#National Conservation Training Center

[migiganteknapkindispenser]

Fish

[reasonsforhope]

"Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo has a lot to celebrate.

The park, which celebrated its 30th anniversary on December 31 of 2023, also shared an exciting conservation milestone: 2023 was the first year without any elephant poaching detected.

“We didn’t detect any elephants killed in the Park this year, a first for the Park since [we] began collecting data. This success comes after nearly a decade of concerted efforts to protect forest elephants from armed poaching in the Park,” Ben Evans, the Park’s management unit director, said in a press release.

Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park was developed by the government of Congo in 1993 to maintain biodiversity conservation in the region, and since 2014, has been cared for through a public-private partnership between Congo’s Ministry of Forest Economy and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Pictured: Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park. Photo courtesy of Scott Ramsay/Wildlife Conservation Society

Evans credits the ongoing collaboration with this milestone, as the MEF and WCS have helped address escalating threats to wildlife in the region. 

This specifically includes investments in the ranger force, which has increased training and self-defense capabilities, making the force more effective in upholding the law — and the rights of humans and animals.

“Thanks to the strengthening of our anti-poaching teams and new communication technologies, we have been able to reduce poaching considerably,” Max Mviri, a park warden for the Congolese government, said in a video for the Park’s anniversary. 

“Today, we have more than 90 eco-guards, all of whom have received extensive training and undergo refresher courses,” Mviri continued. “What makes a difference is that 90% of our eco-guards come from villages close to the Park. This gives them extra motivation, as they are protecting their forest.”

As other threats such as logging and road infrastructure development impact the area’s wildlife, the Park’s partnerships with local communities and Indigenous populations in the neighboring villages of Bomassa and Makao are increasingly vital.

“We’ve seen great changes, great progress. We’ve seen the abundance of elephants, large mammals in the village,” Gabriel Mobolambi, chief of Bomassa village, said in the same video. “And also on our side, we benefit from conservation.”

Coinciding with the Park’s anniversary is the roll-out of a tourism-focused website, aiming to generate 15% of its revenue from visitors, which contributes significantly to the local economy...

Nouabalé-Ndoki also recently became the world’s first certified Gorilla Friendly National Park, ensuring best practices are in place for all gorilla-related operations, from tourism to research.

But gorillas and elephants — of which there are over 2,000 and 3,000, respectively — aren’t the only species visitors can admire in the 4,334-square-kilometer protected area.

The Park is also home to large populations of mammals such as chimpanzees and bongos, as well as a diverse range of reptiles, birds, and insects. For the flora fans, Nouabalé-Ndoki also boasts a century-old mahogany tree, and a massive forest of large-diameter trees.

Beyond the beauty of the Park, these tourism opportunities pave the way for major developments for local communities.

“The Park has created long-term jobs, which are rare in the region, and has brought substantial benefits to neighboring communities. Tourism is also emerging as a promising avenue for economic growth,” Mobolambi, the chief of Bomassa village, said in a press release.

The Park and its partners also work to provide education, health centers, agricultural opportunities, and access to clean water, as well, helping to create a safe environment for the people who share the land with these protected animals. 

In fact, the Makao and Bomassa health centers receive up to 250 patients a month, and Nouabalé-Ndoki provides continuous access to primary education for nearly 300 students in neighboring villages. 

It is this intersectional approach that maintains a mutual respect between humans and wildlife and encourages the investment in conservation programs, which lead to successes like 2023’s poaching-free milestone...

Evans, of the Park’s management, added in the anniversary video: “Thanks to the trust that has been built up between all those involved in conservation, we know that Nouabalé-Ndoki will remain a crucial refuge for wildlife for the generations to come.”"

-via Good Good Good, February 15, 2024

[pmamtraveller]

SIR LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA; "A FAVOURITE CUSTOM" 1909

This painting is set in the Stabian baths of Pompeii. In the foreground, one woman joyfully splashes another who is relaxing in the 'frigidarium', a cold pool. Some people assemble in a changing area further away. The artist created this piece using pictures of the bath remnants uncovered by archaeologists in 1824. He has enhanced their luxury with the addition of a marble floor and walls typically seen in grander imperial baths.

Around the beginning of the century, Alma-Tadema's color pallete grew brighter. He centered his attention on vibrant pink and purple shades in attire and blossoms, greens and ambers in accessories and decor, set against shining white marble. As depicted, the Stabian Bath symbolized a key element of Roman social life and culture. These baths represented the oldest public bathing facility in Pompeii, acting as a site for relaxation, social interaction, and exercise for all social classes.

At the age of 15, Alma-Tadema suffered a mental breakdown, causing him to abandon his training as a lawyer. While recovering, he started to teach himself how to draw and paint prior to pursuing formal art education at the age of 16. After being rejected from various Dutch art schools, he was eventually accepted to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Art in Antwerp, where he trained under Gustave Wappers. Later, in 1855, he worked in the studio of Louis De Taeye as an assistant. De Taeye encouraged him to explore classical subjects, stories, and art. He fostered an appreciation of historical costuming within his student – it was this training that would become the most influential in Alma-Tadema's artistic career.

The Chantrey Bequest greatly impacted the display of this painting by offering monetary assistance for obtaining exceptional artworks for public collections. Founded by sculptor Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey, the fund sought to acquire works of "the highest merit" created in Britain, thus enriching the national art collection. This legacy enabled Tate Britain to acquire the painting in 1909, guaranteeing its conservation and availability to the public, in line with Chantrey's vision of promoting fine art for the nation.

[marveltrumpshate]

Current Events

This year continued to be A Lot and we decided to ensure that there were charities that directly addressed current events. Folded into this post are groups that work for aid targeting every natural disaster as well as man-made ones, climate change, rights under attack, and the ongoing pandemic. If you're looking for an organization that directly addresses any of those, this is your spotlight post.

For more information on donation methods and accepted currencies, please refer to our list of organizations page.

Center for Reproductive Rights

The Center for Reproductive Rights is the only global legal advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights for the dignity, equality, health, and well-being of every person. With local partners across five continents, they have secured legal victories before national courts, UN Committees, and regional human rights bodies on issues such as access to life-saving obstetrics care, contraception, maternal health, and safe abortion services and the prevention of forced sterilization and child marriage.

