#Safer Kentucky Act

[rodgermalcolmmitchell]

The REAL solution to crime

Way back in April 2022, we published, “The crime rate is way up. What is the best way to prevent crime in America?” Here are some excerpts from that post, which continues to be relevant: Every politician wants to be known as “tough on crime.” No one wants to be seen as “soft on crime.” The Republicans especially like to rage at crime, especially when the criminals are immigrants, poor, black and…

[rickmaynard]

2-9-24: Georgetown News-Graphic cartoon. There are plenty of reasonable, compassionate, thoughtful, smart Republicans in the Commonwealth. It's just that none of them are in the General Assembly.

[leftindecar]

Holy shit what kind of dystopian bullshit is this??

Source

[vague-humanoid]

Republican lawmakers in Kentucky introduced a bill last Tuesday that would criminalize homeless encampments and expand the state’s Stand Your Ground law to allow property owners to confront unhoused people with a gun. The bill, dubbed the “Safer Kentucky Act,” already has received more than 45 Republican co-sponsors and the Kentucky State Fraternal Order of Police has committed to testify in support of the legislation when it has a committee hearing.

[pretty-little-martyr]

i just woke up and am in a lot of pain so forgive this posts incoherency but I've been seeing a lot of posts going around reminding perisex trans people that lying Abt your top surgery and saying you had gynecomastia is incredibly rude as you're lying Abt being intersex, which I completely understand from that angle and also don't understand why people would go for that lie. like to me if you think it's rude to lie and say you had cancer, the other "non trans" reason for that surgery, surely it's obvious they're both rude

howevervif you are put in w situation where lying where you got the scars is safer here's a list of lies I've come up with because i love lying and acting bizarrely

There was a bear

I used to be the greatest shark wrestler in the Florida keys

I used to be the best gator wrestler in Kentucky

one time I got kidnapped by this guy who really liked the Saw movies

you should see the other guy

i wrestled a chimp once. didn't go well

Those used to be eyes actually but then I could never make the "hey, my eyes are up here" joke

My buddy went all Jack Torrance on me once. It's all cool though I was best man at his wedding

My cousin's gender reveal didn't go quite according to plan

It was .... the weedhacker

Oh this isn't a scar actually it's a tattoo. No you can't touch it

Got bit by a really really really big dog. [proceed to describe a bear but do not ever admit that this is a bear you're describing]

my friends and I vastly misunderstood what a tractor pull is

I took a rodeo clown class in college and was really really bad at it

got stabbed :/

you ever heard of car surfing?

and ultimately tbqh. anybody quizzing you about something on your body that isn't like a tattoo or a piercing is being fucking rude and you should remind them of that. like all jokes aside. whether they're being transphobic or just a little insensitive responding to any pushing with "hey man, weird that youre asking so much about the personal medical history" is totally acceptable and u don't need any other response.

[bandofchimeras]

ACAB its not just a slogan or a meme.

police make everywhere feel so unsafe.

when you aren't one of the demographic they serve (landowning upper class white cishet people). i don't even think about calling the cops if my life is danger. I did that one time. they arrested me.

if there was a murder need investigating, sure, but i wouldn't trust that they would actually put any effort into the search based on who my friends tend to be.

in this city, they paid serial killers on the force 500,000 pension to "retire" and then get hired again by another county force the next year. everytime a cop car drives by, I imagine that verified murderers and accomplices, heavily armed and angry, are in the drivers seat. how is that NOT a fucking "gang"?

I'm white. I'm never going to understand the particuarly terrifying relationship Black Americans or Native people have with the police.

but when other middle class people make jabs at "unsafe" neighborhoods and places...they forget elite, rich neighborhoods can be just as deadly if you don't look like its residents. My blood pressure rises whenever i have to drive my junker truck with the taped over window into a wealthy area, or park near businesses where most of the other cars are shiny. recently all the side streets in this city have been full of "NO PARKING" signs to target houseless folks. In Kentucky they're working on passing the H5 bill the "Safer Kentucky Act" - which would decriminalize shooting homeless people. and criminalize sleeping in your car. and implement a three strike rule, which can lead to a life sentence or execution.

state sponsored execution for being "undesirable" think about that. they get to just decide who gets to live and die? for being "dirty" or using substances? for being disabled by a disabling virus?

its easy to let ACAB become a slogan and not think about why cops are bastards if you aren't exposed to dangerous situations regularly, and then default to them in a panic when the chips are down. because you haven't seen it. you're the white church mom I used to know posting about how nice the cops were to her when she got pulled over. the lady who makes her blonde friend drive when they go on road trips because she can get out of tickets. but once you witness the level of betrayal and mishandling in the criminal injustice system, the level of abuse and violence, the way your neighbors and friends are trigger-happy to use this armed gang against you the second you're perceived as "out of control, "the second that violence touches you it becomes so obvious these bastards are not your friends and never can be.

unless you adopt the ideology necessary to justify their aggressions against yourself and your neighbors. and even then. you ever seen some wacko with a Blue Lives Matter wrap get pulled over? its funny but also it shows, nothing will protect you. cops are doing heavy PR right now. town halls, coffee and donuts. they're recruiting for the upcoming militarization that's coming in response to Palestine protests and this horror show election in November.

