#Latin Americans can be refugees

[motsimages]

The thing with US imperialism is that the marketing has been so good for the past century (almost) that we have believed it to be A Good Thing, an Ideal, something to copy and export. It may have been briefly so, but it certainly isn't anymore. It is a failed state.

There are many other countries full of inequality, violence and all kind of social problems that we don't envy or idealise of try to copy. We don't even hear of them, we have virtually no reference. Do they have universal healthcare in Afganistan? We don't know. Do people have unemployment benefits in Sudan? We don't know. Do people have paid leave in Russia? We don't know. They may be famous countries for some terrible shit, but we are not told anything other than The Terrible Thing They Are Famous For.

But the US? I have all the fucking details of the new horrifying law that has been passed in one of the 50 something states. And the worse part is I better pay attention because our government may think it's a good idea and try to copy it. We don't want to copy The Terrible Politics of Third World Country we get refugees from, but we are willing to get inspired by the country where you can't walk anywhere, where homelesness is a big fucking problem to unheard levels in many other countries, where schools shootings are a thing, where segregation and slavery still exist under another name, where religion makes law, and so on.

We tolerate things from the US that most countries in the world are penalised for. The dream is falling apart, we are starting to see glimpses of real life US and it is horrifying. And many people and governments still believe it is an ideal to achieve.

[ishomieokay]

It's 2024 and there's still Americans out there trying to convince white passing latinos that we are not latinos. Can we like, progress as a society or something? It's getting tiring.

Please, call us privileged and colonizers and shit all you like. Please, disregard the fact that not all white latinos descend from colonizers, but from refugees who came here after World War I and II.

In my (admitedly very specific) case, my mom came to Venezuela after the fall of the Soviet Union looking for a better life. Her ancestors were certainly not complicit in Spanish colonization 💀

And yeah, we do benefit from white privilege and IT is fucked up, don't get me wrong. But like, look at yourself in a mirror, maybe? 🤦🏻‍♀

We are not the ones gentrifying Latin American cities and making everything so expensive the locals can't even efford to live in their own countries anymore. We are not the ones funding the fucking cartels with our nation wide drug problem. Yes, that's a thing. And we are certainly NOT the ones electing presidents who keep bombing the Middle East and overthrowing our goverments for funsies.

Dear god, I know I will get crucified for saying it but here it goes. Even if you are POC, you are more privileged than we will ever be just for having an American passport and speaking English without an accent. Leave us the fuck alone.

[liesmyth]

has something from a tlt fic ever become headcanon to you? i ask because i find this happening to me all the damn time with this fandom but not others

OK SO, my tlt headcanons are like schrodinger's cat, they explicitly contradict each other sometimes and all of them exist at the same time in different quantum states of canon. So in that sense I've never read a fic and thought, okay, THIS is my canon from now on.

But I've read so so many fics that burst my third eye wide open and made me consider different perspectives on a character / dynamic, or helped me shape some I already had. A few favourites:

the soul that seeketh him by bittybelle — missing scene pre NtN ft. John and Kiriona. Wherein John Gaius meets his daughter, remembers the women he left behind, and deals poorly with being the male god of a universe in which the divine is essentially feminine.

AO3 user LesbianJesusLovesYou gave me Big Feelings about Gideon's childhood on the Ninth and her relationship with Harrow, Aiglamene, Ortus and Crux

believing in everything (and knowing nothing at all) — A series of childhood memories from the Ninth

when i call, will you come to me? — “My Lady,” Ortus wheezed, shifting uncomfortably. “I only thought you should know… Gideon Nav was flogged before the congregation.”

A few fics set right after NtN that really stayed with me:

never hear the sound of someone calling me home by @corpsesoldier — Kiriona Gaia returns to the House of the Ninth.

One More Son by captainpeggy — After Nona, Pyrrha Dve walks the Ninth.

two old broads split a cigarette by @forjodssake — Aiglamene/Pyrrha. “sometimes the girl you like becomes one person w her soulmate and you have to jack off about it”

Post HtN missing scenes:

Death in its season by @ancientannoyance — John holds Mercymorn's 24 minutes funeral

recognize them by their fruits by @ceruleanvulpine — John and Ianthe emerge out of the River

Other stuff that Stuck With Me

so I open the window to hear sounds of people by @sunderedstar — post NtN flashbacks. John and Alecto are the only two beings on earth, and he starts working on the Resurrection. This is harrowing and I'm absolutely obsessed with the implications in this fic of WHY John removed everyone's memory.

and they were roommates by @herenortherenearnorfar — pre Resurrection Mercy and Cristabel, from their first meeting onwards and it just really burrowed a hole in my brain and grew roots and sprouts and everything. Latin American nun Cristabel it's all I can see now, and YES they met working with climate refugees when M— was a bright eyed idealistic doctor. It also lines up great with the Asian Mercy headcanon that exist in my head (I have a whole elaborate backstory about M— aged 12 proclaiming to her Filipino Catholic family that she's an atheist now). Anyway, it's just a lovely, gorgeous fic. I think about it every day.

John 25:12 by @halfeatenmoon — pre-Resurrection, John and his friends escape the cow fortress to spend Christmas Day at the beach. With beer, salads, pavlova, and the corpses of a million fish killed by nuclear weapons testing. Ft. Southern hemisphere holidays in Mururoa Atol and 100% canon. To me.

Operation: The Most Honorable Man by @cadmean — Augustine has a proposal for the Saint of Duty (Dios Apate. That's the proposal)

lowkey cheating but I can't choose — absolutely anything AO3 user Raxheim has posted has been SOO up my alley. Every time I read one of their fics I feel like I'm enlightened by some never-before-considered detail. And mean ANYTHING, from Harrow Nova to Wake to Cytherea and the Lyctors to the Universe's #1 Sadgirl Gideon

[mariacallous]

Through the twists and turns of the U.S. presidential race, immigration has remained one of voters’ top concerns. Former President Donald Trump has consistently made allegations about the supposed danger posed by migrants, including repeating a false claim that Haitians in Ohio were eating Americans’ pets. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has touted the sharp drop in migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border in recent months as a sign of the White House’s control over the issue.

U.S. authorities’ encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border—when a migrant is apprehended by Border Patrol before they are generally expelled or allowed to enter asylum proceedings—fell from 249,741 in December 2023 to 58,038 in August. But while the White House has taken some unilateral steps to lower those numbers—such as a June presidential proclamation that severely restricted the ability to seek asylum at the border—Harris and U.S. President Joe Biden may owe just as much to countries such as Mexico and Panama.

In coordination with the United States, Mexico and Panama have constructed their own new barriers to northward migration in the last year. Those include a busing campaign to move migrants southward within Mexico, as well as fencing and deportation flights to tighten up the Panama-Colombia border. After Mexico stepped up the current campaign in January, U.S. border arrivals dropped by a whopping 50 percent in one month.

The chaotic discourse surrounding immigration in the United States obscures a broader story: The Western Hemisphere boasts an increasingly synchronous approach to managing migration. Through negotiations with Latin American countries, the Biden administration has helped develop a regional strategy that goes beyond enforcement to include steps such as creating new legal pathways for labor migration. The approach has won praise from organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the U.N. Refugee Agency, even as migrant rights groups have also criticized some of its tactics.

At its core, the hemispheric strategy is straightforward, said its coordinator on the White House National Security Council, Marcela Escobari: “creating consequences for irregular migration—and for the smugglers preying on vulnerable migrants—while creating alternative lawful pathways.”

Before the recent decline in migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border, authorities were wrestling with a record influx; encounters soared to more than 2 million in both 2022 and 2023.

This increase has multiple causes. More than 7 million people have fled Venezuela in the last decade. Most reside in Latin America, while others have ventured toward the United States. Cuba’s economic crisis, meanwhile, prompted its largest emigration wave in history between 2022 and 2023. People have also fled violence and poverty in countries such as Haiti and Ecuador. And some migrants reach the U.S. border from starting points beyond the Western Hemisphere, having flown to Latin America from countries such as India, China, and Afghanistan to trek northward.

Smugglers often play a major role in encouraging migrants. “They sell the route like it’s adventure tourism,” said Ronal Rodríguez, a migration expert at the University of Rosario in Bogotá. Thanks in part to organized crime groups that see migrants as a revenue stream, the Darién Gap—the dangerous jungle border between Colombia and Panama—went from being considered mostly unpassable to becoming a migrant highway since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Historic migration flows have strained Latin American countries and their asylum and refugee systems for years. So governments started talking. In 2018, 11 Latin American countries gathered in Quito, Ecuador, to launch a series of negotiations on assisting Venezuelan migrants, pledging steps such as granting them legal status in host countries and connecting them with international aid.

