, additionally divided off by:] Tombigbee

[Fragment of land shorn from the northern part of the eastern edge, label with arrow:] Chesapeake and Delaware Canal [Fragment of land shorn from the tip of Florida, label with arrow:] Okeechobee Waterway

[Strip of land west of the Tombigbee, bounded also to its west by:] Mississippi [Fragment of land immediately to its south, with a nearby label and arrow:] Atchafalaya

[The remainder of the continent; comprising much of the US, all of Mexico and various central American territories, with a final tip of the eastwards-bending isthmus:] Panama Canal

[the-trans-folk-witch]

The Triple Goddess of Wicca, and why she must be killed : Another trinity with a problematic following

What better time to bash Wicca than the present? At the time of writing this it is nearing the height of Autumn and All Hallows is lurching towards us with natural disasters all along the southeast of the US. Hurricanes are bringing ruin to the homes of the innocent, as well as the possible deserving conservatives of Florida.

At this time I am in deep thought of the many times in history that loss, death, illness, and danger upon a group of people was seen as a "cleansing" by the Christian god. The Aids crisis is a great example of this. It was seen as natures way of ridding the earth of queer folks. so why should we not view the hurricane as such a riddle?

In relation to problematic religious views that damage queer folks, I wanted to disect one of these religions. Wicca, a religion with many branches and problems. This religion -as many know- prides itself on its pagan origins and distance from Christianity, while still displaying the same issues Christianity presents to the world. A religion where the pedo-priest becomes the rapey-coven-leader. A space where women are just a womb for a man or god to lay seed in, and most pressing; a place where trans bodies are ignored. Another religion made by a cis white man and taken too far.

I was inspired to tackle the beast that is this neo-religion by the load of terfs that have plagued my inbox for the past 3 years. These Dianic-Wiccans seem to forget the cultures that bore their goddess also created many stories of gender-bent gods such as Hermaphroditus who is most famously known. Shikhandi, who is labeled as a FTM warrior. Lakapati, whose gender changed many times in Filipino history. And Apollo who has a myth where he lived in the form of a woman for 7 years. As we all know, transness is older than wicca will ever be, and there is no use in continuing to argue with dianic -terfs on the internet. So, instead of berating them on their lack of historical knowledge, I want to pinpoint the thing within their faith that this trans-exclusionary "feminism" stems from. Their goddess.

We all have seen the links made to Hecate or Diana in their religion. The concept of an ancient goddess having three main forms or titles to call on. But what maddens me is the ignorance that many non traditional wiccans spout off. As if they are from an ancient tradition of Hecatean worship. When their triple goddess is historically claimed as a purely wiccan invention by the mouth of Gardner himself. The dissent from traditonal wicca to neo-wicca has been maddeningly full of lies. This religion did not evolve, but made space for more issues. If you asked the first or traditional wiccans who they worshipped, you would hear they worshipped the gods of wicca who were revealed to Gardner. Not an entirely Greco-Roman rip-off. Yes, the triple goddess may have been inspired by triple goddesses of history. But she is much newer and much more problematic than her ancient counterparts. To think an ancient tradition such as hecatean devotion has been watered down and conflated with a made up goddess that prioritizes women's usefulness to man as her purpose. To be more clear, let me roughly describe Hecate's triple form in history. Hekate of the moon/sky, Hekate of the earth, and Hekate of the underworld. A goddess who was encompassing all places and aspects of life. The ultimate power of the world. She was not this maiden mother and crone being. She has been reduced to this western concept of "maiden, mother, and crone". As if counting the stages of a woman's service to men is to be empowering. As if all women must be these three things. As if women are only worthy of worship if they rear children, or had a period of chastity (maidenship). A spirit that was made up by a man with a breeding kink has claimed the titles of hekate and are now toting her images as if they are her. People are holding this goddess close to their hearts and wombs only to mock greek culture despite not having greek ancestry. Cis women are using Hekate's image to attack trans women and use this made up triplicate nature of child birth and their British founder's obsession with women's bodies to make us seem unnatural. Yet, here they are pretending Hecate, Diana, or whatever name they are aimlessly slapping on this goddess is of natural pagan origin. It all satirically contrasts with the actual historicity of transness. Imagine having the nerve (read: ignorance) to mock me for being trans as if it is a new thing, when the very gods you're using to back it up are from the mind of a mortal man. Trans people have and will always be divine. Even without bearing children, having a womb, or lying with a male god. Your obsession with your baby making abilities is not the feminism you think it is. You can be so much more you terf wiccans. Yet you cling to the parts of yourself a man told you to. Do not use your body as a weapon to shame my body. Because we are both equal in the eyes of men. worthless, and only for sex. Whether its to make a baby or to give a man a shameful night to remember with a tranny. You, like i am, are just a fantasy. And your god emulates that.