Amerikkkan cops are heavily infiltrated and practically equivalent in many cities to other white supremacist, militant gangs. They are militarizing more and more rapidly. Using AI and integrating with the court system, more survelliance, more rules for how you're allowed to exist in public. think about that. why should it matter? if you loiter, if you skateboard, if you wear glasses or masks? you are being trained to see yourself and your neighbors as potential-crime-committers rather than human beings. we are self-survelling. reporting. getting off on correcting and ignoring eachother. What Israel is doing is a mirror held to our collective potential future. and you should be very, very alarmed. Fuck the cops. Fuck the prisons. Fuck the detention centers. We already have the Gestapo and the camps. Look the fuck around.

[tearsinthemist]

by Roshan Abraham

January 22, 2024, 8:53am

Republican politicians in Kentucky are rallying behind a new bill that would authorize the use of force—and potentially deadly force—against unhoused people who are found to be camping on private property. The bill would also criminalize unsanctioned homeless encampments and restrict cities and towns from preempting state laws. 

The bill, known as the “Safer Kentucky Act,” or HB5, would target homelessness, drug possession and mental illness by drastically increasing criminal penalties for a range of offenses. Introduced last week by Republican state representative Jared Bauman, it already has 52 sponsors in Kentucky’s House of Representatives. A vote is scheduled for this week.  

[transformationsproject]

Trans rights are still under attack in the United States. Please visit our website linked below to learn about your state and contact your reps. Here's a thread of today's updates:

A bathroom bill denies access to public restrooms by gender or trans identity. They increase danger without making anyone any safer and have even prompted attacks on cis and trans people alike. Many national health and anti-sexual assault organizations oppose these bills.

Idaho S1016 had its first reading and was scheduled for a second reading.

Arkansas SB270, which would make it “criminal indecency with a child” for trans folks to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity, was re-referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Iowa SF335 passed committee and was renumbered (new number not yet available).

Healthcare bills go against professional and scientific consensus that gender affirming care saves lives. Denying access will cause harm. Providers are faced with criminal charges, parents are threatened with child abuse charges, and intersex children are typically exempted.

Georgia HB653, an under-18 healthcare ban, was introduced on Wednesday. 

Ohio HB68, a "SAFE" act, was introduced and referred to the House Public Health Policy Committee.

Kansas SB233, which already passed in the Senate, was referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee.

Oklahoma HB2177 passed in the House, making it the first time that an adult healthcare ban has passed in a chamber. The bill now crosses over to the Senate.

Oklahoma SB129 passed in committee.

Kentucky HB470 passed in committee.

Public performance bans, or "drag bans," restrict access for folks who are gender non-conforming in any way. They loosely define "drag" as any public performance with an “opposite gender expression,” as sexual in nature, and inappropriate for children. This also pushes trans individuals out of public spaces.

Missouri HB1364, a drag ban bill, was introduced yesterday and read for a second time today.

Oklahoma SB503, an obscenity bill, passed in committee.

South Dakota HB1116, an "obscenity bill" which prohibits "lewd or lascivious content," which already passed in the House, passed in committee.

Tennessee HB 1125 has been signed into law by the governor

Schooling / Parental Rights bills force schools to misgender or deadname students, ban instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and make schools alert parents if they suspect a child is trans. They remove life-saving affirmation and support for trans youth.

Florida S1320 was pre-filed. 

Arizona SB1001 passed in the Senate and was transmitted to the House.

Iowa HSB222 passed in its subcommittee.

​​Tennessee HB1269 was referred to the House Finance, Ways, & Means Committee.

Sex designation bills make it harder for trans folks to have IDs, such as birth certificates, that match their gender identity. They can force a male or female designation based upon sex assigned at birth. Some ban a non-binary “X” marker or require surgery to qualify for ID updates.

Montana SB458 passed in committee and will head to the Senate floor.

Most sports bills force schools to designate teams by sex assigned at birth. They are often one-sided and ban trans girls from playing on teams consistent with their gender identity. Some egregious bills even force invasive genital examinations on student athletes.

Maine LD930, a sports ban bill that specifically targets trans girls, was introduced and referred to the Joint Judiciary Committee.

Wyoming SF0133, which already passed in the House, passed in the Senate and will now head to the Governor for signature.

These are other negative bills that attack trans rights outside of the bill types above.

Texas HB3147 was filed. This is a prison bill that would prohibit trans and gender diverse incarcerated folks from being housed in facilities consistent with their gender identity.

Texas SB559, a “religious freedom” bill, passed in committee and will head to the Senate floor.

It's not too late to stop these and other hateful anti-trans bills from passing into law. You can go to http://transformationsproject.org/ to learn more and contact your representatives.

[uinterview]

Kentucky Republicans have created a controversy with their new “Safer Kentucky Act.”

Full Story Here: https://uinterview.com/news/kentucky-republicans-propose-bill-to-allow-deadly-physical-force-on-homeless-people-by-homeowners/

[herehavesomeheadcanons]

On the 8th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… 8 Christmas Trees!

Tamaki Amajiki

💙🐱Let's be real here, getting the tree set up is a group effort with the whole big three. Although… Tamaki isn't much help. Mirio had the bright idea to visit a Christmas tree farm so you guys could pick out and cut down your own tree.