Clean Air Task Force

As we've seen for a long time now but especially this year with constant natural disasters and alarming news from all over the world, climate change is real and we need to do something about it. Over the past 25 years, CATF, a group of climate and energy experts who think outside the box to solve the climate crisis, has pushed for technology innovations, legal advocacy, research, and policy changes. Their goal is to achieve a zero-emissions, high-energy planet at an affordable cost.

Electronic Freedom Foundation

The leading nonprofit defending civil liberties in digital spaces, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. They fight against online censorship and illegal surveillance, advocate for net neutrality and data protection, and more so that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for everyone. 

Innocence Project

The mission of the Innocence Project is deceptively simple: exonerate those who have been wrongly convicted through the use of DNA evidence. The reality of it involves much broader strokes covering support for exonerees rebuilding their lives post-release and criminal justice reform through targeted litigation and the implementation of laws to prevent wrongful conviction. They strive to restore freedom for the innocent, transform the systems responsible for unjust incarceration, and advance the freedom movement.

International Rescue Committee 

Founded in 1933, the IRC is a long-standing trusted partner in supporting those whose lives have been upended by sudden violence, political or natural. They are no stranger to areas of disaster and conflict throughout the world as they currently work in 40 countries. The IRC provides emergency aid and long-term assistance, including refugee settlement, and focuses on health, education, economic well-being, empowerment, and safety. 

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

Odds are you’ve heard of MSF, the global organization that sends trained medical professionals to the places they’re needed most. MSF has been working globally for over 50 years, providing medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare—no matter what. They’re guided by principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality to global political policies or movements. 

Oceana

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization for ocean conservation. To protect and restore the world’s oceans, they campaign globally for policies that stop overfishing and plastic pollution, protect habitats and the climate, and increase biodiversity. Oceana conducts its own scientific research and expeditions, is engaged in grassroots activism, and is involved in recommending and supporting policies and litigation.

Palestine Children's Relief Fund

PCRF delivers crucial, life-saving medical relief and humanitarian aid to children and families in Palestine and throughout the Middle East, especially those in Gaza and Lebanon's refugee camps. In addition to providing free medical care, equipment, medicine, and treatment, PCRF also supplies clean water, hygiene kits, food, and other necessities. Their programs include mental health and amputee projects, support for infrastructure plans such as hospital expansions to improve healthcare access, and sponsorships for children who are disabled, orphaned, or in need of medical treatment or surgery.

Partners In Health

Founded by Paul Farmer when he was still in medical school, PIH is committed to bringing exceptional health care to every corner of the planet. PIH also works to provide access to food, transportation, housing, and other key components of healing to the most vulnerable. Their work started in Haiti but has expanded rapidly across the globe. 

Transgender Law Center

Transgender Law Center, the largest trans-specific and trans-led organization in the U.S., changes law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely and authentically and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression. Through its precedent-setting litigation victories and community-driven programs, TLC protects the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming people in areas spanning employment, prison conditions, education, immigration, healthcare, and more.

Undue Medical Debt

Over 100 million Americans (one in three) are struggling with paying off medical bills. COVID has only added to those numbers, putting people under significant financial burden and emotional distress. This organization buys up medical debt in order to forgive it with no tax consequences to donors or recipients. Donate just $1 and you wipe out $100 of someone's medical debt, $100 to get rid of $10,000 in debt, and so on—the ripple effect is real. Through their work, Undue Medical Debt not only helps with financial relief but also brings attention to the need for a more compassionate, transparent, equitable, and affordable healthcare system.

Waterkeeper Alliance

In 1966, this movement was started by a band of blue-collar fishermen pushing back against industrial polluters, and their tough spirit remains intact through the 300+ local community groups that make up the global Waterkeeper Alliance today. The Alliance works to ensure, preserve, and protect clean and abundant water for all people and creatures. Their programs are diverse, spanning from patrolling waterways against polluters to advocating for environmental laws in courtrooms and town halls and educating in classrooms.

World Central Kitchen

Started by Chef José Andrés, WCK makes sure that people are fed in the wake of humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Their programs advance human and environmental health, offer access to professional culinary training, create jobs, and improve food security. WCK also teaches food safety and cooking classes to native people who live where disasters have occurred, so they may open restaurants and support the local economy more permanently. You can follow where WCK is currently on the ground assisting and feeding people affected by natural and man-made crises here.

[mimi-0007]

****†** EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BEFORE YOU VOTE. ****Project 2025, also known as the Presidential Transition Project, is a collection of policy proposals to thoroughly reshape the U.S. federal government in the event of a Republican victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Established in 2022, the project aims to recruit tens of thousands of conservatives to the District of Columbia to replace existing federal civil servants—whom Republicans characterize as part of the "deep state"—and to further the objectives of the next Republican president. It adopts a maximalist version of the unitary executive theory—which asserts that the president has absolute power over the executive branch upon inauguration. Unitary executive theory is a disputed interpretation of Article II of the Constitution of the United States. Project 2025 envisions widespread changes across the entire government, particularly with regard to economic and social policies and the role of the federal government and its agencies. The plan proposes slashing funding for the Department of Justice (DOJ), dismantling the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), sharply reducing environmental and climate change regulations to favor of fossil fuel production, eliminating the Department of Commerce, and ending the independence of various federal agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The blueprint seeks to institute tax cuts, though its writers disagree on the wisdom of protectionism. .