Before you tell me I am sexualizing the titles of the maiden, mother, or crone too much, notice how the religion does that itself. Lets not forget how often wicca has holidays devoted purely to their two gods having sex. The maiden claiming to hold this fertile power and being a feminist figure of virginity while also slightly drifting into purity culture is not exactly the feminist religion wicca intends to be. Its damaging if anything. The maiden is simply a title given to woman to hold until she was made pregnant. There is little depth or actual ties a true maiden in the religion may relate to in this goddess. It is such a flat epithet which holds little use for ones faith other than to claim your youth and sexual awakening. And yes, being young and sexual is in line with feminist ideas. Embracing sexuality or the lack of sex is empowering. But this empowerment was not intended by Gardner. The "feminist" nature of the maiden is fairly recent and flawed. And it is still being marked as a woman's title which she can not move from in life until a man allows her to become a mother.

The mother is a a more three dimensional aspect of this spirit. One I think wicca did mostly right. She is the typical mother goddess all religions have. She can be loving, stern, etc. And yet, she is still hollow. Who would she be outside of the other pagan cultures she is based on. Where is her originality? And do modern wiccans realize Gardner did not share the same ideas of her as the religion does now?She was made by a man's idea of a woman just as many other goddesses were, but who was she before? There wasnt always an origin myth. She was the maiden. Wicca tries to make this growth of a goddess reflect human growth expecting it to make her relatable, but it falls flat. She is a mother. cool. She got pregnant. What if a worshipper has no interest in having kids, fertility obsessions, or the sort? what is the point of even worshipping her? in the early stages of wicca, she wasn't a mother goddess in the sense of caring for her worshippers. Gardner in my belief fully intended her to be a way to pull women into the religion by utilizing the growing feminist movement of his time. She was a way for him to express his mommy issues in a spiritual sense as well as to discuss sex between man and a woman in a disturbingly hetero-centric way. It started off as a minor sex cult in the eyes of Christians. And there was some truth to that belief. The mother was cause of this. She allowed space for men to get women to embrace their sexuality in a group setting. It was masked as a feminist idea instead of the reality which was men perversely trying to discuss nature's sexual powers and the power of creation. Many a coven spent time sharing intimate stories and ideas in a setting that was more than just friendly. And I can not be convinced this was not for male gain. With the spread of femininism there were covens who of course tried to rid the group of creepy men. But alas, they all fail to admit the religion was crafted for the very things.

The crone is no better. She is today revered as a source of wisdom or power. Yet in a coven system this "wisdom" is just older coven members using their age as a way to act smarter than their fellow members. The spirit of the crone is an archetype we see in many cultures. I can respect the usefulness of it in one's spiritual hierarchy. Yes, older women are wise. I say this with my fantastic and loving grandmother in mind. But the crone of wicca originally was not as multifaceted as she is today. She was the ending of life. But most importantly and unbeknownst to female members, she was the ending of a woman's sexuality. The idea that after you're old you are no longer beautiful. You are no longer having sex with the male god or bearing children. you are no longer useful to a man unless it is to inspire his art or give him ideas as a source of wisdom. The crone too was made by a man's idea of female aging. The god and goddess were presented to us as a pair on equal footing, but the woman was just to fulfill a role. The god serves an equally damaging role too. Enforcing ideas of masculinity and protectiveness. But it does not hold the same weight as the triplicate nature. It does not follow a man into every stage of his life expecting him to change multiple times. The crone is the end of female empowerment. She is not a servant to her children or husband like the mother, but a servant to men who seek knowledge.

Wicca had a feminist appearance at one time. But it has not aged well. Although many covens try to be inclusive to queer folks, we can not ignore how its own gods do not acknowledge us. I understand the interest in wicca that many (mostly newer) witches have. The hunger for a community or a mentor. But forcing yourself into a highly performance based and gendered grouping is not going to result in a deep faith or fulfilling spiritual life. Yes it can be nice for those of us with OCD or autism to put all of the spirits in boxes and to categorize them into a balanced or symmetrical hierarchy. (god and goddess, sun and moon, life and death.) But the dualism in this religion reflects the gender binary and transphobic agenda within the religion. It can not be escaped. In fact, it is so infectious that traditional witchcraft spaces have adapted these male/female concepts. We have forgotten how feminine the devil is and how the witchmother has a beard. We have allowed our spirits to be organized in ways that fall within the binary. And it all started with Wicca.

So as a response to this malignancy in our community, I kindly tell all of my terfy readers to get fucked. Preferably by the old wrinkly cock that leads your coven.

[sits-bound]

Bound: Away Childish Things by Lettered

Here is the second gift ficbinding I made for a friend, @thirdeye1234. I chose this fic, Away Childish Things by @letteredlettered because she made a gorgeous podfic of it. Seriously, go listen to it. It’s such a beautiful fic. Happy sigh. (And if the author sees this, I’d be delighted to make a copy for you.)