💙🐱It was cold and snowy, as most December days tend to be unless you happen to be anywhere south of Kentucky (*realizes Japan is south of Kentucky* FUCK- oh well). You guys were so caught up in arguing over what was the best tree that you didn't realize you had lost Tamaki! You eventually found him hiding in the middle of a grove of fir trees, just chilling. He looked so adorable that you couldn't help sneaking a cuddle session with him!

💙🐱Once you finally settle on a tree and get it home, Mirio and Nejire are struggling to get the tree to stand upright in the stand. You and Tamaki are standing by giving directions ("a little bit left… now right…" "that's too much! It's gonna fall down!" "Shhhh Tamaki it's fine.").

💙🐱Decorating goes pretty smoothly after Tamaki's initial panic attack about the tree falling down. Nejire uses her quirk to fly up and get the ornaments on the highest bows, Mirio is just tall enough to get most of the middle of the tree, and Tamaki sits on the floor slowly hanging icicle decorations. If you want to help hang ornaments higher, Mirio can give you a boost (and give Tamaki another panic attack while he's at it!)

Fyodor Dostoevsky

🖤🐀Decorating with him is not a group effort. He wants it to be a special moment for the two of you, and Nikolai's antics would absolutely ruin the romantic feel. Don't even try to act sympathetic for that crazy clown, you KNOW I'm right.

🖤🐀He'll take you to a Christmas tree farm because it feels more authentic, and real trees smell better than fake ones anyway. Also there's less of a chance he'll be recognized as a terrorist in a small town. Despite being an anemic wreck, Fedya is not bothered by the cold in the slightest. He's Russian, what did you expect?

🖤🐀Ok now here's the funny part. Even with all his careful calculations about the correct tree size… he still can't get the tree in the stand without help (I'm taking FULL ADVANTAGE of his canonic anemia for full comedic potential!) He'll struggle for a good hour and a half on his own before he finally asks for help. ("Myshka… could you please lend me a hand? I seem to have overestimated my strength…")

🖤🐀Other than that everything goes smoothly. For a rat, Fyodor has a great sense of style, and is slightly obsessive about how the tree is decorated. The lights have to be in perfectly neat spirals, as do the tinsel and garland. And the ornaments have be color coordinated.

Gaara

❤️🏜️How you got a Christmas tree in the desert I have no idea, but we're gonna say ninja magic because why the fuck not. It's Christmas, not everything has to be well-thought out.

❤️🏜️You'll be decorating with Kankuro and Temari as well. Family has to stick together around the holidays!

❤️🏜️Temari is the neat freak, Kankuro is the slob, and Gaara is just happy to be there. While Temari is repositioning Kankuro's ornaments and hitting him with whatever she happens to have on hand, Garra is just calmly hanging ornaments on the tree with a small smile on his face. It's really cute!

❤️🏜️If you want to reach the highest branches, Gaara can definitely give you a boost. No need for dangerous ladders, he'll lift you up with his sand. It's much safer!

Ling Yao

👑💛Knowing Ling, there is no way you guys went and got your own tree. You just hijacked Ed and Al's Christmas! The Elric brothers were just minding their own business trying to untangle the lights, when you and Ling just popped in through the window!

👑💛It's an entertaining afternoon, to say the least. Ling has no idea what he's doing, but he's certainly eager to help out (even if he's not actually much help…) Ed is going to get mad and start screaming at something every 5 minutes. The lights won't untangle, he's too short to reach a certain branch, Ling took the ornament he wanted to hang, etc.

👑💛Ling seems to have a fun time getting on Ed's nerves, honestly. He knows Ed can't do shit about it cause he's the emperor, and he's living for it.

Zenitsu Agatsuma

💛⚡Decorating with the Kamaboko squad is definitely something. They all have such wildly interesting personalities!

💛⚡Of course you have to go get your own tree. Inosuke definitely wants the biggest tree in the whole forest! But Tanjiro and Zenitsu are both a bit more practical, so they're the ones that ultimately end up deciding. Zenitsu whines about the cold the entire time, and only shuts up when you wrap an arm around his shoulder and hold him close while you walk. Then, suddenly, he's not cold anymore.

💛⚡Tanjiro and Inosuke try to work together to get the tree in the stand while you and Zenitsu stand by and give directions. Inosuke is not good at following directions at all, but he's strong.

💛⚡Insouke keeps trying to climb the fucking tree to hang ornaments on the highest branches, and knocking other ornaments down in the process. Tanjiro is the peacekeeper. Nezuko is just happily hanging ornaments on the lower branches. Zenitsu is constantly screaming at Inosuke. It's utter chaos.

Obanai Iguro

🖤🐍Decorating with Obanai is very much not a whole squad activity. Obanai is a bit of an introvert by nature, so he'd rather it just be the two of you (and Kaburamaru). There will be time to decorate a tree with the whole Hashira gang later, but now is not that time.

🖤🐍Yes, you have to go cut down your own tree. Thankfully, Obanai is not obsessive about this process at all. He's perfectly content to let you handle it, and then he'll help you carry it home.

🖤🐍Putting the tree up also doesn't take much time. He might not look it, but Obanai is pretty damn strong (for a 5'3 severely underweight stick figure who doesn't eat-). He's also generally good at following your directions.

🖤🐍Perhaps one of the least obsessive men out there when it comes to decorating. He's not haphazard and chaotic, but he isn't going to reposition your ornaments when you're not looking. He's just a sweetheart, honestly. His only request is that Kaburamaru can put the star on top of the tree!