Project 2025 recommends abolishing the Department of Education, whose programs would be either transferred to other government agencies, or terminated. Scientific research would receive federal funding only if it suits conservative principles. The Project urges the government to explicitly reject abortion as health care and to restrict access to contraception. The Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank that leads the development of Project 2025, asserted in April 2024 that "the radical Left hates families" and "wants to eliminate the family and replace it with the state" while driving the country to emulate totalitarian nations, such as North Korea. The Project seeks to infuse the government with elements of Christianity, stating in its Mandate that "freedom is defined by God, not man." Project 2025 proposes criminalizing pornography, removing protections against discrimination based on sexual or gender identity, and terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, as well as affirmative action. The Project advises the future president to immediately deploy the military for domestic law enforcement and to direct the DOJ to pursue Donald Trump's adversaries by invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807. It recommends the arrest, detention, and deportation of undocumented immigrants across the country. It promotes capital punishment and the speedy "finality" of such sentences. Project director Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official, explained that Project 2025 is "systematically preparing to march into office and bring a new army, aligned, trained, and essentially weaponized conservatives ready to do battle against the deep state." Dans admitted that it was "counterintuitive" to recruit so many people to join the government in order to shrink it, but pointed out the need for a future President to "regain control" of the federal government. Although the project does not promote a specific presidential candidate, many contributors have close ties to Donald Trump and his presidential campaign. The Heritage Foundation has developed Project 2025 in collaboration with over 100 partners including Turning Point USA, led by its executive director Charlie Kirk; the Conservative Partnership Institute including former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows as senior partner; the Center for Renewing America, led by former Trump Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought; and America First Legal, led by former Trump Senior Advisor Stephen Miller. The Project is detailed in Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, a version of which Heritage has written as transition plans for each prospective Republican president since 1980. Critics of Project 2025 have described it as an authoritarian Christian nationalist movement and a path for the United States to become an autocracy. Several experts in law have indicated that it would undermine the rule of law and the separation of powers. Some conservatives and Republicans also criticized the plan, for example in the contexts of centralizing power, climate change, and foreign trade.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alicia Sadowski, Isabella Corrao, Helena Hind, and Jane Lee at MMFA:

The extreme policy positions and toxicity of Project 2025 — the Heritage Foundation’s initiative to provide policy and personnel to the next Trump administration — have prompted leader Paul Dans to resign from his position at the Heritage Foundation and former President Donald Trump to publicly disavow the effort. (Heritage's president has said that Trump trying to create distance from Project 2025 is a “political tactical decision” and that Heritage still has a “very good” relationship with Trump and his team.) Fox News has maintained that Trump was not aware of Project 2025 and attempted to distance Trump from its extremism. But the pro-Trump network’s personalities have repeatedly signaled support for many of Project 2025’s proposals.

[...]

Personnel and staffing

Project 2025’s plan to staff the next Trump administration involves potentially firing thousands of nonpartisan federal civil service workers — what MAGA figures usually refer to as the “deep state” — and replacing them with Trump loyalists. This would be accomplished by reinstituting a Trump-era executive order called “Schedule F,” which would reclassify civil service employees as “at-will” workers who can be more easily fired. And Project 2025 has already created a training academy to instruct potential staffers on “rolling back destructive policy and advancing conservative ideas in the federal government.” 

Christian nationalism

In the foreword to the effort’s policy book, Mandate for Leadership, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts warned that “the Left is threatening the tax-exempt status of churches and charities that reject woke progressivism,” adding that “they will soon turn to Christian schools and clubs with the same totalitarian intent.”

To rectify this threat, Project 2025 offers, as Salon has written, a “blueprint for the Christian nationalist vision for America.”In the chapter on the Department of Labor, former Trump official Jonathan Berry cited the “Judeo-Christian tradition” to justify calling for overtime pay on the Sabbath.

In the chapter on the Department of Health and Human Services, former Trump HHS official Roger Severino criticized the Centers for Disease Control for issuing health guidelines warning against congregating at churches during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He asked, “How much risk mitigation is worth the price of shutting down churches on the holiest day of the Christian calendar and far beyond as happened in 2020? What is the proper balance of lives saved versus souls saved?”He also argued that future conservative administrations should “maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family.”

LGBTQ rights

Project 2025 will have a major impact on LGBTQ students and teachers in public school systems.

The Heritage Foundation’s Lindsey Burke wrote that the next conservative administration should “take particular note of how radical gender ideology is having a devastating effect on school-aged children today” and warned of a supposed intent to “drive a wedge between parents and children.”Project 2025 claims that concepts such as gender ideology “poison our children, who are being taught … to deny the very creatureliness that inheres in being human and consists in accepting the givenness of our nature as men or women.”

Burke also called for legislation to force “K–12 districts under federal jurisdiction” to prohibit employees from using a name or pronoun different from the information listed on a student’s birth certificate without written guardian permission.

Project 2025 additionally targets trans athletes in schools, citing “bureaucrats at the Department of Justice” who “force school districts to undermine girls’ sports and parents’ rights to satisfy transgender extremists.” The plan says the federal government should instead “define ‘sex’ under Title IX to mean only biological sex recognized at birth.”Additionally, in the foreword, Kevin Roberts calls gender-affirming care “child abuse.”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership proposes the removal of “DEI” references from “every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists,” claiming that such efforts undermine the purpose of these agencies. The proposal also calls for the investigation and prosecution of supposed discrimination brought on by DEI policies.Fox News has been vocal in the anti-DEI crusade as well, pushing many of the same talking points found in Mandate, including that DEI and pro-LGBTQ policies are a detriment to the U.S. Army’s effectiveness and that DEI policies constitute discrimination: 

GOP propaganda organ Fox “News” and Project 2025 are in lockstep on many key policies, such as opposition to DEI and LGBTQ+ rights, Christian nationalism, and Schedule F.

[tanadrin]

Okay, well, final question(s): what is the concrete action? By what legislative method can you stop voters from rallying around fascism? Particularly in the case where a major political party is embracing it.

i do not have a full program handy, but i think you misunderstand the goal here--you're not gonna convince the 15-30% of voters in many countries who are fully aboard the fascism train to get off that train, at least not right now. your goal is to present a clear alternative for people who might be persuaded by far-right attempts to appeal to the center, and to motivate the committed anti-fascists to turn out to elections.

(the extremity of the american two-party system makes this harder because you are genuinely not gonna get the democratic party to adopt a platform that will appeal to an ideological conservative who is not a far-right goon; and ideological conservatives are strongly disincentivized to form their own party bc splitting the republican party even a little bit would ensure conservative parties ceased to be electorally performant on a national level, and probably in many states as well. so the republicans would have to really alienate a very large chunk of their base to cease to be a meaningful electoral force. and anti-majoritarian stuff like gerrymandering and the senate helps keep them viable too. but a lot of ideological conservatives will go, 'well, i hate this trump guy, but at least if he's in power i'll get a little of what i want, versus the zero of what i want if the democrats win.' but i still think concrete actions matter--and there is stuff democrats could do to counter those anti-majoritarian features of politics, like pushing to adopt the NPVIC, propose amendments abolishing the EC--a popular idea in general iirc--and ending the filibuster in the senate. plus state-level reforms like nonpartisan redistricting laws, and adopting non-FPTP voting rules.)