Then, at the 2022 Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, 19 Latin American and Caribbean countries along with Canada and the United States signed on to a U.S.-conceived pledge for multipronged migration cooperation that included boosting enforcement, expanding legal pathways for migration, and stabilizing migrant populations where they currently reside.

The LA Declaration was conceived to apply to migrants of all nationalities, but some of the clearest examples of how it works in practice pertain to Venezuelans.

Countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize have introduced visa requirements for Venezuelan visitors since 2022—an example of an enforcement move meant to deter illegal migration. But since October 2022, some Venezuelans have been able to apply to fly into the United States under a temporary protection mechanism called humanitarian parole, a new legal pathway. To stabilize migrant populations, the United States helps fund aid for displaced Venezuelans living in Colombia to discourage further migration.

The fact that the talks for the LA Declaration included countries from Chile to Canada marked a new chapter in Western Hemisphere diplomacy, said Diego Chaves-González of the Migration Policy Institute. Smaller regional blocs such as the Caribbean Community and Mercosur had in the past mostly conducted migration negotiations internally; now, they are swapping strategies. “These bubbles, in terms of migration, have burst,” Chaves-González said.

As a broadly defined strategy, the LA Declaration includes signatories that sometimes disagree about the fine print. Latin American countries have occasionally chafed at U.S. demands for greater migration enforcement in the hemisphere.

Even after Colombia, Panama, and the United States announced a joint campaign to “end the illicit movement of people” through the Darién Gap in April 2023, Colombian President Gustavo Petro told the New York Times that it was not his goal to stop migration through the gap; he said he would not send “horses and whips” to address a problem that Colombia did not create and instead blamed U.S. sanctions on Venezuela for exacerbating the issue. (The campaign ended after two months with little change on the ground.)

Even so, Petro has gone along with other tenets of the LA Declaration, such as allowing the U.S. government to screen certain migrants in Colombia for refugee resettlement and refer them to information about other lawful routes via a program called the Safe Mobility Initiative.

The declaration’s goal of adding legal pathways has earned especially strong enthusiasm among Latin American governments. It has also allowed for a conceptual innovation, Chaves-González said: connecting migration management with countries’ labor market needs.

“Today, the labor force of the United States would be rapidly shrinking without immigration,” said George Mason University economist Michael Clemens, who advised the Biden administration on migration policy between 2021 and 2023. In Mexico, some of the country’s largest employers are cooperating to recruit migrants and refugees to fill their workforce needs. And in Colombia, migration was in large part responsible for saving the country’s coffee and flower industries over the last five years, Chaves-González said.

Voters often don’t realize migrants’ positive impact on host economies, Clemens said, because of incorrect measurement and false stereotypes. For a more complete accounting, he pointed to a July Congressional Budget Office estimate that the U.S. immigration surge since 2021—composed of groups such as asylum-seekers, undocumented people, and those admitted through executive parole—will add some $9 trillion to the economy over the next decade.

Eyeing not only humanitarian principles but also economic benefits, the Biden administration has paroled some 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans into the United States since 2022. Washington also worked with Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to grow the number of temporary H-2 work visas issued to their citizens, from 9,800 in 2021 to around 27,000 in 2023.

Mexico, meanwhile, has issued work authorization to more than 17,500 asylum-seekers since 2022 and created an online platform to connect migrants with jobs. A nascent U.S. program called Labor Neighbors also aims to build a matching system between workers and jobs throughout the hemisphere, U.S. Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall said on Sept. 17.

Mexico has been an especially vocal advocate for new legal pathways. In a high-stakes December 2023 meeting where U.S. officials requested Mexican help stopping migrants moving northward, Mexican officials pushed for increased legal migration routes, they later wrote.

“Where we have to place our bet,” then-Mexican Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena said in June, “is on regular pathways for labor migration.”

The LA Declaration has gained praise inside and outside the Western Hemisphere. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi hailed a “growing convergence of views” in the hemisphere on migration, while the Danish and Swiss governments have funded research discussing whether the Safe Mobility Initiative could be replicated in Europe. “The current U.S. government has sought to create a positive agenda with the region when it comes to managing these [migrant] flows that are somewhat inevitable,” Brazilian diplomat Carlos Márcio Cozendey said.

Despite those accolades, some migration and human rights experts have also criticized actions taken under the scope of the declaration, which they say chip away at the international right to asylum.

Hemispheric actions since 2022 have in practice included more steps to restrict migration pathways than to create new ones, the University of Rosario’s Rodríguez said. New legal pathways often have strict cutoff dates, nationality requirements, fees, and documentation needs. Biden’s June proclamation was transparent about its intent to make it harder to claim asylum at the U.S. border, broadly restricting migrants’ eligibility for the second time in just over a year.

“With the Los Angeles Declaration, a lot of countries that had a policy of migrant reception are assuming the U.S. posture of migrant containment,” Rodríguez said. Chile, for example, announced “supposed pathways for formal migration, but people in humanitarian need can’t fulfill the requirements because they lack documents like passports,” he added.

Biden administration officials have pushed back against criticism of Washington’s border tightening. The U.S. asylum system “is not built for a higher volume of people” and the way it was being used by migrants was “destabilizing,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in September.

Strains on asylum systems across the world have led policymakers to increasingly bypass them in favor of other methods for handling protection-seeking migrants, Migration Policy Institute researchers noted in a July report. That includes the Biden administration’s use of humanitarian parole for certain Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who might have otherwise tried to seek asylum at the border. The researchers argued for shifting “the focus of protection responses away from an exclusive reliance on territorial asylum and toward a diversified set of policy tools.”

While the U.N. Refugee Agency has encouraged the United States’ and its neighbors’ efforts “to develop a comprehensive response to forced displacement in the hemisphere,” it has also “expressed concern about measures that introduced restrictions on the right to seek asylum, potentially leaving many individuals in need of international protection without viable means to reach safety and at risk of being returned to danger,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

As the U.S. election approaches, the biggest question around regional migration cooperation is how much would survive a potential Trump presidency. Trump has remained neck and neck with Harris in polls as he pledges to carry out mass deportations, “suspend refugee resettlement,” and scrap an app that the Biden administration developed to allow some migrants to register for asylum screenings.

If Trump carries out an anti-migrant crackdown, “I do not think Mr. Trump is going to care, frankly, whether Latin American and Caribbean countries—or anybody else sending refugees and irregular migration—may be upset about this,” said Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States.

While Trump could deal a heavy blow to the current approach, much too depends on other countries in the Western Hemisphere. It was during Trump’s presidency that countries such as Colombia and Brazil started to lead cooperation on hosting displaced Venezuelans despite the White House’s relative lack of engagement on the issue.

In 2018, Colombia granted regular status to nearly half a million Venezuelans, kicking off a wave of similar measures in other South American countries. The same year, Brazil launched a program to connect Venezuelan migrants with jobs that has since transferred more than 100,000 people from border areas. With help from both the government and private sector, Cozendey, the Brazilian diplomat, said Venezuelans “are absorbed around the country without turning into a problem.” The program has survived center-right, far-right, and left-wing governments.

Late last month in New York City, LA Declaration countries announced the creation of a new technical secretariat to ensure their work continues into the future. Colombia was appointed the group’s rotating chair for 2025.

“We have very important progress” in joint responses to migration, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said. “But still we have a lot of challenges.”

[planetary-wolf]

I understand feeling disenfranchised by the current system of politics in the US.

But let's be honest here. Refusing to vote because you "draw the line at genocide" is a moral superiority thing. Have any other reason to not vote, for fucks sake.

Where's that energy for the mass deportation and detaining of migrants and refugee seekers that Trump has promised? Where's that energy for the gas pipelines that are going to be infringing on Indigenous American populations?

I understand wanting to help abroad, but actively ignoring the problems stateside in the process feels like some kind of moral mission-- instead of spreading Christianity to these overseas places, you're playing some kind of Western Savior trope. This is what got all of Latin America in trouble, is this feeling that ONLY THE USA can save the world.

We are allowed to help. We are not the savior. And if you "draw the line at genocide" and forget to fight for the country you live in, we're going to be facing

-an increase in trans deaths,

-a severe increase in complications and deaths in pregnancy and birth (especially in places where the rate is already high, esp. for people of color),

-huge home raids for Latinos looking for people to be part of the "biggest mass deportation the country has ever seen"

-Indigenous American deaths as they fight for THEIR OWN LAND yet again.

VOTE, DOWN THE WHOLE TICKET, EVERY SINGLE POSITION TO ELECT FOR, VOTE. FLIP THE SENATE, FLIP THE HOUSE.

[usaigi]

How MK can be Latino and Jewish: A Guide for Fanfic Writers and RPs

Thank you to @fdelopera for help me with this post

This is my headcanon (the canon in the Usaigi Fanfic Universe) and you're welcome to adapt it for your own works of fiction. Of course, this is not the only explanation and you are free to headcanon however you’d like* ** This is a long post but please read and reblog.