Freed Justine

❤️🎄Decorating a Christmas tree with a Christmas tree? Fantastic! Throw in the whole Thunder Legion and you've got a recipe for a fun Christmas!

❤️🎄Team bonding time arguing over which tree is the best! You and Bickslow don't actually have an opinion, you're just giving Freed and Ever a hard time for shits and giggles. Eventually Freed will pick out a spectacular tree, once he learns to just ignore your pretend opinions!

❤️🎄It takes forever to actually get the tree set up, because Ever is the one directing the boys which way they should tilt it to get it perfectly even. It doesn't help that you're giving them wrong directions just to mess with them! ("Left… bit more right… now left… bit more… right…" "Ever, can we please hurry this up? My back is starting to hurt." "You're doing great Freed! Tilt it more forward, towards us!" "No that's not right, don't listen to her!" "Y/n, please-")

❤️🎄After like, 2 hours of torture for Freed and Bickslow, you can finally start decorating! Evergreen is still being obsessive over every detail, and repositioning everyone's ornaments. Bickslow likes to mess with her by putting ornaments in the worst possible spots. You and Bickslow are also definitely trying to secretly hang some of the smaller ornaments in Freed's hair. You make it a competition to see who can get the most ornaments in his hair without him noticing! ("Hm… that's strange. I could have sworn there were more of these ornaments, but I don't see them on the tree…" *barely stifled snickering* "what's so funny, you two?")

Envy

🌴🖤Ah yes, chaos time. When you dragged a whole pine tree into the house, Envy was definitely curious. ("What the hell are you doing, human?" "It's a Christmas tree, Envy.")

🌴🖤He's not gonna help you put it up, just watch you struggle. Good thing you planned for this, and had the Elric brothers come over to assist! With their help things go pretty smoothly.

🌴🖤He's not gonna admit it, but he's actually intrigued about this particular tradition. Also he just likes the shiny ornaments. I hope you didn't plan on making the tree look nice this year, because Envy is a little shit who loves to get on people's nerves. He's going to reposition your ornaments when you're not looking. Not to make the tree look better, but to make it look much worse. Somehow he'll also manage to get himself tangled in the lights so you have to help him out. Not certain how THAT happened… how embarrassing.

🌴🖤Try to hang ornaments in his hair. It'll be fun :)

[dumdumsun]

Break and Mend

A/N: Enjoy!

Warnings: PTSD, corpses, blood, mentions of alcohol

Word Count: 4025

—————————————

Chapter Three: Trick or Treat, Freak

“Were you two friends? Was she nice to you or anything?”

The two police officers got nothing but a glare from Doc in response. It had been a solid ten minutes since they stepped into the girl’s hospital room, introducing themselves and politely asking if they could ask her a few questions. Doc had been hesitant to answer, looking to Karen with pleading eyes, but her mother only nodded at her.

The only thing the two had been able to get out of her was her legal first and last name. Every other question was met with a silent death glare. As if she were testing them, daring them to ask her the specific questions they oh-so wanted to.

“(Y/N), it would be very helpful to us if you would answer our questions as best you can,” A female officer gently spoke. The woman appeared to be the same ethnicity as Doc, no doubt an attempt to get the girl comfortable enough to answer. But she was no fool. “Now, do you know-”

“I don’t know where she is,” Doc snapped, slowly leaning forward. “You can ask me until you run out of air to breathe and I will keep saying it. I. Don’t. Know. Where. She. Is.”

“What that-”

“And even if I did, I wouldn’t ever tell you.”

The woman took a deep breath. “What that girl told you, whatever stories she told you, were lies. She is not your friend and she is to not be trusted. She is a very dangerous individual, and it would be safer for you and the people you know if we knew where to find her.”

When Doc continued to stare in silence, the male officer stepped forward with a patient look. “Please, (Y/N). We only want to help you. That girl could have easily put you in danger already. If we allow her to get back to whoever sent her, there is no telling what could happen. Was there absolutely any clue she gave you as to where she might have gone?”

“You’re better off asking me what the capital of Kentucky is.”

The officers stared at her in exasperation. “We-”

“It’s Frankfort.”

The man sighed out. “What exactly did she ever speak to you about?”

“Nothing.”

“You talked about nothing?”

“We talked about nothing.”

He tilted his head. “So, you two never got to know each other? You never found out anything you had in common? Didn’t bond over shared interests? Shared talents? She truly wasn’t your friend?”

The memories made within that week of Doc finding El, learning just how alike they were, giving her a makeover, searching the woods for her, going into the Void with her, they all sent tears to the edges of her eyes. Losing El was hard enough, but having to lie about her was worse. What was the worst for Doc was the thought that these people could snatch her away from her mother right here and right now. She had already been revealed to Dr Martin Brenner hours ago.

But she also knew that legally, these people couldn’t do anything to her. Legally, she was safer than Eleven was. She was legally someone’s child and they couldn’t touch her, not if Karen had anything to say about it. And she most certainly would. Doc knew that these police officers knew this.

Which was why she was acting so damn bold.

“Why do you keep asking me the same questions like I’m an idiot? I heard you the first six times. Why do you keep harassing me? I am in the hospital.”

Karen gently placed a hand on her daughter’s knee. “I think that’s enough questioning. She’s clearly upset,” She pointedly stared at the officers. “It’s been a very rough night for her and she needs her rest.”