[useless-catalanfacts]

HI! Love your blog a lot!!💛❤️

I have a peculiar rant to make!

There are many motorsport events happening in Barcelona during the year, and they are often called "Spanish Grand Prix", and they are portrayed as the "home races" of people usually from other parts of Spain (most times these people are rich blokes from Madrid with links to Vox). I'm not Catalan, but that makes me so mad. It's once again the erasure of an entire history and culture. English-speaking media don't even make an effort to understand where they are, they are just happy to call it Spain and wonder why they're playing two anthems before the actual races.

But anyway, visca Catalunya i bona diada dels Països Catalans!

Thank you very much!

Yes, I completely agree with you that it's annoying. It's a way for the Spanish state (and every other state, because this happens to other occupied nations as well) to use the sports for propaganda and to cement the association "Catalonia=Spain" in the minds of everyone from around the world who's watching.

If I may, I will answer to your rant with another rant of my own. In general, most sports tend to be very state-centered. For example, for most sports you can't be a professional athlete unless you sign up for a specific state to represent it, wear its flag on your clothes while you compete, play their anthem if you win, the teams must be organized according to people who come from the same state, etc. And if you don't have one, then, bad luck, you either do it for the state that occupies your homeland or you don't get to become a professional sportsperson at all. But even if you have your own independent country that you identify with, still... why so much focus on it? Why is where these people come from so important that it becomes even more important that the person? Imagine if people did this with any other aspect of the athlete's background or identities: "Twilight fans won 5 gold medals this year, and Marvel fans went down to only 3". Or imagine if we did it by sexual orientation, conservatives would be so mad saying "why do you have to wave it in everyone's faces!?". All of those would be ridiculous, so why isn't this strong focus on what state they come from also ridiculous? It would seem more logical to focus on person, school/trainer, or teams that they could choose according to how they view the sport or how they think training works better or work better together. But we seem to just accept that the state (not even culture or nation, just a geographical-political administration unit) is the most defining trait.

That's why I personally never liked the Olympic games or world cups, it feels like it's more about nationalism than about sports. I used to follow them when I was young but I always felt like the gymnasts themselves weren't recognized enough because all the media was focused on "how many people from our country won", or "this sport was won by [country]". And Spanish media does this a lot, to the point that I think they are disrespectful to the sportsperson. Why do all Spanish people have to feel proud or like they won the games because someone from their state achieved something, but not when someone from another state did the same, even when someone from a state might be geographically closer to some parts of their neighbour state than other parts of their own? It's not like the random citizen who is supposed to feel like he himself won the games did, maybe he spent the whole competition eating chips at the sofa (that's me btw). It just never made sense to me. And even less for team achievements like F1 or MotoGP, where they play the anthem of the state that the pilot is a citizen of, but so much of that victory is owed to the rest of the team who worked on making and improving the car/motorbike, so it's a team effort but the anthem of the state of only one of them is chosen to be given the victory to. It makes no sense!

And if you're hosting on a city, it's the same. What does a state's anthem even have to do with an F1 racing? Why is it even there? Show the city and the area around it if you must show something, after all that's the people whose taxes are going to pay for that sport and whose lives are going to be inconvenienced by it.

Because that's another thing, events like the F1 race inside Barcelona (not on the actual track, when they made them fake-race on the street Passeig de Gràcia, afaik they were not even actually racing because the velocity limit was too low), the America Cup, etc contribute so much to worsening the worst problems of the city (touristic massification, gentrification, poverty, and pollution). For the America Cup, the neighbours of the Barceloneta quarter have to use cards that identify them as residents to be allowed in their own neighbourhood because that whole neighbourhood has been kidnapped by the America Cup people. And the F1 fake race thing in one of the busiest avenues of the city was very annoying to the citizens, too. It meant cutting a significant amount of the city's traffic, including public buses, and collapsing part of the metro system as a result. Some of my co-workers had difficulties arriving to our workplace that day because of it. Just so that cars can show off inside the city and pollute it, skipping the city's laws that aim to reduce air pollution by banning people whose cars pollute more than a certain amount (which in practise means old cars, the ones that poorer people are more likely to have). We can't use our cars in the city unless we can afford a green model, but they can cut off a whole avenue in the very centre of the city, asphalt it new just for them, and race there when they already have a track made for them to race in.

It's all part of the capitalist obsession with uncontrolled growth, they want everything to happen here for more and more people to come. Not just with sports events, but anything that will be used as an advertising for the city. Like the Louis Vuitton catwalk that was happening this month in Park Güell (a UNESCO World Heritage Site btw) and which damaged part of the architecture. Until now, the hotel lobby was the main promoter of many of these events because they wanted more tourists, but even the hotel owners are now saying that this has gone too far and the tourism monoculture model has become absolutely unsustainable and is ruining the city.

Don't get me wrong, sports are important and we need to support them and promote people practise sports, and it's good for entertainment purposes and we have to support people having fun (that's what life's about!). But the model that professional competitive sports use needs to be completely rethinked. I think every city that has gone through the devastating experience of hosting Olympic Games will agree with this.

Anyway, that's just my opinion and what you pointed out is definitely more offensive, but when I stop to think of it I can't but see how it's all.... not great. Sorry for getting out of topic but I have been personally very annoyed by these sports and fashion events this month.

Thank you for your message and your understanding, I read it on the Sant Joan but I'm answering late. I hope you had a good diada dels Països Catalans and that you're having a great beginning of summer 🌞

[rjzimmerman]

Photo of my hand holding a baby desert tortoise at the Desert Tortoise Research Center at the Twenty-Nine Palms Marine Base in Twenty-Nine Palms, California:

Excerpt from this story from the LA Times:

A 3.5-million-acre swath of Mojave Desert between Ridgecrest and the Morongo Basin has received a new federal designation that advocates hope will help protect vulnerable wildlife like the Mojave desert tortoise.