*as long as you’re NOT perpetrating antisemitic and/or racist rhetoric

**if you do use mine I'll be over the moon and would love to read it. Also credit is nice 

In honor of Oscar Isaac’s actual ethnicity(Guatemalan-Cuban) and to stay semi-realistic to actual history, in my hc Elias’s family is mostly Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jewish from Cuba who left Cuba during the Cuban revolution. Wendy’s family is Ladino(a term in Guatemala for someone who is multiracial with a mix of indigenous and European ancestry. Mestizo in other countries) with Mayan and converso (Sephardic/Crypto) ancestry. Oscar Isaac, in real life, is also Crypto-Jewish (literally, “Hidden-Jewish”) on his father’s side, making him Patrilineal Jewish by descent. His father’s family are descended from Converso Jews who were evicted from Spain in the 1500s. 

Nitpicking Other Fandom Explanations/HCs

I’ve read some fanfics where Wendy is Latina and Elias a non-Latino jew. I personally prefer my explanation because the actor who plays Elias is also Latino. And, (to me) having Wendy be the Latina convert and Elias the (American) Jew plays into the idea that people from Latin America can’t be Jewish, so I personally don’t vibe with that headcanon.  

Both before and during WWII, there was a wave of Jewish refugees who sought asylum in Latin America. I’ve seen other fans suggest that the Spectors could be the descent of these refugees who settled in Argentinian (or another South American country that took in refugees) because “Spector” is an Ashkenazi last name and proceed to imply that they would not be “Latino” by blood. 

Firstly, I’d like to point out that there is no such thing as being “Latino by blood.” In the same sense that you cannot be Canadian or American by blood. First Nations and Native Americans are the only ones able to make that claim but their history and culture existed before the land was called Canada or America. They are Inuit/Navajo/etc by blood, not really Canadian/American by blood. It’s a European idea. “Latino” similarly, is a European word used to describe an ethnicity; it is not a race. (x) So even if the Spectors left Poland/Russia/Europe in 1930s, settled in Argentina, and some generations later MK was born, MK would still be Latino. 

Secondly, while you don’t need to follow my headcanon, if you choose to make Elias 100% ethnically European Jewish(white), I would still encourage you to make Wendy indigenous/multiracial. By making both sides of the family descendants of Jewish refugees from Europe, you’re whitewashing MK. Oscar Isaac is a POC actor, let his character also be POC. Don’t just make the character Latino, let them be brown. 

ok back to me~

On Elias

“The majority of Cuban Jews are descended from European Jews who immigrated in the early 20th century. More than 24,000 Jews lived in Cuba in 1924, and still more immigrated to the country in the 1930s. Following the 1959 communist revolution, 94% of the country's Jews emigrated, most of them to the United States.” (x)

For Elias and his side of the family, him being Cuban makes sense. He could be the descendant of those who left Spain, Turkey, and Eastern Europe due to persecution and intermarried with non-Jewish Tainos/mestizos. Elias would still be Jewish but also have some indigenous ancestry as well. If Elias was in his 20s when he had Marc, his family could have left Cuba in 1959 along with most other Jews and resettled in the States.

Further reading on Jewish Cubans: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/cuba-virtual-jewish-history-tour

On Wendy

In my head, Wendy is Ladino with Mayan, European, and conversa(Jews forced to convert to Catholicism) ancestry.

Assuming that Wendy was also in her 20s when she had Marc, she’d have been born and lived through the Guatemalan Civil War/Genocide (1960-1996). For context, with the support of the United States government, the Guatemalan government committed genocide against the Mayan population as well as widespread human rights violations against civilians. Wendy could have immigrated to the US when she was a teenager like many Latine children did (and still do) in order to escape the violence and war. Then, she could have converted back to Judaism, married Elias, then proceed to have Marc and Randall. 

How would the MK System be considered Jewish if Wendy were not raised Jewish, and converted in adulthood?

(by fdelopera)

Most major Jewish denominations in the US will recognize a child as Jewish if the mother converts before marriage. These denominations include Reform (Ashkenazi denomination from Germany), Conservative (Ashkenazi denomination from Russia), and Reconstructionist (Ashkenazi denomination from the United States).

Nowadays, some Orthodox congregations also allow women to convert who weren't raised Jewish, and consider the children to be Jewish, so long as the conversion takes place prior to marriage. (Ultra-Orthodox congregations are still strict about this.)

However, in the 1980s when MK was born, this was not normally the case. In Orthodox communities, it would be unlikely for children to be considered Jewish if the mother was not born Jewish, and there was much less awareness of Crypto-Jewish people from Latam.

There is a "relatively" large Latine Jewish population in Chicago (relative to other Midwestern cities, at least), and because of this, there are several Sephardic synagogues in the Chicago area. The Spectors might have considered joining one of these synagogues as a family. Perhaps Elias grew up in one. However, Sephardic synagogues tend to be nondenominational Orthodox, and as such, they would have been more strict about conversion. It is possible that they would have prevented Wendy from converting, and they might have gatekept Marc and Roro from their Judaism.

Wendy might have decided to convert Reform, since a Reform congregation would recognize her Jewish heritage, and therefore her conversion process would be much easier. Elias might have left his childhood synagogue and followed Wendy to a Reform Temple. (In the show, the Spectors are coded as Reform Jewish, and so this HC works.)

However, Reform congregations were not as used to Latino members in the 1980s and 90s, and so the Spectors would likely have encountered racism in these communities, even though the Reform congregations would have recognized Wendy as Jewish, and made it relatively easy for her to convert. 

So, the family would have experienced possibly less racism in Sephardic synagogues in Chicago, but Wendy might not have been welcomed. They would have been accepted as Jews in the Reform Temples in Chicago, but they likely would have experienced racism.

So, it's another instance of the family being outsiders in their own communities, further marginalizing them. And by extension, marginalizing the MK System and making it difficult for them to participate in both Jewish and Latine communities.

What does this mean for MK system (and by extension Randall)?

The Spectors would likely have been the black sheep in their community.

 Not really fitting in with the Jewish community (since they’re Latino) and not really fitting in with the Latino community (since they’re Jewish). They are Jewish, they are Latino, but not in “the right way.” While I feel like this is important to keep in mind, I would suggest not writing about this particular subject (“gatekeeping”/racism in the Jewish community) unless you are a member of these communities AND you have done your research. By making an auntie in your fic say something racist, you may be contributing to the idea that Jews are racist which could harm them in real life. By making a tia say something anti-Semitic, it could do the same. Even if you're writing angst/drama, I think I’m not the only POC who will say that reading stories about racism isn’t super fun. MK has a shit ton of trauma that you can explore without unintentionally saying negative things about communities you are not a part of. 

But can I write cultural trauma I have a Jewish/Latine beta reader?

Don’t ask Jewish/Latine people to read a fic about our cultural trauma. It’s rude, it’s insensitive, it could be triggering. It’s not POC/Jewish people’s job to tell you when you being offensive. 

I think it’s fine to talk about how they feel like they don’t fit in, but please don’t make your Jewish characters/Latine characters be racist/antisemitic. 

2. Intergenerational Trauma 

At this point, I’m starting to believe it’s impossible to be Indigenous/POC or Jewish (or Autistic) without trauma. All these groups have been victims of hate crime, genocide, and discrimination for most of human history. If Elias’s parents escape a war, that could have affected him. If Wendy lived through war, that most certainly would have affected her. If neither got help, support, or healthy coping skills, that would affect Marc and Randall. This is intergenerational trauma. This is why it’s a cycle. 

Bonus: This is all great, all power and blessed Usaigi, but do I need to talk about all of this in my fanfic?

No, of course not. This is all just for backstory you may want to keep in mind if it’s relevant to your story. If your fic is a fluff piece about Marc and Steven going to the park, totally not relevant. If your fic is a flashback of when the system was younger, may be relevant. 

[latin-american-diversity]

A Chilean Man of Palestinian ancestry partakes in a pro-Palestinian protest

Chilean-Palestinians

Outside of the Levant and the Arabian Gulf nations, Chile is home to the largest Palestinian diaspora in the world with up to 500 thousand Chileans having Palestinian ancestry. 

Palestinian immigration to the country began in the middle of the 19th century during the Ottoman rule. Like other immigrants from the Ottoman Empire, whether Arab, Slavic, Assyrian, or Greek; Palestinians were often called Turcos (Turks) since they usually entered the country with Turkish documentation. This denominate remains common in Chile and neighbouring Latin American countries to this day; which has erroneously lead many Latin Americans with non-Turkish ancestry and little information about family history, to be under the impression that they are of Turkish ancestry. 