The two slowly straightened their posture with nods and fake smiles. “Of course,” The woman spoke. “We’re truly sorry if we upset you. Mrs Wheeler, you let us know if (Y/N) has any information to give.”

When Karen nodded in response, the officers gave Doc a hardened look before retreating from the room. Doc’s chest fell with the deep exhale she let out, the girl reaching her fist up to wipe the tears that fell when she blinked. “Honey?” Karen quietly called. “Are you alright?”

Doc nodded, feeling her mother gently squeeze her knee. “Yeah… I just… I hate police officers.”

“I know, sweetie, and I’m sorry. You won’t have to deal with that again. I promise.”

-------------------------------------------------

Hopper had never really made breakfast for himself since he had been left alone. His morning routine consisted of showers, cigarettes and beer cans. But ever since taking Eleven into his home, he had no choice but to start living a semi-healthy lifestyle.

The only sound within his small kitchen was the hissing of the pan where two pieces of french toast were being cooked. The sweet aroma of the breakfast food sent him to a better place. Of wholesome mornings and laughs and… Feeling a presence behind him, Hopper looked over his shoulder.

“Oh, Jesus!” He flinched at the sight of El standing silently behind him, a sheet with eye holes cut out of it draped over her as a ghost costume. She must have been standing there for a long time, just waiting for him to turn around.

“Ghost.”

“Yeah, I see that.” He moved past her to get to their plates that were already filled with eggs and bacon.

“Halloween.”

“Sure is,” He transferred the french toast to their plates. “But right now, it’s breakfast, okay? Come on, let’s eat.”

El watched as he picked up their food and walked with it to the table. “They wouldn’t see me.”

“Who wouldn’t see you?”

“The bad men.”

“What are you talking about?”

Hopper placed the plates in their respective places before he sat down in front of his, El following and standing before him. “Trick or treat.”

Hopper paused. “You wanna go trick-or-treating?” When El nodded, he stood and gently moved her. “You know the rules.”

“Yes, but-”

“Yeah, so you know the answer.”

“No, but-”

“No.”

“They wouldn’t see me.”

“Hey. I don’t care,”

“But they wouldn’t see me.”

“I don’t care,” He bent down so he was eye-hole level with her. “You go out there, ghost or not, it’s a risk. We don’t take risks, alright? They’re stupid, and…”

“We’re not stupid.” El hissed, leaning forward. At her tone, Hopper leaned back, staring in shock that she had snapped at him.

“Exactly. Now you take that off, sit down and eat. Your food’s getting cold.”

As he moved back to his chair, El swiped the sheet off her head with a frown before sitting across from him. Hopper gently shook his head as he poured syrup onto their french toast. His mind swam with questions as to why she put up such a fight, but he had to remember that she was a kid. Whether or not she knew the dangers of the outside world, she still wanted to indulge in the joys of having what was left of her childhood. He’d heard as much from Doc. He couldn’t keep either of them locked up for long.

Coming up with an idea, he let out a sigh. “Alright, look… How about I get off early tonight, and I buy us a bunch of candy, and we can sit around and get fat, and we watch a scary movie together? How’s that for a compromise?”

“Com- Compromise?”

“C-O-M-promise. Compromise. How about that’s your word for the day? Yeah? It’s something that’s kinda in-between. It’s like halfway happy.”

“By… 5-1-5?”

“5:15. Yeah, sure.”

“Promise?”

Hopper leaned forward, sincerity in his eyes. “Yes. I promise.”

“Halfway happy.” El shrugged before digging into her food. The sight caused a small smile to grace his features, the man reaching out to ruffle her curls. El smiled and breathed out a quiet laugh as Hopper began to eat as well.

-------------------------------------------------

Halloween. One day out of the year that took weeks of planning and preparation. Any other year, Doc would have jumped out of bed, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, dressing herself in her chosen costume of the year. She was especially excited about this year’s, considering she had made it on her own. Any other year, this would have been an amazing day that would lead into the best night of the year for not only her, but for the Party. This year was different, though.

Doc woke up with a fogged mind and sleep heavy in her eyes. She forced herself out of bed and trudged to her closet and barely looked at the brown-and-tan-striped shirt and yellow pants she pulled out. After pulling her clothes on, she turned to her vanity and sat herself down. Still not allowed to wear makeup, Doc tried her best to make herself look less undead. She did very little to her hair and settled for a yellow headband to tame it. Once she was done, she brushed her teeth in the bathroom and headed downstairs.

“You’re up early, (Y/N).” Karen acknowledged her daughter, who had silently entered the kitchen. Indeed, Doc woke up over half an hour earlier than she usually did. This was both because she couldn’t stay asleep, and because she wanted to avoid her brother as much as possible after their argument the night before. “I haven’t even finished making breakfast.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I’ll just eat cereal.”

“You’re not going to wait for Michael?” She turned to Doc, frowning in confusion. “And where’s your costume? I wanted to take pictures of you two.”

Doc headed over to their cabinets sluggishly. “I’m not done with my costume. I’m gonna finish it after school.”

“Promise to let me take pictures before you go trick-or-treating?”