The area has been named a sentinel landscape, a federally led effort to promote sustainable land-use practices near military installations.

“It’s built on partnerships,” said Phil Murray, encroachment manager for the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, one of five installations that surrounds the newly designated land. “A lot of the conservation work that’s done around the Morongo Basin or Mojave Desert is coordinated through different federal agencies, NGOs and private partners.”

The goal is to encourage a more collaborative approach, and to streamline federal assistance to the various agencies, groups and people involved, he said.

The designation doesn’t change who owns or manages the land and does not come with dedicated funding, aside from money for an implementation plan and a coordinator, Murray said. But sentinel landscapes are prioritized for funding through certain grants, he said.

The coalition is expected to support conservation efforts such as erecting desert tortoise fencing to reduce vehicle strikes, creating wildlife crossings, propagating seeds and rehabilitating habitat, including areas that have burned in wildfires, Murray said.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust expects to do much work on the ground, including helping with seed collection and outreach, said Cody Hanford, deputy executive director and chief conservation officer of the nonprofit dedicated to protecting the California desert.

“It will elevate our projects, elevate our goals, which I think in the end will help them become more accomplishable,” he said.

Other partners include various federal and state agencies, conservation groups and San Bernardino County.

The expanse of desert that received the designation is ringed by the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, National Training Center Fort Irwin, Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow.

It’s also the heart of desert tortoise habitat in California, said Ken MacDonald, board member at-large and former president of the Desert Tortoise Council conservation group, a partner in the new effort.

“There’s recreational interests, tribal interests, local community interests,” he said. “So coming together as a partnership, we thought, would make the coalition and the cooperation more effective than everybody chipping away and working independently in their own backyard.”

“And so really, it’s to manage the whole 3 million acres cooperatively and collaboratively and be more effective in conserving and recovering the desert tortoises, and that’s pretty much it,” he said. “Just team up and take care of these critters.”

The stretch of desert includes at least 40 other protected species, including the Western Joshua tree, which California has protected with a conservation plan, and the Mohave ground squirrel, which the state lists as threatened.

But perhaps none is as imperiled as the desert tortoise, which California recently listed as endangered.

The species is facing pressure from a number of fronts, MacDonald said. The slow-moving reptiles are vulnerable to being hit by cars. Development has carved up previously wide-open stretches of desert into parcels that are in some cases too small to allow for the breeding and genetic diversity needed to sustain their population health. Drought conditions meant the wildflowers they like to eat never grew some years, and invasive species outcompeted them in other years.

[beardedmrbean]

A White history teacher accused a California teachers union of discriminating against him on the basis of his skin color and called the move "disgusting."

Isaac Newman, a teacher in the Elk Grove School District, on Friday filed a federal lawsuit against his local National Education Association affiliate for allegedly violating his Title VII civil rights. The suit alleged that the Elk Grove Education Association formed a seat on its executive board that was only available to candidates of color, meaning Newman wasn't eligible.

"It's disgusting, and that's why I'm suing," he told Fox News Digital in an interview.

"My union barred me from a leadership position simply because of the color of my skin," he said, discussing the suit. "I'm prohibited from running for a leadership position simply because of my race. This kind of racial litmus test is illegal, and it's un-American, and that's why I'm taking them to court." 

In 2023, Elk Grove Education Association officials voted to create a "BIPOC At-Large" seat on its executive board, a position limited only to people who "self-identify" as "African American (Black), Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawai’ian, Pacific Islander, Latino (including Puerto Rican), Asian, Arab, and Middle Eastern," according to the suit. 

"Plaintiff Isaac Newman is a white [EGEA] member who wants to run for union office to address the District’s recent adoption of what he believes to be aggressive and unnecessary Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) policies," reads the lawsuit, filed by The Fairness Center, a legal group focused on representing "those hurt by public-sector union officials."

The suit asked the court to "declare the BIPOC Position unlawful" and prevent the union "from creating any similar positions in the future where candidate eligibility is, in whole or in part, based on race." 

Newman said the alleged discrimination was "frightening," as was the prevalence of critical race theory in society's culture. 

"I'm actually really frightened for my children," he said, "when we look to a future where people are being taught [critical race theory]."

Newman believes that DEI ideology pushes hostile messages that focus on a person's skin color as opposed to their expertise and knowledge.

"The message there is that as a White teacher in a district that is very diverse, my students can't learn from me," he said. "It's abhorrent, and it's flatly wrong."

Newman told Fox News Digital that after disagreeing with the union pushing "aggressive" DEI agendas in the district, he decided to run for an executive seat to challenge the status quo. 

"I'm looking to see my district and union back away from this fantastically toxic ideology, back away from DEI and embrace merit and individuality," he said. "I'm hoping to see that other teachers, other people in similar organizations, will stand up." 

Newman said he was not alone in his opposition to DEI in school districts. 

"Most people who think like me are unwilling to speak up," he said. "There are a lot of teachers [who are silent], and it's not really a conservative or liberal thing."

"There are a lot of teachers who recognize that meritocracy, colorblindness are at the core of good teaching," Newman added. "What's shocking is in these DEI trainings, they actually call out colorblindness and meritocracy as racist myths. And of course, if you're dedicated to that, well, then you're going to have division, and you're going to have mediocrity." 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Elk Grove union for comment. 

"Teachers’ unions don’t get a pass from laws that prohibit racial discrimination," said Fairness Center President and general counsel Nathan McGrath. "The Civil Rights Act explicitly forbids unions from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin and from segregating members based on these attributes." 

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - April 8-14

(Actually 8-12 due to irl obligations)

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on here or Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content! (I'm new to taking tips on here; if it doesn't show me your username or if you have DM's turned off, please send me a screenshot of your payment)

1. Interior Department Finalizes Action to Strengthen Endangered Species Act

“These revisions, which will increase efficiency by reducing the time and cost to develop and negotiate permit applications, will encourage more individuals and companies to engage in conservation benefit agreements and habitat conservation plans, generating greater conservation results overall.”