Historically, the majority of Palestinians that arrived in Chile were Eastern Orthodox Christians, as most countries in Latin America barred the immigration of Muslims; for this reason there are more Christian Palestinian descendants in Chile than in Palestine itself. However, in recent times Chile has also taken in Palestinian refugees, the majority being Sunni Muslims. 

Many of the first waves of Palestinian immigrants lived in abject poverty and were illiterate. In addition to this like many other immigrant groups to Latin America, particularly those coming from the Ottoman Empire, Eastern Europe, and East Asia they were faced with xenophobia; a product of Chilean nationalism and rising post-independence ethnic/racial tensions. This xenophobia spread as far as the Chilean media, with one of country’s oldest national newspapers "El Mercurio,” writing:

“Whether they are Mohammedans or Buddhists, what one can see and smell from far, is that they are more dirty than the dogs of Constantinople...“

Despite the fact that the majority of people coming from the Ottoman Empire and Eastern Europe were Christian, the stigma of living in an empire ruled by Muslims or around Muslims was enough for them and other Christians such as Slavs, Greeks, and Armenians to be targets of Islamophobic sentiments that were prominent in Iberian American societies. 

Similar to other immigrants from the Ottoman Empire, many Palestinians began to work in commerce as merchants. This factor alongside their gradual assimilation into the white Chilean population, began their upward social mobilization. By the 1950′s Palestinian Chileans garnered a significant economic and political position in Chilean society, a good example of this is the recent presidential candidacy of Daniel Jadue.

The majority of Chilean Palestinians are inhabit the nations capital, and also the city of La Calera in Valparaiso Region, which attracted not only Palestinian immigrants but also other Levantine, Balkan, Italian, French, and German migrants.

[infiniteglitterfall]

I just saw that Ahmed Alkhatib is speaking at a synagogue in Berkeley on Friday?! He's my fourth- or fifth-favorite Palestinian activist!! He's speaking with an expert on Palestinian trauma! I have zero idea what they're going to talk about beyond that!

This is what he says is his "platform," which is so long I'm gonna paste it into a reblog:

AND FOR THE CURIOUS, YOU CAN ZOOM IN AT 8 PM ON FRIDAY WITHOUT EVEN RSVPing: https://zoom.us/j/8781040

He has had a LOT of trouble connecting with the Pro-Palestine movement and finding people who'll listen to him, much less who will center and support his work as an activist from Gaza.

So share this with all your pro-Palestinian friends!

I WOULD just assume it's like... a general talk about All The Shit. But I heard this week that a coalition of Gazan activists has been working on a plan for self-rule in Gaza.

I don't know if he's involved in that; I'm behind on all this. They're not in the same activist circles, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. But obviously it makes me curious about whether that will come up.

(OK, I know you want to know the top 5. It currently goes: Hamza Howidy at the top with a big gold star for pieces like this:

Then Bassem Eid; Moumen al-Natour; Mo Ghaoui; Ahmed Alkhatib. Those are all very close rankings that shift all the time. Even now, I'm mentally flipping 4 and 5 back and forth. And 2 and 3.

The Center for Peace Communications deserves a mention too. It's based in NYC, but it's devoted to giving the people of Gaza a way for their voices to safely be heard.)

This is what the synagogue event page says:

Potluck oneg after services, followed by HeartSpace at 8pm, featuring a discussion and Q+A with Palestinian political analyst Ahmed Alkhatib and Palestinian trauma expert Dr. Niveen Rizkalla.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the deadly Hamas attacks on October 7 and grapple with the ongoing violence and devastation in Israel-Palestine, join us in our efforts to hold multiple perspectives with nuance and complexity, part of our ongoing HeartSpace series showcasing diverse voices from the region.

Ahmed Alkhatib is a nonresident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs. He is also an American writer and analyst who grew up in Gaza City, having left in 2005 as a teenage exchange student to the United States.

He writes extensively on Gaza’s political and humanitarian affairs and has been an outspoken critic of Hamas and a promoter of coexistence and peace as the only path forward between Palestinians and Israelis.

Alkhatib has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in intelligence and national security studies. His writing has been published in US and Israeli outlets, and his opinions and comments have been featured in international press. Click here for more information and to support Ahmed’s peacebuilding efforts"

Dr. Niveen Rizkalla is a postdoctoral research fellow at UC Berkeley’s Mack Center for Mental Health and Social Conflict. She specializes in research related to trauma, including PTSD, vicarious and secondary traumatization, victims of torture and war, and gender-based violence. She is also working on the mental health of Syrian refugees and the staff who assist them.

Her most recent project delves into the physical and mental health of aid workers who assist traumatized populations (refugees, conflict, and natural disasters) in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

ZOOM INFO

Join with video https://zoom.us/j/87810404956

Join by phone 1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782

Meeting ID 878 1040 4956

Passcode 972073

Notice: Our Zoom recordings are for archival purposes only, and therefore are not available to the public.

DONATION INFO

Our Shabbat services are supported by donation. Each donation, small and large, allows us to continue with this offering. Please contribute when you register, or at one of the links below:

• Donate online chochmat.org/give

• Venmo @chochmat

• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org"

[ariel-seagull-wings]

PORTRAYALS OF PALESTINIAN X JEWISH LOVE STORIES IN BRAZILIAN TELENOVELAS

@professorlehnsherr-almashy @princesssarisa @themousefromfantasyland @lord-antihero @gravedangerahead

@tamisdava2 @faintingheroine

So, as many brazilians, I grew up with telenovelas as the main source of national enternainment.

An interesting characteristic of brazilian telenovelas (specially the ones produced by the channel Rede Globo, the most powerfull TV channel in the country) is that, besides the extra production value that can go to cinematic levels, above the usual budget of other latin american telenovelas or british and US american soap operas, is that they experiment with mixing the escapist love story with discussions of serious real life topics in the side plots: politics, street crime, drugs, mental ilness,domestic violence, sexuality, etc. are themes frequently explored in brazilian telenovelas.

In recent years, there were also international real life topics incorporated to telenovela plots, besides the brazilian reality, including, more recently, two attempts of exploring the Israel x Palestine in love stories between born in imigrant families from those two regions.

One a late night telenovela, the other an evening telenovela.

I would like to present the resume of them here, and how they were received by audiences at the time:

Pérsio and Rebeca (Amor a Vida, 2013-14)

2013's Amor a Vida (Love for Life) included the subplot of the romance between medicine doctors Pérsio (Mouhamed Harfouch), of palestinian origin, and Rebeca (Paula Braum), of jewish origin. The two originally entered in frequent verbal fights before becoming a couple, and when they did, it started as a secret to Rebeca's family, and there was a period they expent broken up because the character of Pérsio revealed that he had a past as a member of a terrorist cell and considered being a bomb man before coming to work in Brazil as a doctor.

But eventually they reunited.

When it camed to reception of this subplot, the average brazilian viewer wasn't much involved because there were already a lot of other subplots to be invested in (particularlly the romance two male character that became the first kiss between two man in a mainstream telenovela), and some leftist groups who were acompanying this story interested in how it would explore this real life conflict were left disapointed, repudiating the reveal of Pérsio as a former terrorist as stereotypical and feeling that it simplified too much the complexity of the real conflict between Israel x Palestine.

Ali and Sara (Órfãos da Terra, 2019)

2019's Órfãos da Terra (Orphans of the Earth) was a telenovela of the 18:00 p.m time spot that experimented in exploring the theme of refugees who were coming in mass to Brazil (particularly from Siria, during the height of the US x Siria warn news) and their descendants. One the plots included inside in this theme was the love story between Ali (also played by Mouhamed Harfouch), the owner of a restaurant, and Sara (Verônica Debom), a customer who learns belly dance with Ali's sister Muna (Lola Fanucci).

Ali was the grandson of the palestinian imigrant Mamede (Flávio Migliaccio), who had lost his home in Gaza during the destruction caused by the Israeli Army.

Sara was the granddaughter of the jewish imigrant Boris (Osmar Prado), daughter of the flower shop owner Eva (Betty Gofman) and sister of Davi (Vitor Thiré), a young woman who was serving in the israeli army due to the encouragement of his grandfather, and against the will of his mother and sister.

The old patriarchs Boris and Mamede were neighbors, and started the story hating each other so much that they wouldn't bear the interactions between their dogs, even less so the romance between their grandchildren.

Sara at first pretended to be a gentile, thinking that Ali would reject her if he knew she was jewish, but that didn't happened: the two kept the relationship strong after she told the truth, and had the support of Sara's mother and Sara's and Ali's siblings to be together.

Despite their grandparents schemes to separate the two and make marry people of shared cultural background (which provided a light hearted comedy), Sara and Ali fortunally got happily married.