“I promise.” She gave a small smile. As Doc ate her cereal beside her father, who was silently reading his newspaper, she could hear the faint groan of the floorboards from upstairs. Mike and Nancy (most likely Nancy) had begun to wake up and get ready for the day. Not wanting to risk having to interact with her brother, Doc gulped down the last of her cereal and stood from the table. “I’m gonna go put on my skates.”

After watching her daughter leave the kitchen, Karen turned to her husband. “What is going on with her?”

“Hm?” Ted hummed, still engrossed in his reading.

“(Y/N). She’s never up this early. And she was moving slowly. She looked like she hardly slept.”

“Probably up all night on that radio, talking to that Byers boy.”

Karen twisted her pursed lips to the side in contemplation just before Doc skated back into the kitchen. She bid her parents farewell with a kiss to their cheeks (Ted instinctively leaned towards her for his kiss) before she left out of the front door. Slinging her backpack on, Doc began her way down the cul-de-sac.

The neighborhood was quieter at this time of morning. Not many children were on their way to school by now, most of them actually getting ready for the day. But Doc needed to get away. Her bedroom was a prison. Any inside area was. She needed the endless outdoors, where she could breathe fresh air and think clearly. Especially now that she was alone.

“Morning, kid.”

Or so she thought. Turning her head to the side, she saw Chief Hopper driving slowly on the road to match her pace. It wasn’t often that she had run-ins with the Chief, even after everything they had been through a year ago, but when she did, it was almost like he was completing a task. Like this was something he had to do sometimes. It was what made her realize that Hopper must have cared for her to some extent to go out of his way to check up on her every once in awhile.

“Morning, Chief.”

“Need a ride?”

“No, I have my skates.”

When he continued to stare at her with a deadpan expression, she sighed and skated over to his vehicle, climbing in once he stopped. Buckling herself in, Doc stared down at her knees nervously. Hopper was about the only cop she had grown comfortable around, and even that was a strong word to use.

“You’re out here pretty early.”

She nodded.

“Thought I told you to be outdoors with someone. Not by yourself.”

“I don’t need to be babysat like a little kid.”

Hopper raised his brows. “I know. Believe me, I know. You’re one of the most mature kids I’ve ever met. But it isn’t safe. Not even for you.”

Doc inhaled deeply. “I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten how in danger I’ve been in for the past year. But I just want to be normal sometimes. I wanna… be able to go outside alone. Without fear. I’m tired of looking over my shoulder, Hopper.”

Shaking his head, Hopper stared forward. “I’m sorry, kid. I really am. You don’t deserve any of this. Don’t deserve to be hunted, don’t deserve to keep such a big part of you a secret from people important to you. If I could take all of this away from you, I would,” At that, he received a small smile from Doc in appreciation. “So, I heard you witnessed one of Will’s episodes the other day.”

Doc hummed with a nod. “It was kinda scary. He just looked straight at me, horrified. And he was calling out to me. Asking me how we got there. He must’ve been talking about whatever nightmare he was living in.”

Hopper frowned. “Will saw you?”

“He must have. He looked straight at me.”

“And he spoke to you?”

“Yeah. Why?”

He shook his head. “He’s never done that before. Never seen anyone, never spoke to anyone. You’re the first.”

Doc swallowed and tipped her head down in shame. “Is it a good thing I’m around Will?”

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and Doc knew that Hopper was the only police she could trust when he answered, “I think it’s great for the both of you. You’re gentle with him, he opens up to you. You’re probably one of the best people he could be around.”

Pulling up to Hawkins Middle, Hopper placed a hand on the back of the girl’s seat. “You be careful, kid.”

“Thanks, Hopper.” She whispered with a smile before exiting the car. Turning around, she lifted her hand up in a short wave, Hopper sending one back as he drove away. Almost immediately, a hand had set itself upon her head.

“Why did the Chief drive you here?”

Spinning around, Doc sighed in relief to see Brenda and Sheriece staring at her in curiosity. “Oh. Um, he checks on us sometimes. My family. After everything with Will, you know?”

“Geez, so you have the Chief breathing down your neck?” Brenda cringed, Sheriece matching her expression.

“(Y/N), honey, I mean this in the most concerning way possible, but you look like shit.”

Doc’s face dropped. “Wow. Thanks, Riece.”

“You know I love you,” Sheriece shrugged as the three girls continued their way towards the school building. “But seriously. Did you stay up all night talking to your boyfriend?”

“Did you two sit and giggle all night over your walkie-talkies?” Brenda joined in the teasing, enjoying the way Doc became flustered.

“I bet you guys talked about your nerdy little board game like the two little nerdy lovebirds you are.”

Doc huffed and crossed her arms. “D&D is not a board game.”

“Oh, (Y/N)!” Brenda turned to Sheriece, gently grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her a little. “Now that we’ve got Mike off our backs, I can finally tell you how much I love you! Be mine forever?”

“Oh, Will!” Sheriece fanned herself and smiled in feigned bashfulness. “Of course, I’ll be yours! I’ve only been in love with you since the sixth grade!”

“I now pronounce us nerd and nerdy wife!”

Face on fire, Doc watched in horror as the two girls before her embraced and pretended to make out like a couple of teenagers. The poor girl could only take so much before she started to notice people oddly looking at the trio. “Okay, okay, stop!” Doc giggled, breaking the two away from each other. “You guys are so annoying!”

“Who ya gonna call?”

“Ghostbusters!”