2. Young Puerto Ricans Restore Habitat Damaged by Hurricane While Launching Conservation Careers

“Corps members help restore the island’s environmental and cultural assets and volunteer in hard-hit local communities. They also gain valuable paid work experience and connections to possible future employers, something many young Puerto Ricans struggle to find.”

3. Australian-born cheetah released in Africa for the first time ever. Watch the heart-warming moment Edie is set free

““The Metapopulation Initiative will bring in appropriate males, probably two initially, to breed with Edie,” King says. “It’s those future cubs, and their cubs, that will ensure the legacy of spreading Edie’s genetics across the southern African metapopulation. And we will have also provided Edie – a wild animal, let’s not forget – with a chance of a life in the wild.””

4. Baby Bald Eagles Confirmed in 2 of 4 Nests in Will County Forest Preserves

“A pair of fuzzy eaglet heads were spotted popping up out of one of the nests this week, officials said. Two weeks ago, monitors noticed adult eagles feeding an unseen hatchling (or hatchlings) in a different nest.”

5. New Hope for Love for Japanese Children Needing Families

“The new system, established by a 2022 law, offers private childcare institutions financing to transform their business model into “Foster Care Support Centers” that recruit, train, select, and support foster parents, and assist the independence of children living in foster families. If a childcare institution becomes a Foster Care Support Center, the government will fund full-time staff members based on the number of foster households they cater to.”

6. Nexamp nabs $520M to build community solar across the US

“Nexamp, a community solar developer and project owner, has secured a whopping $520million to install solar arrays around the nation in one of the largest capital raises to date for this growing sector. Community solar gives renters, small businesses and organizations the chance to benefit from local solar power even if they can’t put panels on their own roofs.”

7. A natural touch for coastal defense: Hybrid solutions which combine nature with common “hard” coastal protection measures may offer more benefits in lower-risk areas

“Common “hard” coastal defenses, like concrete sea walls, might struggle to keep up with increasing climate risks. A new study shows that combining them with nature-based solutions could, in some contexts, create defenses which are better able to adapt.”

8. Rewilding program ships eggs around the world to restore Raja Ampat zebra sharks

“A survey estimated the zebra shark had a population of 20 spread throughout the Raja Ampat archipelago, making the animal functionally extinct in the region. […] Researchers hope to release 500 zebra sharks into the wild within 10 years in an effort to support a large, genetically diverse breeding population.”

9. Forest Loss Plummets in Brazil and Colombia

“New data reveals a decline in primary forest loss in Brazil and Colombia, highlighting the significant impact of environmental reforms in curbing deforestation. According to 2022-2023 data from the University of Maryland’s GLAD Lab and World Resource’s Institute (WRI), primary forests in Brazil experienced a 36 per cent decrease in deforestation under President Inácio Lula da Silva’s leadership, reaching its lowest level since 2015. Colombia nearly halved (by 49 per cent) its forest loss under the administration of President Gustavo Petro Urrego, who has prioritised rural and environmental reform.”

10. New Agreement Paves the Way for Ocelot Reintroduction on Private Lands

“With the safe harbor agreement in place, partners plan to begin developing a source stock of ocelots for reintroduction. Over the next year, they plan to construct an ocelot conservation facility in Kingsville to breed and raise ocelots. Producing the first offspring is expected to take a few years.”

April 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[schraubd]

Getting Out in Front on Antisemitism

A few weeks ago, when the New York City Council was debating a resolution combating antisemitism, we had a bit of awkwardness when various lefty groups (and a few lefty councilmembers) expressed concern about aligning themselves with the undeniably right-wing actors who were the primary movers behind the underlying campaign. Six councilmembers ultimately declined to vote for the resolution, resulting in some absolutely expected negative headlines and bad press as the right seized the opportunity that fell into their laps.

In response to that own-goal, I wrote the following:

Look: Brooke Goldstein is an undeniably toxic actor. I totally get why a progressive wouldn't want to touch anything she's within ten feet of. But here's the thing: you don't *have* to wait for her to draft an anti-antisemitism resolution. You can draft your own!

NYC progressives have nobody to blame but themselves that they let Goldstein get out in front of them. If you don't want to vote for "her" res, write and submit your own first. Who knows, maybe [Republican city councilwoman Inna] Vernikov will pale at associating with you and you can turn the screws on her a bit!

But if you aren't writing these resolutions and you aren't frontloading the fight against antisemitism, you can't get too chippy that other people fill in the gap you've left. It's a problem entirely of your own making. 

As the day of the Biden administration's big antisemitism action plan rollout comes to a close, doesn't it feel nice to be on the right side of that lesson?

The Biden administration didn't wait on antisemitism. It didn't hold back, it didn't stay quiet and do nothing until some Matt Gaetz style yahoo created a "plan to fight antisemitism" that they had to reject while awkwardly insisting that of course they oppose antisemitism but they just can't oppose it this way.

The Biden administration wrote their own plan, on their own initiative, in their own words. And what was the result?

An array of Jewish organizations from the left to the center-right echoed those sentiments in welcoming the plan with enthusiasm, marking a change from recent weeks in which they had been split over how the plan should define antisemitism. Still, a handful of right-wing groups blasted the strategy, saying that its chosen definition of antisemitism diluted the term.

The Jewish left seems happy. I've seen naught but praise from groups like the JDCA, J Street, JFREJ, and so on. The Jewish center seems happy. The ADL and AJC clearly are taking this as a win. The Conference is happy. Groups like JIMENA are thrilled that the document expressly acknowledges and represents Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews. A rapid consensus has already emerged across a broad swath of the American Jewish community that this document is an example of true allyship from the White House.

And the right? Well now it's their turn to feel uncomfortable. They're still trying to stomp their feet about Nexus getting 15 words of modest praise. They're awkwardly trying to figure out how handle MAGA darling Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) calling the proposed campaign against antisemitism a means of "go[ing] after conservatives" and comparing it to Soviet repression. They're on their heels, reeling from the fact that the biggest national program to fight antisemitism is being conducted and they're struggling to even board the train.