The two families ended supporting each other trough sad moments, like Davi's death while serving in the Israeli Army and Mamede's development of Alzheimer's when, and had happy moments like Ali and Sara welcoming twin children.

Unlike the more controversial aproach of 2013's Amor a Vida, the portrayal of the love story between a Palestinian and an Arab in Órfãos da Terra was much better received by audiences and critics, by the levity and the respect in wich the two groups were portrayed, without either being villanized, and the strong trust between the two characters that became the couple.

[a-queer-seminarian]

Puerto Rican Jewish poet & activist Aurora Levins Morales speaks on solidarity & the history of antisemitism

From her poem "Red Sea":

...We cannot cross until we carry each other, all of us refugees, all of us prophets. No more taking turns on history's wheel, trying to collect old debts no-one can pay. The sea will not open that way.  This time that country is what we promise each other, our rage pressed cheek to cheek until tears flood the space between, until there are no enemies left, because this time no one will be left to drown and all of us must be chosen.  This time it's all of us or none.

I was deeply moved by an article on Levins Morales' website in which she examines modern-day Israel through a zoomed-out lens of millennia of antisemitism:

‘Long before that state was founded out of the ashes of genocide and at the expense of a colonized Arab people, Jews were the shock absorbers of Europe's class societies, "Middle Agents" drafted into being the local representatives of distant and definitely Christian ruling classes who alternately exploited and persecuted them while squeezing the life blood out of Europe's peasants and workers.'

People are often confused by anti-Semitism. They see many US Jews accumulating wealth, moving up, gaining positions of influence, and they say, "What oppression?"... 

The whole point of anti-Semitism has been to create a vulnerable buffer group that can be bribed with some privileges into managing the exploitation of others, and then, when social pressure builds, be blamed and scapegoated, distracting those at the bottom from the crimes of those at the top. Peasants who go on pogrom against their Jewish neighbors won't make it to the nobleman's palace to burn him out and seize the fields. This was the role of Jews in Europe. This has been the role of Jews in the United States, and this is the role of Jews in the Middle East…’

Levins Morales explains those “buffer” roles in detail, describes how Latin@s are often put in these roles as well, and then brings up an author who said of Israelis, “given all they’ve endured, they should know better.” She responds to this with this insight:

‘Trauma doesn't make people into better human beings. Most of the time, trauma just makes people terrified and easier to manipulate. It makes starving Irish tenants fleeing a devastating famine willing to own slaves or homestead Native American land or police the ghettos they used to live in. It makes the formerly kidnapped and enslaved willing to set up shop in Liberia and hold their African kin in contempt. It makes the survivors of Hitler's Final Solution be willing to become harsh colonial masters, agents of US oil greed and militarism, to bulldoze the villages of Palestinians to make Jewish settlements, torture and kill those who resist, and still insist they are the victims here. People who have faced destruction don't necessarily know better.’

While naming that trauma doesn’t make people “better,” just leaves them terrified and grasping at any sense of security they can, Levins Morales is also sure to note how Jews have always been “disproportionately present in movements for social justice wherever [they] have landed.” To her, fighting antisemitism means supporting Jewish integrity, the Jewish commitment to justice and compassion. 

Furthermore, solidarity with the people of Israel and Palestine alike depends on our clear stand against antisemitism in our own communities, because, she says, 

'The central justification for Israeli militarism and the subjugation of Palestinians is the belief that Jews are alone in the world, that no-one will fight for us, that the next time Jews are blamed and attacked, most of the world's people will stand by and watch.'

Only through all of us standing up to antisemitism and standing side by side with our Jewish neighbors, she says, can Jews feel secure enough to “abandon the middle agent role and get the backs of other peoples, knowing that they also have ours."

It is this vision of interdependence and mutual aid that Levins Morales brings into her poem “Red Sea," which imagines the kind of liberation when Moses parted the Red Sea happening today — but only if we support one another.

[militantinremission]

A thought about 'Minority Groups'

As I said in previous Essays- while (Indigenous) Black Americans continue to get lip service & empty tributes, i'm looking at WHO is getting WHAT. There has been a lot of activity under The Biden Administration, & I found myself looking at these events from an abstract perspective. 'Jim Crow' Joe said that he appreciated Black America 'having His back' throughout the years, & he would have Ours. Since that statement, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Latinx (Citizens & Illegals), LGBTQ..., have All received legislation & funding. On top of the $113 Billion spent in Ukraine over the last Year, Israel continues to receive Billions annually from The U.S. Now provisions have been made for 100,000 Afghani & 100,000 Ukrainian refugees to relocate to America.

We Black Americans/ ADOS/ FBA/ Freemen/ Indigenous Americans can be a well intentioned, but socially naive group. The efforts of White Supremacists w/i Local, State, & Federal Government Agencies to systemically oppress Our Community has created a 'Collective Consciousness' that empathizes (abstractly) w/ the oppression of other Ethnicities. We can identify w/ the hardship of Others, & when possible, We do what We can to combat that hardship. We fought against the oppression of American Slave Codes, Black Codes, & Jim Crow Laws; simultaneously, We fought for The Rights of Irish, Chinese, Mexican, Jewish, Italian, Haitian, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Panamanian, Filipino, & Japanese immigrants that faced a measure of the oppression We experienced here.

Looking at this 'Collective Consciousness' historically, a Pattern can be seen over the centuries. Every Immigrant Group in America has gone through a 'Hazing Period', where they are the target of Social Bias & Prejudice. During this 'Social Phase', newcomers tend to identify w/ the Black Americans that they are in contact w/. We encircle these people w/i Our Community, & take the lead in protesting injustices against them. In the past, 'Brownfolk' tended to identify w/ Us. We shared Culture & Traditions; in some instances, we intermarried. In this Era, things have changed. If Black Immigrants & 'Brownfolk' start off in Black Communities, they don't always stay.

By the 2nd Generation, their children either identify w/ The Black Experience in America, or they make every effort to move away from it. Ethnic Enclaves have literally 'popped up' outside of Black Communities over the last 30Yrs, creating true Buffer Zones between Black & White Communities. Black America was oblivious to any possible agenda amongst Minority Groups- We also identified as Minorities, & assumed We were all in the same boat. Black Power isn't a selfish endeavor- Our Right of Autonomy grants other Minorities the same Right. American History substantiates this truth. To be honest, We were naively ignorant about the 'Culture' of these Minority Groups in their Native Land. We assumed they shared a similar experience of White Supremacy.

We knew about the Racism in Europe, but were unaware of the Tribalism that existed in Afrika & The Caribbean; or the Colorism that exists in Arabia, Asia, & Latin America. Many of the minorities that We had 'First Contact' w/, were friendly. As a Marginalized People, they had something in common w/ Us. We collaborated in business & in Social Action. We shared Our Community, & worked together to improve Our collective Quality of Life. We thought that We were united in the fight against White Supremacy. Then a funny thing happened- one by one, these 'Marginalized Groups' were accepted into Society, & given Rights & Privileges that We were (still) denied.

Over the Centuries, We watched- as Irish, Jewish & Italian neighbors elevated their status. The more they achieved, the more distance they placed between Us. Collectively, each group became increasingly intolerant of Blackfolk. They began to speak the Anti- Black rhetoric of Mainstream America. Our old neighbors appeared to 'pledge allegiance' to the same people that discriminated against them. Black Americans were now victims of mob violence, stemming from (perceived) competition that Irish & Italians had w/ Black Men for Jobs. The Irish in particular, were brutal in their efforts to push Black Men out of specific Trades & Sports. The only reminder of Black involvement in Horse Racing, are 'Lawn Jockeys', that many Black People see as racist. 150Yrs- 200Yrs ago, Black Jockeys dominated Horse Racing.

As disappointed as We were w/ the actions of the Irish, Italians, & Eastern Europeans, the current Anti- Black American sentiment held by today's 'Minority Groups' (POC), truly stings! We can't say that We didn't see it coming though. Many (Indigenous) Black Americans have an experience of being 'in the company' of a given Minority Group. When they are in mixed company, the conversation is civil; but when they outnumber Us, We begin to hear the stereotypes about Us. The larger the advantage, the more prejudiced the language becomes. While they may repeat White Supremacist talking points, they lack the power to truly be 'Racist'. That being said, quite a few individuals have ridden this rhetoric into Mainstream notoriety; the names represent a literal Who's Who in Pop Culture & Politics.