Hearing the familiar group of voices, the three turned to where the bike rack was to see the Party all standing there, embracing each other. Doc excitedly squealed when she saw Will wearing a matching Ghostbusters jumpsuit as the rest of the boys. “Look at him! Ugh, he’s so… so…”

“So nerdy.” Sheriece finished with a shake of her head.

“So very nerdy.” Brenda added before turning to her friend with a soft look. “Go to him, (Y/N).”

Without another word to her friends, Doc pushed off and skated towards the Party. Mike and Lucas seemed to have been arguing about something as usual, so Doc didn’t find it inappropriate to intrude. “Look at this group of exterminators!” She called out. When they turned to her, Will looked the most overjoyed, while Mike looked the least. In fact, he even looked ashamed if you squinted. Boyfriend and girlfriend embraced with wide smiles. “Will, oh my gosh! You look so freakin’ cute!” Doc gushed, pulling away only to press a kiss to his cheek.

Will’s face was red as a tomato when she fully pulled away, avoiding the teasing faces Lucas and Dustin were making at the two. “(Y/N)... don’t call it cute…”

“What? You are! All of you are!” She took a second to look over the boys’ costumes. They looked really amazing, in her opinion. Especially Will’s. His was clearly made with love. It wasn’t store-bought like the other boys. Her observant eye saw that it was a jumpsuit a slightly darker color than the others with the patches sewn on, no doubt by Joyce. When her eye caught Mike and Lucas’s name tags, she frowned in confusion. “Why are there two Venkmans?”

The four threw their heads back with loud groans.

-------------------------------------------------

Doc was certain she had lost her mind a long time ago.

Skating down the hallways after breaking away from the Party, she had no one to speak to. Students passed by her either with a smile or without even a passing glance. She tried her best to smile back at her fellow peers, but it was difficult when all she could see was them covered in blood. And the walls. The floor. The ceiling. Her hands.

Her breathing shaky, Doc’s pace gradually slowed as her head whipped all around the area. Ahead of her was a corpse on the ground. She didn’t want to go any closer, but she had nowhere else to go in the empty, bloody hall, the sound of chatter fading away the closer she got to the body.

Stopping before it, her stomach churned at the headless body of the agent that had lifted her into his arms all those months ago, carrying her away to a life in the lab again. With no way out. He was going to hurt her. All of the agents were. Dr Brenner was going to hurt her. She had to. She had to.

When she blinked, the corpses of every single agent she killed surrounded her, their headless bodies covered in their own blood. Doc slowly reached her hands up and clutched at her hair, tears welling up in her eyes.

“What is the matter with you?”

She sniffled. “Everything.”

A hand clamped down on her shoulder and shook her. Blinking again, Doc was back. The hallway was once again filled with students that were now moving around her, for she was standing in the middle of the hallway. The hallway that was no longer covered in blood, no longer littered with dead bodies. Turning to the owner of the hand, she widened her eyes at Max, who stared at her with furrowed brows.

“Jesus, Wheeler, you look like you saw a ghost.”

Desperate for a save, Doc let out a weak scoff and broke out into a small half smile. “Who ya gonna call?”

Max rolled her eyes with a hint of a smile before the two began skating down the hall once again. “Yeah, I saw the stalkers.”

“Oh, have I told you their names yet? The one with black hair, that’s Mike. My brother. The little one is Will, my boyfriend. The dark-skinned boy is Lucas and the curly hair is Dustin.”

“Good to know,” Max slowly nodded, coming to a stop at a locker. Doc stopped as well and watched as she opened her locker, placing her board inside. “I thought you’d come in a costume, too.”

Doc tilted her head. “That’s pretentious of you.”

Max frowned. “I don’t think you know what that word means.”

“Oh, yes, I do.”

“Well, that’s a strong word for what I just said.”

“I like using strong words. They’re for strong claims,” Doc shrugged. “Just like how it’s pretentious of you to think my friends have bad intentions. I think they just wanna get to know you and are too awkward to normally go through with it. Moreso Dustin and Lucas. I’m sure you’ll like them. Why don’t you come trick-or-treating with us?”

“What?” Max almost laughed, but held off on it when she saw how serious the girl was. “Why would I go trick-or-treating with four stalkers?”

Doc jutted her bottom lip out in a sort of shoulderless shrug. “I’ll be there, too.”

“Is that supposed to convince me further?”

“Maybe,” Doc sped up. “If you consider it, we’re meeting at the Maple Street cul-de-sac at seven. The stalkers are very punctual this day of the year, so it’s seven exactly.”

Classrooms weren’t much better for Doc. The longer each of her teachers would drone on, the more she would zone out until she heard nothing. Blinking, she saw the tall, lanky figure of the Demogorgon with its back up against the chalkboard, opening its mouth to nash its rows of teeth at her. Gasping, Doc nearly fell out of her seat.

“Ms Wheeler?”

Shaking her head, Doc was back in the classroom filled with students now staring at her, their teacher impatiently tapping her foot as she waited for Doc to turn her attention back to her. “Are we on task again?”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

The remainder of the day was a very long, very difficult trek through classrooms and lunch. Her only solace was either the Party or Brenda and Sheriece. But even then, she couldn’t always focus on them. Not when she was so exhausted. She had nearly fallen asleep in all of her classes that day. Doc felt she could finally breathe when they were let out of school. Will had been picked up by Joyce, so it only left the four of them making their way to the Wheeler residence.