I just have to say, this book has been on a journey. Literally. First it went to Virginia for a couple of days, then it spent two weeks in Florida where it presumably spent time poolside at its grandparents' retirement community. Then it finally got to Canada, where it chilled for another two weeks before finally getting delivered to its recipient this morning. I was panicking and about to start contemplating making another copy when it arrived. Whew!

The making of the book itself was pretty straightforward. It was my longest bind thusfar (when I made it) and I was worried it would be too thick, but it was fine. (The fic clocks in at 153k words, this binding was 474 pages.) Everything was going smoothly until I got to the cover. I had some issues with the heat transfer vinyl at first. I wanted to put a clock on the cover, but it didn’t stick and left a gooey mess. Argh!

I improvised and made the weird circle design instead, and then put one on the back cover as well to make it look purposeful.

Fonts used: Body: Arno Pro Chapter headings: Beloved Script Harry's letters: Felt Tip Woman Draco's letters: P22 Hopper Josephine Title: Filson Pro

[magicaguajiro]

Caribbean Folk Saints and Mighty Dead: A Precursor

We all have family members who take on an almost Mythic quality after they pass on. They may have been a character in life, or a perhaps a spiritual practitioner. Maybe they were known for their generosity, or lack of it, or their strength or brilliance. Nonetheless, it is someone who, even in death, still makes an impact. In personal practices, we may work with these ancestors for guidance and healing, but what happens when their influence spreads past your family, into the local community or even entire country? This and many other strange circumstances often explain the origin and powers of Folk Saints and Elevated Dead. I will be going into the various Folk Saints and Deified Ancestors of the Caribbean, (including Florida), but before I can do that I need to explain where these spirits come from, and why they are so potent in our everyday lives.

What are Folk Saints and Mighty Dead?

Folk Saints and Mighty Dead are spirits of dead people who were either elevated in life, or became elevated after death. Their elevation often is then connected to their ability to grant various petitions made to them. Some of the Folk Saints I will be talking about were used to disguise other figures who were outlawed by the Colonial government at the time, while others are various figures of marginalized communities who gained sorcerous or otherworldly reputations after death.

Cuba and Florida are Lands of diaspora and syncretism. Many different traditions abound and each tradition has multiple lineages, so the classification of spirits differs depending on the worldview of the person explaining. Some practitioners work within a framework of Catholicism, some use elements and some flat-out reject Catholicism completely for decolonization purposes. For this reason, I have differentiated Folk Saints from the Mighty Dead.

Folk Saints will include those spirits who are worked with in a Catholic context, but are usually not canonized or not at first. On the other hand, the Mighty Dead will include spirits who are venerated amongst Indigenous and African traditions in Cuba as well as the surrounding areas, as to not group them under a title created by Colonizers. If you are Cuban or Caribbean, these Folk Saints and Mighty Dead offer power at a closer degree because they are more proximal to your Spirit Court, and may even already have bonds with them.

It is important to note, spirits like Orisha and Cemí have very specific protocols, manners and taboos when approaching them, so this is best done with the help of a priest, such as Oloricha or Babalawo, or a Taíno Behike. These are not energies you simply feel drawn to and work with. Orisha and Cemi are in some cases Deified Ancestors and others Personified Forces of Nature, among other things. This varies from the Ancestors and Spirits I will be discussing in this series.

Benefits of Working with The Mighty Dead

Folk Saints and Ancestors give us a closer connection to the divine through their proximity to the Divine and their individual virtues and personalities. As with all spirit relationships, you will get out what you put in.

Folk Saints who are related to the Land you live on, such as Uncle Monday or Bessie Graham for us Floridians, can help to deepen your connection with the local community. They can help you to further your relationship with the Earth and introduce you to other Land spirits.

Spirits related to your Ancestry can help to work through generational issues. Some ancestral spirits, like José Martí or Guamá for us Cubans, are related to ideas of War, Rebellion, and overcoming oppression. These spirits can be worked with for the same pursuits of defeating oppressors in the modern day. Each spirit has a story and is multi-faceted, so it really depends on what your connection is to the Spirit and what you are capable of offering them.

How to Work with Deified Dead

Working with these spirits is individual to each spirit, based on what their heritage is, as well as their personal tastes. When starting out, it’s best to keep things simple. Instead of going and creating an entire altar dedicated to a spirit, begin by praying about it at your Bóveda or ancestral altar. Here, you may find that a spirit is not compatible with your current situation, or doesn’t want to work with you ever! Should the omens be good, however, and you may begin establishing a connection to that spirit Research and talking to other devotees can give you great insight into what a relationship with that Spirit can look like.