Collectively, these Minority Groups seem comfortable w/ their place in AmeriKKKa's Caste System, as long as they are 'positioned' above Black America... Hispanic & Asian women are currently testing the racial waters, by way of recent attempts to gauge their degree of White Privilege. Their actions legitimize the notion that White Privilege is defined by Anti- Black Racism & Oppression. The actions of these 'Karens of Color', are no different from the garden variety Karen. All of these women are trying to exercise their 'Right', but Women Of Color are also establishing their position in the Social Caste. I personally don't understand the need to gauge one's 'Power' on the ability to harass or harm what is believed to be a Soft Target. I thought that White Supremacy is a philosophy premised on strength & 'Might makes Right'- Where is the challenge?

Joe Biden's Policy actions have made clear his intention to extend White Privilege to Asians & Hispanics. Like (White) LGBTQ... individuals, & European Jews, Asians enjoy meaningful Hate Crime Legislation. Meanwhile, Black America still fights for this legislation, as the #1 Victim of Hate Crimes in America- according to the latest FBI Crime Stats. For Latinx, Biden is fast tracking Citizenship for illegal immigrants in Sanctuary Cities. Many Cities are suggesting Drivers Licenses for illegal immigrants, while California is talking about hiring non- Citizens for the LAPD & State Police. In short, 'America' has become a Multicultural & Multilingual Nation. All of this is very curious. Just a generation ago, Local, State, & Federal Officials were adamant that America is a 'Judeo- Christian' Nation that speaks 'English'. Efforts to make Spanish an Official 2nd Language were quickly shot down. 100Yrs ago, America was a 'White Man's Country!'.

Black Americans were looking for a Seat at The Table, but didn't have a problem sharing w/ Our fellow 'Minorities'. Affirmative Action was designed to level the playing field between Blackfolk & Whitefolk. It was supposed to make up for The New Deal & G.I. Bills that excluded Black Families. Despite this, We didn't complain when these resources were diverted (via Diversity Initiatives) away from Us, & given to people who NEVER had to experience what We went through. We were as compliant as Cows being bled by Vampire Bats, until We renewed the Reparations Conversation. Suddenly, We were xenophobes. The loudest voices have come from 2nd & 3rd generation Americans, who (collectively) enjoy a better Quality Of Life than the average Black American. The fact that the children of immigrants from the 1980s are now attacking Black America w/ White Supremacist talking points, is simply mindboggling!

An Ethnic Group that appears to do A LOT of 'Racial double dipping', are Hindi/ Pakistani/ Bangladeshi Americans. They are conveniently 'Black' when there is opportunity, but otherwise, they not only identify as 'White'; they subscribe to a visceral Anti- Black sentiment that needs to be addressed. This is important, because Joe Biden is putting Kamala Harris at the forefront of his Re-election Campaign. America is still calling Kamala the 1st 'Afrikan American VP', but both of her parents are Brahmin. Kamala's 'Black Experience' ends at Howard University & Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She is otherwise an Elitist, who has a decades long resume of undermining Black Californians (Black Women in particular), & looking out for her own best interests.

Former Governor of South Carolina & U.N. Ambassador, Nikki Haley (Nimarata Nikki Randhwara- Haley), is the flip side of Kamala Harris. Both Women are Brahmin, but while Kamala is 'Asian' w/ a cultural leaning towards Black America; Nikki is 'Brown', but has consistently shown a cultural leaning towards White Privilege. Both Women highlight a simple truth- that 'Black' Issues aren't 'Brown' Issues. People Of Color (POC/ BIPOC) tend to be victims of Discrimination, more than Racism. This is evidenced by their Collective Autonomy throughout America. They have a Right of Expression that Indigenous Black Americans never truly had; not even during Reconstruction. It may be due to their sovereign status, but it's clear that they DON'T share Our plight.

Vivek Ramaswamy is yet another type. He is a 2nd Generation child of [Elitist] Asian Immigrants, but he tries to weave an Ellis Island narrative out of his experience. Like Kamala Harris & Nikki Halely, both of Ramaswamy's parents were Post Graduates w/ more education than the average [White] American Family. He gives the impression that they were Blue Collar Workers living the American Dream for their children. Ramaswamy casually speaks about his 'rough' Public School experience in Cincinnati, before going to a Private (Jesuit) School- that 'didn't conflict w/ his Hindu values'. This experience supposedly positioned him for College, Post Grad work, & starting his 1st Biotech Company... He implies that EVERYONE gets this opportunity in America.

Kamala Harris' Mother had the support of the Black Community in Oakland & Berkeley. Nikki Haley's Father had the support of (HBCU) Voorhees College, where he worked for nearly 30Yrs. Despite that support for their Parents, Nikki Haley & Kamala Harris have done NOTHING meaningful or specifically for Black Americans. In fact, both have supported measures that were detrimental to their Black Constituents; i'm reminded of The Tale of 'The Tortoise & The Scorpion'... Vivek Ramaswamy takes it up another notch. His 'Anti- Woke' Campaign, is a not too subtle Anti- Black dog whistle. Ramaswamy has the audacity to use his Experience (as a 2nd Generation Brahmin- American) to minimize, if he can't outright disclaim The Black American Experience altogether.

Vivek Ramaswamy's family has been in America for roughly 40Yrs. That means that they arrived sometime in the 1980s, nearly 20Yrs after the End of the Jim Crow Era; but Vivek feels that he can speak about the History of Anti- Black Racism in America. Ramaswamy, along w/ Harris & Haley represent the 'People Of Color' Prospects for POTUS. The similarity of their Agendas speaks volumes. All of them benefited from opportunities meant for Blackfolk, but they lecture Us about 'bootstrapping'. Add in Joe Biden's thoughts about Latinx being 'the largest Minority Group in America'(???), along w/ weird Culture Appropriation rhetoric coming from Eva Longoria, then John Leguizamo, & it looks like a conspiracy.

It's crystal clear that collectively speaking, Indigenous Black America has NO FRIENDS. We should act accordingly... These Minority Groups forget that Our 'Culture' is fighting White Supremacy, not bowing to it. We're not Here for a Come Up, or a Hand Out- We're indigenous to This Land. We were Here before the first Colonizer, & We'll be Here long after the Last.

-Just Sayin'

[humanrightsupdates]

US Should Expand Refugee Definition

People Fleeing Disasters Related to Climate Crisis Need Protection

Representatives from Latin American and Caribbean states convened recently to address responses to “forced displacement due to disasters,” including the effects of the climate crisis, following up on their Cartagena Declaration of 1984. The United States has not adopted the declaration and did not join the group, but it should pay attention and reflect on its own policies, as some people in need of protection – particularly from the Americas –will seek to move to the US.

Often, the people most impacted by extreme weather events, including those intensified by climate change, live in locations least responsible for the climate crisis. Extreme weather caused over half of new displacement in 2023 globally, with 26.4 million people displaced by extreme weather events, including floods and droughts.

As the climate crisis worsens, the US has paradoxically worked to restrict asylum access and narrow the qualifying grounds of protection.

Since 2020, Human Rights Watch has maintained that the increasing effects of the climate crisis necessitate broadening international protection and incorporating complementary protection. The threat of injury and death from climate change, disproportionally impacting already at-risk communities, can result in similar physical harm and endangerment as other grounds for protection.

In December 2023, the International Refugee Assistance Project, Refugees International, and others filed a brief in ongoing litigation in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights regarding state obligations to people displaced in climate contexts. The organizations argue that states are obligated to protect populations before and after displacement occurs.

Though the US is not bound by Inter-American Court rulings, the court’s imminent advisory ruling on the impacts of climate change on human rights will offer guidance on rights-based approaches to a growing threat.

The US should expand protection for people displaced in the context of climate-related events and adopt the broader refugee definition in the Cartagena Declaration to include people fleeing circumstances seriously disturbing public order, including extreme weather events intensified by the climate crisis.

[beardedmrbean]

Oh hey, sorry let me explain what I meant

I understand the Americanization of saying the main cast of ATLA because the cartoons was a Y7 NICKTOON that hade to be compatible enough to bye syndicated with SpongeBob when needed

Nothing against the og show, just you can pick up the obvious westernization when you get into more Asian fantasy stories

But what I’m talking about is the lack of cultural exchanges despite the access of African kingdoms being for more accessible than before

Also what those things that assassin creed milk the living FUCK out of to explain why we can go to the crusades to Italian renaissance to the North America

And recent to the Viking era to a prequel that take place in 9th century Baghdad?

(Also teasing that India will probably be used in future games)

Oh yeah

TRADE ROUTES, TRADE ROUTES, TRADE ROUTES, ESTABLISHED A WHOLE LOT OF FUCKING TRADES IN YOUR FANTASY WORLD PEOPLE

Sorry, but I remember Dave pointed out the issues of modern fantasy stories is that they are written by metropolitan people who can’t comprehend life outside of their cities

Vs me who you know grew up in various places ie a college town for a bit.