Right now, the fight against antisemitism is a coalition of left and center, with the right bickering on the sidelines. It's not just a win for the Jews (though it is), it's a great political coup as well. And it's all because the Biden administration took the very simple step of getting out in front.

Learn that lesson, and learn it well.

via The Debate Link https://ift.tt/FnJLdI4

[catdotjpeg]

[Image ID: A large group of people are gathered in protest on a sidewalk. A purple banner reading “Stop Cop City” is centered in the front of the photo. End ID.] 

A broad coalition of groups in Atlanta has launched a referendum to give voters a chance to say whether they want the controversial police and fire department training center known as “Cop City” built in a forest south-east of the city.

The effort requires organizers to collect about 70,000 signatures from Atlanta registered voters in 60 days. Then the question of the city canceling its agreement with the Atlanta Police Foundation to build the $90m center can be added to municipal election ballots in November.

The push comes after an estimated thousand people who showed up at City Hall on 5 June proved insufficient to stop Atlanta’s city council from approving about $67m for Cop City. Meanwhile, machines have already begun clear-cutting trees on the project’s 171-acre footprint in South River Forest.

The referendum faces what one organizer called “an atmosphere of repression” – including two activists being charged with felonies last week while putting up fliers, bringing total arrests since December to 50.

The largest group of arrests, on 5 March in a public park in the forest near where the project is planned, was followed by local government closing the park, in effect shutting off tree-sitting protests by “forest defenders” that had gone on for more than a year.

“We’re at the stage where they’ve pushed people out of the forest, they’ve arrested people … they’ve fenced off the forest, they’ve even begun clear-cutting,” said Kamau Franklin, founder of local group Community Movement Builders. “We’re at the stage where the most direct, legal mechanism to stop this project is by referendum.” [...]

...the movement opposing the project has drawn a wide range of people locally, nationally and internationally who oppose police militarization, urban forest destruction amid climate change and environmental racism. Most residents in neighborhoods surrounding the forest are Black.

Most of the organizations driving the referendum are also Black-led, including the regional chapter of Working Families Power, Black Voters Matter and the NAACP. Officials from the Georgia governor, Brian Kemp, down to the mayor have consistently referred to opposition against the center as the work of white “outsiders”.

“That narrative is false,” said Britney Whaley, regional director of Working Families Power. “This has been national, but it’s also been community-grown for a few years now.”

Ashley Dixon, an Atlanta-area organizer, has led canvassing efforts to inform neighborhoods around South River Forest about the center for nearly a year. Her team has spoken to more than a thousand people. About 80% opposed the project once they knew about it, she said.

The only academic poll on the issue to date, from Atlanta’s Emory University, showed slightly more Black respondents opposed the project than supported it, with the opposite being true for whites. Atlanta’s population is 48% Black.

The idea for the referendum came from one that succeeded in stopping a spaceport from being built in coastal Georgia, said Will Harlan, founder of Forest Keeper, a national forest conservation organization. “To me, Cop City is the most important issue in conservation in the south-east,” Harlan said. “A referendum is the smartest, most democratic solution … [and] a way to find resolution and closure.”

Although the 2022 spaceport referendum affected a county of only 55,000 people, similarities between the two controversies point to the role voters can play when other efforts fall short.

In that case, local officials “dug their heels in” and stopped responding to press requests or providing transparent information to the public, said Megan Desrosiers, who led the referendum. In the case of Cop City, the Atlanta Police Foundation has stopped answering press requests for at least a year, and the city of Atlanta was recently discovered to be understating the project’s cost to taxpayers by about $36m.

The project is planned on land the city owns that is located in neighboring DeKalb county. Because of Atlanta’s ownership, only Atlanta voters can participate in the referendum. [...]

Organizers of the Cop City referendum pointed to the state’s heavy-handed approach to protesters as a primary concern. There have been 42 domestic terrorism charges to date. A bail and legal defense fund’s members were also arrested and the state added fundraising to its criminal description of the training center’s opposition.

In that context, it took about a dozen attempts at finding a legally required fiscal sponsor for the referendum, which may need as much as $3.5m to reach success, said spokesperson Paul Glaze.

Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter – one of two organizations that agreed to take the sponsorship role – said the recent Atlanta Solidarity Fund arrests were done “to send a message, in hopes it would have a chilling effect. We’re not naive about what the threats are – but we believe our community cares about this issue.”

-- From “Activists push for referendum to put ‘Cop City’ on ballot in Atlanta” by Timothy Pratt for The Guardian, 16 Jun 2023 

[rajasthan-political-leader]

RISING TH RAJASTHAN: A New Era of Growth and Innovation

From December 9 to 11, 2024, Rajasthan witnessed an extraordinary event that set the stage for the state’s future in global investment and development — the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024. This prestigious summit, held at the JECC (Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Center), Jaipur, was graced by the presence of none other than Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, whose visionary leadership continues to steer the state and the nation towards unprecedented growth.

Under the banner of #आपणो_अग्रणी_राजस्थान (Our Leading Rajasthan), the summit focused on showcasing the immense potential of Rajasthan as a major player in India’s economic transformation, while also highlighting its cultural and tourism prominence on the global stage. With PM Modi’s support and participation, the event aimed to attract investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators to the state, paving the way for new opportunities, collaborations, and partnerships.

A Vision for Rajasthan’s Future

The Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was not just another conference; it was a statement of intent — a declaration that Rajasthan is no longer merely a land of historical monuments, forts, and deserts. Rajasthan is now an emerging hub for business, investment, and innovation.

PM Modi, in his keynote address, spoke of Rajasthan’s significant role in India’s development story. He emphasized that the state is now well-positioned to be a leader in sectors such as renewable energy, manufacturing, infrastructure development, and tourism. Rajasthan, with its vast natural resources, skilled workforce, and progressive policies, is ready to embrace the future with open arms, welcoming both domestic and global investors.

The Prime Minister’s presence at the event underscored the government’s commitment to fostering a favorable environment for business and entrepreneurship in the state. Through his words, PM Modi assured investors of the stability, reliability, and growth potential of Rajasthan. He highlighted that the state’s future will be built on the pillars of innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Key Themes of the Summit

The summit brought together industry leaders, government officials, and entrepreneurs to discuss key sectors that hold promise for Rajasthan’s future growth. Some of the core themes and discussions included:

Renewable Energy Leadership: Rajasthan is already a leader in India’s solar energy revolution. With its vast open spaces and abundant sunlight, the state is poised to become a global hub for renewable energy investments. The summit focused on attracting investments in solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects.