My formula for reaching out to these spirits is always different, but I follow basic principles. I always begin with a representation of the spirit, a small offering and a candle. The representation can be anything, from a statue to a printed picture or even just their name on some paper. The offering is in most cases water until the spirit makes other wants known to me, but when a spirit doesn’t take water I offer food or tobacco instead. The candle is something I was taught helps to enhance spirit communication, carrying messages between the worlds. It is helpful to research about whoever you are attempting to communicate with, and if possible you should speak to other practitioners who work with the same Spirit. Often times, this is someone-you-know’s father or grandmother. From here, you should sit with whatever entity you are contacting, allowing yourself to experience a personal relationship with them. I will share individual experiences of what each spirit has been like in practice for me, or people I know, but for beginning this is a good basic way to start out.

I look forward to sharing more about these incredible figures who influence my favorite corner of the world to this day.

Paz y Progreso 🕯️

[mikefrawley]

It's all About Forgiveness Mike (04-06-24)

I'm not quite sure why just yet, but today for me was my first ever be good to Mike Day. It was a beautiful Spring Day here in South Florida and I just knew it was time to spoil myself, which is an action I haven't taken in a very long time. Before I get into this story too deep, I want to pause a moment and thank my many friends for your love and support as I've started taking baby steps on a path I've been afraid to walk and addressing some inner child issues which have troubled me for most of my life, Okay, back to spoiling myself, but first I really want let all of you know just how much I love and appreciate you. Thank you! So, where was I? It was early Saturday Morning and I took a nice leisurely drive to the nicest Publix in town for my weekly shopping, and I realized that it was time to stop living like an active addict who can barely pay the rent and enjoy life a little bit. So, aside from the usual groceries I also bought some gourmet k-cups of coffee to share with my friends at work and took a different way home so I could tryout a new Starbucks which is my weekly splurge. Then armed with my Vanilla Latte I returned home and relaxed for a bit. At home I wrote a new poem which as is the case with many of us here is my true love. After finishing I just felt like getting out of the house and enjoying my day. I haven't bought a new book for myself in well over twenty years, so I decided to take a mini road trip to Barnes and Noble. After leisurely browsing a bit, I grabbed an excellent book by my favorite teacher, author, and poet, Thich Nhat Hanh, or Thay (teacher in Vietnamese) as he is known. The title is ZEN AND THE ART OF SAVING THE PLANET. After that I must confess I did go over the top a bit and stopped by a second Starbucks which was right next door and treated myself to another fancy coffee. Hey, as I said, it was be good to Mike Day. Sunday I leisurely sat outside reading my new book, meditating and just enjoying the moments as they passed. Please forgive me if this is a bit boring but my wish is that someone else suffering with self-destructive thoughts and feelings, may realize that they too are good enough and very much worthy of love. Well I guess that's enough (too much), but please do remember that you are indeed much loved!

[lawofficeofryansshipp]

FSBO Florida Real Estate Attorneys

FSBO Florida Real Estate Attorneys For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is a popular option for individuals who want to sell their home or commercial property without the assistance of a real estate agent. While the FSBO process may seem straightforward, there are many potential pitfalls and legal considerations that can arise. Therefore, it can be extremely beneficial to seek the guidance of a real estate…

[carionto]

The Situations of Bames Jond - Human Activist

Intro, panning shot, exterior, mid 21st century Human city Silent music, hip-hop tune over opening credits, give sense of nostalgia (Kpop or EDM?) Establishing shots of office building, then of a ICE vehicle of "muscle car" variety (will have to build a prop and CGI that), people walking around the interior (remember to get ONLY Human extras this time) Cut to BAMES JOND lighting a herb stick (prop) and angrily folding up a retro iPad.

BAMES JOND: "Curse management! These regulations won't keep the streets safe from the troublemakers. I have to take matters of importance into my own two hands,

Again..."

Cut to dramatic montage of Bames Jond's previous incidents. (hold each new shot for at least 2 seconds and lower the exposure, last premiere was a health and safety disaster with the Ker'hrah audiences) Title card: BAMES JOND 2: SELECTIVE JUSTICE SCENE 1 BAMES JOND is talking over a phone, the slim black rectangle variety, while walking around a corner of a lower income population street, and encounters TWO HUMANS in non descriptive purple attire (robes?) using compressed air bottles that shoot paint at a wall (CGI department is gonna be busy with this one, huh)

BAMES JOND: "I'll call you back later, I have an urgent situation on my hands!"

BAMES JOND approaches the TWO HUMANS and folds his hands over his chest, speaks sternly but cautiously

BAMES JOND: "Are you two artists? Did you procure a permit from the municipal government for this visual depiction you are undertaking?"

PERSON 1: "What permit? This is a free society where we can express our grievances in the public domain."

PERSON 2: "Yeah! Who are you to issue such implied suggestion that we are not complying with certain rules that do not even pertain to this situation, huh?!"

The TWO HUMANS exchange smiling glances and do a "high five" (Does anyone remember what that is? Our Human consultant is on parental leave for two more months, but we need these scenes shot quickly. -Do several improvisational takes utilizing their limbs, one has to feel right)

BAMES JOND: "I'm sorry to say that that is not how this works. This structure is legally under the jurisdiction of the local government, and I am an employee of said government. Now show me a permit or your public artist license, or things are going to have to turn unpleasant."