Also under thing, if your ass can barely comprehend modern farmer lives

Your shit out of luck when writing proper world building

It like the issues with Yasuke for ac red, the thing is that story leaks revealed that Yasuke outsider status will be acknowledged

Hopefully it was a team idea not sbi suggestion

But as you know the assassins value free will, so when research and learning that Yasuke was kicked out of Japan by Mitshundie who refer to Yasuke as animal. I can see the devs desires saying the assassins saved him and Yasuke slowly agrees to help unify Japan to ensure the country won’t be at the mercy of Templars

Also I mention before because I did my own research and theorize that assassins Yasuke will die in Southeast Asia given the East African population there

Oh your other friend who the lawyer with the Cookie Monster icon pointed out that in rings of power made Gaderial a burnout millenial…ugh writers I understand you were told to write what you know

But you need to be VERY conscious especially if it a pre industrial setting

Yeah this is an issues, established. Fucking. Trade. Routes.

Make African kingdoms based off the Mali, the Yoruba, the Moors

Say in your fantasy world a group of refugees and immigrants decide to leave their ancestral homeland and move to the European kingdoms, now in reality most would be in trading ports and such

But say a second gen of them already assimilated into the surrounding area wanted to be a knight, of course it would have a lot of discrimination and such. But it make sense for that one character

Sorry, I was thinking about the Latin Americans and how they acknowledge they are mixed. Now yes Anglophones had a lot of separatism….but I think what huge root cause between black Americans and Africans is that my community don’t realize we’re like the Latinos-wait wait most of them have their native roots so nvm.

Because we grew up in an extremely different culture from them. Yes we can now interacted with native Africans due to globalism

But black activists, if the French and British were at each other throats for centuries. What the hell you guys think we are to Africans when we only started to have casual relations in the 60’s?

Sorry for these essay long anons, but I was thinking what wrong with modern fantasy beyond the woke shit…it’s because these fucks had very limited life experience or understanding of pre colonial times

Nothing against the og show, just you can pick up the obvious westernization when you get into more Asian fantasy stories. But what I’m talking about is the lack of cultural exchanges despite the access of African kingdoms being for more accessible than before

It's that money thing again, managed a great story still tho,

and ya have to wonder about the difficulty of gathering up a collection of "folk tales" from various indigenous groups around the globe, Africa being a massive untapped resource for that,

Not sure how many would lend themselves to movies, but anthology type tv series like twilight zone style with no set cast other than Rod Sterling as the announcer that does a new one every week, I could actually see that working

Your shit out of luck when writing proper world building

All this stuff feels pretty spot on

Also I mention before because I did my own research and theorize that assassins Yasuke will die in Southeast Asia given the East African population there

AC people seem to do a very good job, to the point that folks were thinking the one game could be used to help rebuild Notre Dame, that didn't pan out, but they still gave the game away free on Steam so people could visit if they wanted.

Say in your fantasy world a group of refugees and immigrants decide to leave their ancestral homeland and move to the European kingdoms, now in reality most would be in trading ports and such But say a second gen of them already assimilated into the surrounding area wanted to be a knight, of course it would have a lot of discrimination and such. But it make sense for that one character

Look up the Jewish diaspora that formed after the last time they thought it would be a good idea to piss off Rome. Not for integration so much as routes taken and areas settled

Sorry, I was thinking about the Latin Americans and how they acknowledge they are mixed. Now yes Anglophones had a lot of separatism….but I think what huge root cause between black Americans and Africans is that my community don’t realize we’re like the Latinos-wait wait most of them have their native roots so nvm.

Funny you mention them, that thing that nobody ever expects resulted in large numbers of, once again, Jewish diaspora who not only settled in North Africa they also went to Latin America, weird little pockets of Jewish people dotting places in various countries in the Caribbean and South America, couple that are widely disavowed by 99.9% of the Jewish population that knows they exist.

Might be less useful since they've managed to hold on to their Jewishness and not assimilate

-wait wait most of them have their native roots so nvm.

Number of Mexicans I've known that think they're descended from the Mayans I'm not so sure about that, but you're not actually wrong either.

But black activists, if the French and British were at each other throats for centuries. What the hell you guys think we are to Africans when we only started to have casual relations in the 60’s?

yay technology, it really has made some things better, other things worse but eh equivalent exchange as the Alric brothers say (my animu reference for the year)

Sorry for these essay long anons, but I was thinking what wrong with modern fantasy beyond the woke shit…it’s because these fucks had very limited life experience or understanding of pre colonial times

No worries, sorry bout the time it took to get this out got things pulling left and right and I want to be able to get a good answer out to you so we can call it even, lol.

[mariacallous]

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to posthumously award the country’s oldest and highest civilian distinction, the Congressional Gold Medal, to five Polish diplomats who saved European Jews during the Holocaust.

The bill, known as ‘The Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust,’ was adopted by the U.S. Senate by acclamation on Wednesday. It honors 68 diplomats from 28 countries, including five from Poland. Four of them – Aleksander Ładoś, Konstanty Rokicki, Stefan Ryniewicz and Juliusz Kuhl – were members of the Ładoś Group, an informal team of Polish diplomats stationed in Switzerland who saved European Jews during the holocaust by issuing them passports from Latin American countries.

British historian Roger Moorhouse, who has written a comprehensive book titled ‘Passport for Life’ detailing the entire operation, told TVP World that the Ładoś Group produced identity documents for up to ten thousand people, making the operation “one of the most ambitious Holocaust rescue operations of the [second world] war.”

Poles went above and beyond

The bill emphasized that the award to Ładoś Group’s will help remind humanity that when diplomats faced terrible crises, they went above and beyond, risking their careers and the lives of themselves and their families to engage in this humanitarian mission.

It added: “Diplomats of today and future generations can look to these heroes and draw inspiration from their heroic and self-sacrificing lives.”

The Congressional Gold Medal will also be awarded to Henryk Sławik, a Polish politician, diplomat, and social worker who, as the head of the Citizens’ Committee for Care of Polish Refugees in Hungary, played a vital role in saving many Hungarian and Polish Jews.

He was executed at the Nazi German concentration camp Mauthausen in August 1944.

The gold medal will be donated to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

[lyndztanica]

In Lieu of Twitter Going Dark Pt. 5

I wasn’t intending on doing this again on Tumblr, but given what could happen with Twitter, and people’s interests, I figured I would do a big charity thread for as much as I can fit in a post. I may have to split them into multiples, at which point I will edit this one to provide links to the others.

If you find this type of information important and want to learn about new charities (or submit others) I have a discord server that I will also link to in this to join. As always, the goal of this is to showcase places to donate your money or other resources to. Again, they might need more than money! Maybe they need a social media manager. Maybe they need someone else to offer rides or information. If you find yourself in a position to do something but you’re broke don’t let the money stop you.

Human Rights

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Comittee :: https://www.adc.org/ - [US-centric] Grassroots civil rights organization that defends people of Arab descent by combating stereotypes and discrimination and defending their civil rights in the US.

Hispanic Federation :: https://www.hispanicfederation.org/ - [US-centric] Organization with a number of various grassroots programs designed to support and provide aid to Latines for emergencies, fight hunger, attain financial stability, disaster relief, get healthcare, and improve educational opportunities.

Cultural Survival :: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/ - International group centered on partnering with indigenous communities to help them assert their rights to self-determination and management of their lands and communities. 

Abode Services :: https://www.abodeservices.org/ - [California-centric] Organization dedicated on helping low-income, un-housed people find and secure stable and supportive housing while also advocating for removal of the causes of homelessness. 

Invisible People :: https://invisiblepeople.tv/ - [US-centric] organization focused on ending homelessness by documenting and airing the stories of the unhoused, followed by a call to action.

Amistad Law Project :: https://amistadlaw.org/ - [Pennsylvania-centric] organization of attorneys and community organizers who are working to end mass incarceration in Pennsylvania. 

Greenlining :: https://greenlining.org/ - [California-centric] organization that seeks to combat the racial wealth gap and systemic inequality by investing in those communities and bringing the services themselves as a collective over fighting for them to be provided by someone else. 

Thurgood Marshall College Fund :: https://www.tmcf.org/ - [US-centric] TMCF provides scholarships for Black students attending college and also supports K-12 and college education at HBCUs and PBIs through a variety of partnerships and research initiatives. 

Equal Justice Initiative :: https://eji.org/ - [US-centric] Organization focused on pursuing racial justice in a variety of ways like criminal justice reform and creating museums and memorials to preserve history.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice :: https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/ - [US-centric] organization with the goal of advancing civil and human rights of Asian-Americans through legal advocacy, ending racial profiling, countering Asian-American hate, and media diversity.

Palestine Children’s Relief Fund :: https://www.pcrf.net/ - [Palestine-centric] organization that works to provide healthcare to children living in Palestine. 