Infrastructure Development: With initiatives like the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Rajasthan is focusing on becoming a logistics and manufacturing powerhouse. The summit discussed large-scale infrastructure projects, including smart cities, transportation, and industrial zones, that will drive economic growth in the region.

Tourism & Cultural Heritage: Known for its royal heritage, majestic forts, palaces, and vibrant culture, Rajasthan continues to be one of India’s top tourist destinations. The summit highlighted opportunities in eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and heritage conservation, ensuring that the state remains a major attraction for global tourists.

Agriculture and Agri-Tech: As one of the largest producers of grains, pulses, and spices in India, Rajasthan is also focused on enhancing its agricultural sector through innovation in technology. Discussions revolved around boosting agricultural productivity, introducing sustainable farming techniques, and promoting agri-tech solutions.

Skill Development and Employment: Rajasthan is investing heavily in skill development to equip its youth with the skills needed for the future economy. The summit discussed strategies for improving education, training, and employment opportunities for the state’s growing workforce.

A Call for Global Partnerships

One of the standout messages of the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was the call for collaboration and partnership. PM Modi highlighted that Rajasthan’s growth would not be possible without the involvement of global businesses and investors. The summit served as a platform for networking, forging partnerships, and opening doors to new possibilities. By creating an ecosystem that encourages innovation, research, and development, Rajasthan is becoming an ideal destination for businesses looking to expand their footprint in India and the larger Asian market.

Rajasthan’s government is committed to providing the right infrastructure, policies, and incentives to create a conducive environment for business. With a focus on ease of doing business, robust legal frameworks, and transparent governance, the state is positioning itself as one of the most investor-friendly regions in India.

The Future is Bright for Rajasthan

The Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was a defining moment for the state’s journey towards economic transformation. With PM Modi’s strong endorsement, Rajasthan is set to rise as a symbol of growth, sustainability, and innovation. The summit not only focused on attracting investments but also highlighted the state’s potential as a dynamic and reliable partner for global businesses.

The summit’s theme, #आपणो_अग्रणी_राजस्थान (Our Leading Rajasthan), reflects the spirit of pride and determination that the people of Rajasthan share as they look towards a future full of opportunities. Whether in renewable energy, infrastructure, tourism, or agriculture, Rajasthan is ready to lead, inspire, and make its mark on the global map.

As the summit concluded, it was clear that Rajasthan’s growth trajectory is just beginning. The state is rising, and with the commitment of its government, the support of Prime Minister Modi, and the active involvement of investors and entrepreneurs, Rajasthan is set to become one of India’s leading states in terms of investment, development, and innovation.

The Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was a resounding success that showcased the state’s ambitions, opportunities, and path forward. With PM Modi’s leadership and the strong vision of Rajasthan’s government, the state is ready to harness its full potential. The event was a reminder that Rajasthan is not just Rising — it is becoming Reliable, Refined, and ready for the future.

As Rajasthan continues to evolve and innovate, the world is watching. The state is now on the global stage, and it’s clear that Rajasthan is ready to lead — not just within India, but across the world.

[skin-slave]

Look, I'm not saying everyone should have one. I'm not saying they fix problems. I'm not saying you shouldn't think long and hard, research all applicable laws, and seek help. I'm not saying don't start small. I'm not saying don't have confidence in pepper spray, self-defense devices, or hand-to-hand training.

But I am gonna go ahead and say, this is an option. Minorities are choosing to own firearms at an increasing rate. If you're considering, and looking for resources, here's some that are for/by minorities and non-conservatives:

National African American Gun Association

Black Gun Owners Association

Blazing Sword (queer centered)

Pink Pistols (woman centered)

A Girl and a Gun (woman centered)

The Liberal Gun Club

Socialist Rifle Association

(I'm not affiliated with any of these and don't have intimate knowledge of them.)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kyle Mantyla at RWW:

In 2023, self-proclaimed Christian nationalist and unabashed Trump cultist Lance Wallnau announced his intention to travel the country ahead of the 2024 elections in order to break the “demonic strongholds” in swing states that are supposedly preventing Republicans from winning elections. That idea eventually merged with the revival Fire and Glory Tour that Wallnau was doing with fellow MAGA cultist Mario Murillo, resulting in plans to merge political rallies with Christian revival meetings in order to help former President Donald Trump return to the White House.

Dubbed “The Courage Tour,” Wallnau and Murillo have so far held events in Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan, consisting of Christian nationalist political organizing during the day and evening sessions focused on spiritual revival and miracle healing. The purpose of these events, as Wallnau explained earlier this year, is to prepare Christians to rule and reign when Jesus Christ returns by training them to “occupy territory now.” The plan for training Christians to rule in the End Times by getting them politically involved today was on full display when the Courage Tour stopped in Wisconsin this week, and longtime political activist Joshua Standifer urged attendees to sign up to serve as election workers this November so that they can function as a “Trojan horse” for the Christian nationalist political movement. Standifer leads an organization called The Lion Of Judah that believes “it’s time that Christians led by the Holy Spirit take back the mountain of Government and transform our nation.”

Talk of taking control of “the mountain of government” flows from Seven Mountains Dominionism, a radical theology associated with the New Apostolic Reformation that advocates having right-wing Christians control all aspects of society. Followers of Seven Mountains theology believe that they are to “do whatever is necessary” to take control of the seven main “mountains” that shape our culture—education, government, media, business, arts and entertainment, family, and religion—in order to implement the will of God throughout the nation and the world. Wallnau is a leading proponent of Seven Mountains Dominionism and the theology is at the center of his Courage Tour efforts. During his remarks on Monday, Standifer urged the conservative Christians in the audience to become election workers, not just volunteers, because “when the polls start to close or chaos unfolds, they’re gonna kick the volunteers out” while right-wing Christians will remain behind to be “the ones counting the votes.”

Christian Nationalism is a poisonous ideology, part 822.