BAMES JOND narrows his sight at the TWO HUMANS, who are now becoming nervous and gain a stutter in their speech.

PERSON 1: "W-we would, but, uh, the thing is um..."

PERSON 2: "I-it got eaten by my pet moose, y-yeah. I am from Florida, so such things happen."

PERSON 1: "M-my license is still valid, b-but I just forgot to get a new one, what with the economy and all."

Cut to close up of BAMES JOND contemplating, insert flashbacks to news articles about Florida Man and various Prime Presidents talking about The Economy.

BAMES JOND: "Well alright, you two appear to be amicable young adults. Let me print you a map to the government building that issues new licenses and handles permits for public artistic endeavors. Remember to bring an identifying document with you, okay?"

PERSON 1: "Y-yes, thank you very much, liege."

PERSON 2: "We will pause our activity for today and g-go and get the legal matters sorted, Sama-san. Good bye!"

BAMES JOND looks on caringly at the TWO HUMANS departing the scene of an avoided unpleasant incident. SCENE 1 END

[violetmuses]

Stark - A. Aretas 🖤

Title: Stark - A. Aretas 🖤

Fandom: “Bad Boys” Film Universe

Character: Armando Aretas

Pairing: Armando Aretas + Female Reader

Main Storyline: When Armando Aretas joins the Miami Police Department, anything can happen. 🏷 @adoresmiles

======

2024

Once Armando Aretas returned to Florida, the Miami Police Department outright exonerated his record. No drama. No grudges. New chapters.

Not only would Armando Aretas earn this clean slate, but this organized promotion landed “Detective” by his name for the very first time.

“Don't start crying again, Marcus.” Lieutenant Mike Lowrey warned his longtime partner and best friend Marcus Burnett one afternoon.

After facing many questions and encountering secrets, Mike Lowrey also stood as Armando's biological father.

“I just can't believe it, man. My nephew's growing up.” Marcus sniffled through Kleenex tears.

“I'll be working, you good?” Mike checked on Armando regardless.

“Yeah.” Armando nodded and watched his father head elsewhere. “See you.”

While Aretas took this new role, life moved on once more.

_______

By nightfall, that precinct scrambled with absolute chaos. Even red and blue overcasts brightened up the city.

And sooner than later, blaring sirens quickly waited downtown.

“Drug bust.” Mike grabbed the key to his classic Porsche and rolled out, bringing Marcus too.

“Armando might splatter everybody! Drive faster, Mike.” Taking the passenger seat again, Marcus started to worry as usual.

“Shut up.” Correcting Marcus, Mike reached the destination as streets glowed all around.

____

“Damn!” Entering this large-scale nightclub, Marcus stood flabbergasted while observing the scene.

Carnage lined up without body bags.

When the music cut off, voices protested from all directions while AMMO took charge to arrest individuals.

Drugs of choice riddled everywhere to score this problematic goldmine, but Mike couldn't find Armando in the building.

Shit! Lowrey thought.

******

Given no other choice, you still complied with law enforcement officials. Acting far too belligerent just might broaden the issues still taking place.

Meanwhile, you know exactly who stood with inquiries right now.

Various reports explained the known history of Armando Aretas. Now, after earning brand-new opportunities, this man became a detective.

“It's not my operation.” Questioned from Miami's precinct, you defended yourself while interrogated.

“Did you push anything?” Armando paced back and forth.

“No. Just celebrating my birthday in the VIP section.” You continued offering the truth. “Those dealers never bothered me. I only heard the gunshots with everyone else.”

“Fine. If anything changes, call.” Armando slipped this card to you just in case.

Taking one final glance, Armando's brown eyes pierced into your soul.

You almost hopped from your seat when the door slammed shut, leaving you alone.

Goodness! You keep thinking of the night, frightened no matter what.

[madamlaydebug]

The Truth Behind '40 Acres and a Mule'

BY: HENRY LOUIS GATES JR

We've all heard the story of the "40 acres and a mule" promise to former slaves. It's a staple of black history lessons, and it's the name of Spike Lee's film company. The promise was the first systematic attempt to provide a form of reparations to newly freed slaves, and it was astonishingly radical for its time, proto-socialist in its implications. In fact, such a policy would be radical in any country today: the federal government's massive confiscation of private property -- some 400,000 acres -- formerly owned by Confederate land owners, and its methodical redistribution to former black slaves. What most of us haven't heard is that the idea really was generated by black leaders themselves.