United Palestine Appeal :: https://upaconnect.org/ - [Palestine-centric] NY-based charity that operates in Palestinian territories and refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon. Focused on providing relief and development support to Palestinians anywhere. 

Bakers Against Racism :: https://www.bakersagainstracism.com/ - International grassroots group of bakers specifically and creatives who organize to fundraise for various causes. No donation link, but there are resources to get involved directly if you enjoy baking. 

Mutual Aid Hub :: https://www.mutualaidhub.org/ - [US-centric] website that's doing what I'm doing here -- curating a group of organizations, where they are, and what they're doing to serve their communities! I'd highly recommend checking them out, as they are mutual aid organizations and have a great spread across the states. 

Violence Policy Center :: https://vpc.org/ - [US-centric] Basically the biggest organization in the US researching gun violence and gun deaths in all its forms. You've probably heard their name before, or at least you got information from their studies given how limited the NIH is from doing their own.

Brady Campaign :: https://www.bradyunited.org/ - [US-centric] named for Ronald Reagan's press secretary, who was shot during Reagan's attempted assassination in 1981. One of the oldest gun violence prevention organizations in the country and proponents of the Brady Law. 

National Bail Fund Network :: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory - [US-centric] national coalition of organizers, advocates and legal providers that use bail funds to help reduce incarceration. 

CARE :: https://www.care.org/ - International organization that works to assist people in crisis across the globe. They help by providing food, shelter, access to health care, education and advocacy support. 

Anera :: https://www.anera.org/ - [Middle East-centric] organization that provides both emergency and sustained longterm relief to people in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. 

City of Refuge :: https://cityofrefugeatl.org/ - [Atlanta-centric] organization that helps people in the poorest neighborhoods of Atlanta procure food, housing, job training, to help them climb out of poverty. 

Refugees International :: https://www.refugeesinternational.org/ - International organization that advocates for refugees, investigating why they were forcibly displaced and advocating for solutions and demand action on their behalf. Receives no government or UN funding. 

Islamic Refuge USA :: https://irusa.org/ - International organization started in the US that provides humanitarian aid to people in crisis both for the short and long term. Originally rooted in natural disasters but expanded to include global poverty and inequity. 

Human Rights Initiative :: https://hrionline.org/ - [US-centric] organization dedicated to helping migrants and refugees get everything they need to survive and thrive in the US. 

Native American Rights Fund :: https://www.narf.org/ - [US-centric] in light of the recent SCOTUS ruling taking power away from indigenous groups, consider supporting NARF. They provide legal assistance and representation to tribes across the country, in important areas like tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, natural resource protection and education. 

Navajo Water Project :: https://www.navajowaterproject.org/ - [US-centric] organization dedicated to providing members of the Navajo Nation access to running water in their own homes, which 30% of the families in the tribe lacks as of 2022. Dig Deep :: https://www.digdeep.org/ - [US-centric] human rights mutual aid group who works to provide indigenous communities, rural communities and BIPOC communities with access to clean running water. 

National Council of Nova Scotia :: https://www.ncns.ca/ - [Canada-centric] the self-governing authority for the Mi'kmaq/Aboriginal peoples living off-reserve in Nova Scotia in traditional Mi'kmaq territory. 

Mawita’mk :: https://mawitamk.org/ - [Canada-centric] an indigenous non-profit that promotes volunteerism within First Nation communities and offers assistance for Mi'kmaq people with disabilities within their community rather than outside sources. 

PRxPR :: https://www.prxpr.org/ - [Puerto Rico-centric] aid fund founded by Puerto Ricans to help Puerto Rican communities most in need on the island. 

Post One. Post Two. Post Three. Post Four.

[scentedchildnacho]

This might be a.i. created because the homeless director narrative apology is so exactly type cast I'm not sure anyone can be that ignorant of how densely handicapped they are

The narrator explains that he is an alcoholic and does pretty much anything he can to encourage his own depression so he is finally allowed delerium tremens or psychedelic therapy to finally restore the positive chemicals in the brain that through psychosis lead to more intelligent reasoning

Schizophrenia isn't a chemical imbalance it's a de novo genetic mutation of deleted DNA and people no longer believe in any drug induced mentalism it's a disease

So that director waited a long time for a schizophrenic simulation and it wouldn't ever happen....

He has all these Nuremberg apologies....it's what these acronyms are......can't do no better can't think internationally can't speak french

Homelessness is Iraq refugee like.....people need to speak french or things remain unhygienic and insane good food is techniques from belguim

If I explain that homeless need hygiene I get sent to pastors or other religions a lot and they keep learning and learning and learning me in representation and proper pauper

Indigenous intervention.....has explained to me about l.a. that they may remain here because they the tong va gabriellino or cahuilla they do still like here and practice here though white modernity has still become normative

Situations like homelessness is very neglected and abused because of that above stated poverty needing residence protections

Their indigenous people they need to work in hotels or other day labor and do not have space or more for a new issue and problem

So homelessness does need international intervention to discuss refugee and migrant issues and problems the surrounding population was sued for incapability to prevent terrorism

Thats me to job poverty and hidden sales issues like home businesses.....if i may sue these structures for self harm I do.....it's a human and it is more capable then automation to make decisions with its life to do something else and they won't so if I may impose return pre emptive law suits knowing jobs is just out to sue me for all I'm not I do ....

I think the homeless director in it turns himself into that northern minnesota mother that murdered her own deaf boy

Then the homeless have to be on coffee waits and fast food though they maybe have African green belt infections

And that's the homeless director there continued his alcoholic depression because police did get in his face for larceny and Mal hygiene

Larceny the director in it kept stealing from homeless people......he is the director but still drinks a Budweiser and coffee....if wealthy people continue at income to prefer Mal nutrition then there won't be anywhere on the street for a homeless to experience a clean well lighted place if you have that and home also

Confederate Daniel and the pabst mansion and the banker they monitor all these wealth migration homes do.....and they that American family just gone though

What this is describing is this homeless place was more of an aids hospice.....and things like Budweiser or coffee are allowed because it's creepy and mean and nightmarish to steal pain relief from end of life decisions

Speak french....if they were Vietnam or Latin China they would better understand production

And that's I think this director narrative will finally to his homeless help send them to COVID clinics to just be cut up for body parts

That's southern confederatist tours there was all these other americanisms like northern Europe obscurity but that the children get sick and they just gone but the western myth the British french Spanish that all could survive normatively

Riverside is where people would stop doing disgusting things like abuse people with mental handicaps by refusing showers and forcing enzyme replacement in disgusting cruel torturous ways

Or trying to batter mental handicaps to death with vaccines or stabbing people with viruses to torture them to quickly purge eye cancer out

So Riverside is just where they could stop doing a few disgusting things to me otherwise police policy is angry and mean though they could prevent the most commonly listed crimes with allowing home vanity walled communities or more intelligent gates....or removing stalking like this above book states the director would do to his homeless he would want any habit his homeless had

A lot of crime in Riverside would stop if deportation stopped....would an African American want to report their bike stolen or would an African American want their child's free bike program where they learn multiple skills to later trade without finance and better mobility

So I wouldn't want to be a resident house in Riverside I would have to have an alternative vanity to my house and I would have to have ownership that claimed a human can be completely liable and thats not true certain applications complete what eye battery can't

Thats me about what's scary about police they have things to end human liability and will get involved in petty ownership disputes that can be prevented

The black aggressives at path shelter......are like the white aggressives they do have more power to verbal threats so if it's too youth adult they voluntarily remove themselves to a great day

Browns though just keep getting more produced within the situation in more obnoxious ways...

We all have behavioural problems so to police they didnt do anything outside normative emotional ranges....its that that role or character is dislikeable enough to play that they voluntarily leave

Most shelterites are too quiet and refusing to display more triage is a trained fear stimulus so that is a behaviour to refuse to program with others

Just lots of larceny in it....he gives his homeless guy a ten for coffee only if he brings him a coffee....he never at income graciously tips him and lets him spend some time at a coffee shop learning some better corporate theory

This directors relationship with his homeless is just very neuro obsessively frightening how obsessed he is with calling homeless his help

Well hospices are where end of life decisions figure out they can recuperate....that sounds like he kept killing them of Confederate conscription...Julius would have wanted to give up his assistive technologies

That was someone's paupers and that's why he confesses being a bad man then

Police involvement now you know paupers use to escort me away from sleeping spots and you stalked him to not pay him better for it

Anyway I like the book.....it quickly and perfunctorily as an a.i. lists the whole system and what these automized anti social characters like just go be a Sally are....salvation army....so I'm sure after reading it I will have some lucidity and omniscience and anti sociability won't bother me so much

The director was an alcoholic and he would cling to programs so he could always be around the current service and block grant lists