It is difficult to stress adequately howrevolutionary this idea was: As the historian Eric Foner puts it in his book, Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877, "Here in coastal South Carolina and Georgia, the prospect beckoned of a transformation of Southern society more radical even than the end of slavery." Try to imagine how profoundly different the history of race relations in the United States would have been had this policy been implemented and enforced; had the former slaves actually had access to the ownership of land, of property; if they had had a chance to be self-sufficient economically, to build, accrue and pass on wealth. After all, one of the principal promises of America was the possibility of average people being able to ownland, and all that such ownership entailed. As we know all too well, this promise was not to be realized for the overwhelming majority of the nation's former slaves, who numbered about 3.9 million.

What Exactly Was Promised?

We have been taught in school that the source of the policy of "40 acres and a mule" was Union General William T. Sherman's Special Field Order No. 15, issued on Jan. 16, 1865. (That account is half-right: Sherman prescribed the 40 acres in that Order, but not the mule. The mule would come later.) But what many accounts leave out is that this idea for massive land redistribution actually was the result of a discussion that Sherman and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton held four days beforeSherman issued the Order, with 20 leaders of the black community in Savannah, Ga., where Sherman was headquartered following his famous March to the Sea. The meeting was unprecedented in American history.

Today, we commonly use the phrase "40 acres and a mule," but few of us have read the Order itself. Three of its parts are relevant here. Section one bears repeating in full: "The islands from Charleston, south, the abandoned rice fields along the rivers for thirty miles back from the sea, and the country bordering the St. Johns river, Florida, are reserved and set apart for the settlement of the negroes [sic] now made free by the acts of war and the proclamation of the President of the United States."

Section two specifies that these new communities, moreover, would be governed entirely by black people themselves: " … on the islands, and in the settlements hereafter to be established, no white person whatever, unless military officers and soldiers detailed for duty, will be permitted to reside; and the sole and exclusive management of affairs will be left to the freed people themselves … By the laws of war, and orders of the President of the United States, the negro [sic] is free and must be dealt with as such."

Finally, section three specifies the allocation of land: " … each family shall have a plot of not more than (40) acres of tillable ground, and when it borders on some water channel, with not more than 800 feet water front, in the possession of which land the military authorities will afford them protection, until such time as they can protect themselves, or until Congress shall regulate their title."

With this Order, 400,000 acres of land -- "a strip of coastline stretching from Charleston, South Carolina, to the St. John's River in Florida, including Georgia's Sea Islands and the mainland thirty miles in from the coast," asBarton Myers reports -- would be redistributed to the newly freed slaves. The extent of this Order and its larger implications are mind-boggling, actually.

Who Came Up With the Idea?

Here's how this radical proposal -- which must have completely blown the minds of the rebel Confederates -- actually came about. The abolitionists Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens and other Radical Republicans had been actively advocating land redistribution "to break the back of Southern slaveholders' power," as Myers observed. But Sherman's plan only took shape after the meeting that he and Stanton held with those black ministers, at 8:00 p.m., Jan. 12, on the second floor of Charles Green's mansion on Savannah's Macon Street. In its broadest strokes, "40 acres and a mule" was their idea.

Stanton, aware of the great historical significance of the meeting, presented Henry Ward Beecher (Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous brother) a verbatim transcript of the discussion, which Beecher read to his congregation at New York's Plymouth Church and which the New York Daily Tribune printed in full in its Feb. 13, 1865, edition. Stanton told Beecher that "for the first time in the history of this nation, the representatives of the government had gone to these poor debased people to ask them what they wanted for themselves." Stanton had suggested to Sherman that they gather "the leaders of the local Negro community" and ask them something no one else had apparently thought to ask: "What do you want for your own people" following the war? And what they wanted astonishes us even today.

Who were these 20 thoughtful leaders who exhibited such foresight? They were all ministers, mostly Baptist and Methodist. Most curious of all to me is that 11 of the 20 had been born free in slave states, of which 10 had lived as free men in the Confederacy during the course of the Civil War. (The other one, a man named James Lynch, was born free in Maryland, a slave state, and had only moved to the South two years before.) The other nine ministers had been slaves in the South who became "contraband," and hence free, only because of the Emancipation Proclamation, when Union forces liberated them.

Their chosen leader and spokesman was a Baptist minister named Garrison Frazier, aged 67, who had been born in Granville, N.C., andwas a slave until 1857, "when he purchased freedom for himself and wife for $1000 in gold and silver," as the New York Daily Tribune reported. Rev. Frazier had been "in the ministry for thirty-five years," and it was he who bore the responsibility of answering the 12 questions that Sherman and Stanton put to the group. The stakes for the future of the Negro people were high.

And Frazier and his brothers did not disappoint. What did they tell Sherman and Stanton that the Negro most wanted? Land! "The way we can best take care of ourselves," Rev. Frazier began his answer to the crucial third question, "is to have land, and turn it and till it by our own labor … and we can soon maintain ourselves and have something to spare … We want to be placed on land until we are able to buy it and make it our own." And when asked next where the freed slaves "would rather live -- whether scattered among the whites or in colonies by themselves," without missing a beat, Brother Frazier (as the transcript calls him) replied that "I would prefer to live by ourselves, for there is a prejudice against us in the South that will take years to get over … " When polled individually around the table, all but one -- James Lynch, 26, the man who had moved south from Baltimore -- said that they agreed with Frazier. Four days later, Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, after President Lincoln approved it.

What Became of the Land That Was Promised?

The response to the Order was immediate. When the transcript of the meeting was reprinted in the black publication Christian Recorder, an editorial note intoned that "From this it will be seen that the colored people down South are not so dumb as many suppose them to be," reflecting North-South, slave-free black class tensions that continued well into the modern civil rights movement. The effect throughout the South was electric: As Eric Foner explains, "the freedmen hastened to take advantage of the Order." Baptist minister Ulysses L. Houston, one of the group that had met with Sherman, led 1,000 blacks to Skidaway Island, Ga., where they established a self-governing community with Houston as the "black governor." And by June, "40,000 freedmen had been settled on 400,000 acres of 'Sherman Land.' " By the way, Sherman later ordered that the army could lend the new settlers mules; hence the phrase, "40 acres and a mule."

And what happened to this astonishingly visionary program, which would have fundamentally altered the course of American race relations? Andrew Johnson, Lincoln's successor and a sympathizer with the South, overturned the Order in the fall of 1865, and, as Barton Myers sadly concludes, "returned the land along the South Carolina, Georgia and Florida coasts to the planters who had originally owned it" -- to the very people who had declared war on the United States of America.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Daniel Villarreal at LGBTQ Nation:

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has adopted former President Donald Trump’s platform for the Republican Party. The new platform removes the party’s opposition to same-sex marriage — though conservatives have signaled that they’d like to overturn it — and also "softens" conservative opposition to abortion and in vitro fertilization (IVF), two issues that Republicans worry could hurt them in the November election. The platform’s anti-transgender goals, numbered 16 and 17 among its 20 goals, are stated thus: “Cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children,” and “Keep men out of women’s sports.” Chapter 9, Section 5 of the platform promises to “end Left-wing gender insanity,” stating, “We will keep men out of women’s sports, ban Taxpayer funding for sex change surgeries, and stop Taxpayer-funded Schools from promoting gender transition, reverse Biden’s radical rewrite of Title IX Education Regulations, and restore protections for women and girls.”

[...] The platform also echoes the Republican opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in schools by promising to “expose politicized education models.” The platform also promises to “restore Parental Rights in Education”, a dog whistle for opposition to anti-racist and LGBTQ+-inclusive education. Anti-LGBTQ+ groups like Moms for Liberty and Leave Our Kids Alone have functioned under the banner of “parents’ rights.”

“We trust Parents’ Knowledge and Skills, Not CRT [critical race theory] and Gender Indoctrination,” the platform states. “Republicans will ensure children are taught fundamentals like Reading, History, Science, and Math, not Leftwing propaganda. We will defund schools that engage in inappropriate political indoctrination of our children using Federal Taxpayer Dollars.” As for higher education, the platform promises to “fire Radical Left accreditors … restore Due Process protections, and pursue Civil Rights cases against Schools that discriminate.” The line about accreditors may refer to the College Board, an organization that gives high school students a chance to pre-earn college credits through Advanced Placement (AP) tests. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) publicly criticized the board last year and tried to get it to drop AP test questions on racial justice movements and queer theory — he failed. The platform repeatedly mentions that Leftists should be removed from government. It also promises, “Republicans will use existing Federal Law to keep foreign Christian-hating Communists, Marxists, and Socialists out of America. Those who join our Country must love our Country. We will use extreme vetting to ensure that jihadists and jihadist sympathizers are not admitted.”

The GOP’s proposed platform contains several anti-trans items, such as keeping trans women out of women’s sports, de facto support for bans on gender-affirming care, support for forced outing policies under the guise of “parental rights”, and pushes the lie that trans people are a “danger” to women and girls.

[ausetkmt]

Black women have made important contributions to the United States throughout its history. However, they are not always recognized for their efforts, with some remaining anonymous and others becoming famous for their achievements. In the face of gender and racial bias, Black women have broken barriers, challenged the status quo, and fought for equal rights for all. The accomplishments of Black female historical figures in politics, science, the arts, and more continue to impact society.

Marian Anderson (Feb. 27, 1897–April 8, 1993)

Underwood Archives / Getty Images

Contralto Marian Anderson is considered one of the most important singers of the 20th century. Known for her impressive three-octave vocal range, she performed widely in the U.S. and Europe, beginning in the 1920s. She was invited to perform at the White House for President Franklin Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1936, the first African American so honored. Three years later, after the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow Anderson to sing at a Washington, D.C. gathering, the Roosevelts invited her to perform on the steps of the Lincon Memorial.

Anderson continued to sing professionally until the 1960s when she became involved in politics and civil rights issues. Among her many honors, Anderson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.

Mary McLeod Bethune (July 10, 1875–May 18, 1955)

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Mary McLeod Bethune was an African American educator and civil rights leader best known for her work co-founding the Bethune-Cookman University in Florida. Born into a sharecropping family in South Carolina, the young Bethune had a zest for learning from her earliest days. After stints teaching in Georgia, she and her husband moved to Florida and eventually settled in Jacksonville. There, she founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute in 1904 to provide education for Black girls. It merged with the Cookman Institute for Men in 1923, and Bethune served as president for the next two decades.

A passionate philanthropist, Bethune also led civil rights organizations and advised Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin Roosevelt on African American issues. In addition, President Harry Truman invited her to attend the founding convention of the United Nations; she was the only African American delegate to attend.

Shirley Chisholm (Nov. 30, 1924–Jan. 1, 2005)

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Shirley Chisholm is best known for her 1972 bid to win the Democratic presidential nomination; she was the first Black woman to make this attempt in a major political party. However, she had been active in state and national politics for more than a decade and had represented parts of Brooklyn in the New York State Assembly from 1965 to 1968. She became the first Black woman to serve in Congress in 1968. During her tenure, she co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus. Chisholm left Washington in 1983 and devoted the rest of her life to civil rights and women's issues.

Althea Gibson (Aug. 25, 1927–Sept. 28, 2003)

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Althea Gibson started playing tennis as a child in New York City, winning her first tennis tournament at age 15. She dominated the American Tennis Association circuit, reserved for Black players, for more than a decade. In 1950, Gibson broke the tennis color barrier at Forest Hills Country Club (site of the U.S. Open); the following year, she became the first African American to play at Wimbledon in Great Britain. Gibson continued to excel at the sport, winning both amateur and professional titles through the early 1960s.

Dorothy Height (March 24, 1912–April 20, 2010)

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Dorothy Height has been described as the godmother of the women's movement because of her work for gender equality. For four decades, she led the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW )and was a leading figure in the 1963 March on Washington. Height began her career as an educator in New York City, where her work caught the attention of Eleanor Roosevelt. Beginning in 1957, she led the NCNW and also advised the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA). She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994.

Rosa Parks (Feb. 4, 1913–Oct. 24, 2005)

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Rosa Parks became active in the Alabama civil rights movement after marrying activist Raymond Parks in 1932. She joined the Montgomery, Alabama, chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1943 and was involved in much of the planning that went into the famous bus boycott that began the following decade. Parks is best known for her December 1, 1955, arrest for refusing to give up her bus seat to a White rider. That incident sparked the 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott, which eventually desegregated that city's public transit. Parks and her family moved to Detroit in 1957, and she remained active in civil rights until her death.

Augusta Savage (Feb. 29, 1892–March 26, 1962)

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Augusta Savage displayed an artistic aptitude from her youngest days. Encouraged to develop her talent, she enrolled in New York City's Cooper Union to study art. She earned her first commission, a sculpture of civil rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois, from the New York library system in 1921, and several other commissions followed. Despite meager resources, she continued working through the Great Depression, making sculptures of several notable Black people, including Frederick Douglass and W. C. Handy. Her best-known work, "The Harp," was featured at the 1939 World's Fair in New York, but it was destroyed after the fair ended.

Harriet Tubman (1822–March 20, 1913)

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Enslaved from birth in Maryland, Harriet Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849. The year after she arrived in Philadelphia, Tubman returned to Maryland to free her family members. Over the next 12 years, she returned nearly 20 times, helping more than 300 enslaved Black people escape bondage by ushering them along the Underground Railroad. The "railroad" was the nickname for a secret route that enslaved Black people used to flee the South for anti-slavery states in the North and to Canada. During the Civil War, Tubman worked as a nurse, a scout, and a spy for Union forces. After the war, she worked to establish schools for formerly enslaved people in South Carolina. In her later years, Tubman also became involved in women's rights causes.

Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753–Dec. 5, 1784)

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Born in Africa, Phillis Wheatley came to the U.S. at age 8, when she was captured and sold into enslavement. John Wheatley, the Boston man who enslaved her, was impressed by Phillis' intellect and interest in learning, and he and his wife taught her to read and write. The Wheatleys allowed Phillis time to pursue her studies, which led her to develop an interest in poetry writing. A poem she published in 1767 earned her much acclaim. Six years later, her first volume of poems was published in London, and she became known in both the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The Revolutionary War disrupted Wheatley's writing, however, and she was not widely published after it ended.

Charlotte Ray (Jan. 13, 1850–Jan. 4, 1911)

Charlotte Ray has the distinction of being the first African American woman lawyer in the United States and the first woman admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia. Her father, active in New York City's Black community, made sure his young daughter was well educated; she received her law degree from Howard University in 1872 and was admitted to the Washington, D.C., bar shortly afterward. Both her race and gender proved to be obstacles in her professional career, and she eventually became a teacher in New York City instead.