“Really, everyone dressed up last year.” Dustin sighed as the group biked (and skated) down the empty road. “It’s a damn conspiracy, I’m telling you.”

“Don’t worry, Dust,” Doc smiled. “I would’ve joined you had my costume been finished.”

Lucas shrugged. “Maybe we’re just getting too old.”

Ears perking, Doc turned her head to the sound of rock music in the distance. “Do you guys hear that?”

“No, Doc,” Dustin sighed. “We don’t have heightened senses like you do.”

“Sounds like a car,” She whispered. Had she looked away a second later, she wouldn’t have seen the blue Camaro zooming toward them, showing no signs of stopping. “Shit, it is!”

“Go, go, go!”

“Mike, you need to haul ass!”

At the very last second, just as the four had thrown themselves off of the street and into the dirt, the Camaro swerved out of the way, continuing its way down the road. Just before the car could get too far ahead, Doc made very brief eye contact with a familiar redhead.

“Was that…” Dustin huffed as they all stumbled to their feet.

“Mad Max.”

—————————————

Taglist: @yurtletheturtlehenderson @crybabyalexxx @sapphicsyn @shydestinymoonalexa @nailbatbitch @that-one-multifandom-chick @ariyabella @lonelywitchv2 @bilesxbilinskixlahey @frogserotonin @mymomsdisappointment @hewwofriends @billieissad @get0ut0fmyr00m @softasha @kaz3yo @satsuri3su @sassygentlemenjellyfish @thegirlwhowishedeveryonelived @unordinary-simp @raquel12 @roman0ffsheart @jjjennyxii 

[apocalypseornaw]

Hunters & Marshal Stars- Part Nine

The hunt turns into a race against time when Dean and Raylan discover you're missing.

The first two places were completely abandoned. You were calmed down and second thinking the whole storming out thing. Yeah you could've handled it better but so could've Dean. How could he be so blind? Friends? Friends don't act like you and Dean.

It had been so long since either of you had so much as looked at another person in a sexual or romantic way. Not only that but if either of you couldn't sleep the other was there. It was something that seemed so simple but more than once morning had found the two of you curled up together from simply holding each other the night before. After hell, Purgatory and everything in between the two of you had always been the shoulder each other leaned on. 

Yeah losing Sam had hurt both of you enough that a wedge had been driven there for a while but even then even with him being with Lisa and you being in Miami the two of you kept in touch regularly.You trusted Dean in every way possible and thought he trusted you that way. 

--------

You pulled Boyd's truck to a stop at the third place, running a hand over your face at the thought of having to face Dean after admitting you were in love with him. Christ the last few days had been insane even by your life's standards.

You killed the engine then climbed out grabbing the flashlight you'd found under the seat in case the electricity was turned off. You could feel your phone vibrating in your jacket but didn't bother looking at it. You knew it was one of them. Apparently Dean hadn't realized you'd figure out a number with a Kentucky area code would be Boyd, Ava or Tim. Raylan still had his same cell number.

You headed for the porch being careful of any loose boards. Maybe you should answer, at the very least you could meet up with Tim and Sam which would make checking places go quicker and safer. 

The door opened easily in your hand and that alone gave you a heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach. Something was off about this place that hadn't been off about the others.  You reached for your gun at your lower back feeling the cool metal in your hand as you moved through the house checking room by room.

You hesitated at the door leading down into the cellar. You should call Sam, tell them to come meet you. You started to turn around and head outside but a muffled noise from the cellar caught your attention. You took a deep breath before saying "Fuck it" hopefully it would just be a possum.

You groaned when consciousness started to slowly return to you. Your head felt like you'd been hit by a bus and as for the scar on your left leg? It felt like it was on fire.

You startled awake when you realized there was someone or something in the room with you. You tried to move but realized your legs and arms were chained to the wall. "Son of a bitch" you cursed hearing a growl in response.

Your head flew towards the sound and felt your heart threaten to stop beating in your chest when you saw two of the creatures sitting not six feet away watching you. You snatched uselessly at the chains. They weren't giving and you had no means to protect yourself. The only question that remained was why weren't you dead yet?

You kept them in your sight trying to think around the pain flowing through your system "What are you waiting for?" You wondered aloud but never expected a response "They're waiting on my command dear" 

You looked towards the sound and couldn't believe your eyes "Celeste?" She stepped from the shadows, her pale blonde hair tied up intricately on the top of her head and her violet eyes watching you carefully "You're behind them?"

She ran a hand across the head of the nearest creature "Behind them? I created them. What better way to lure hunters to their death" "I don't understand. You worked with Helena. You helped me" you shook your head trying and failing to keep your vision from going blurry as you realized there was blood on your arm. Had one of these things bit you?

"I couldn't let you die in front of her but if you die due to the negligence of other hunters? The Winchesters nonetheless what better way than to get her on my side" "How? Have you tracked Raylan?" You asked and she smiled "I placed Tommy Bucks in his path. I planned all of this just to get to this moment" 

You scoffed not being able to bite back the urge to say "Oh my. Didn't realize I had a whole ass fanclub. Party of one" "You and that humor of yours" She laughed and you forced yourself to get up to your knees at least as you said "Well honey we got two hunters, two Deputy Marshals and a man that half the criminals in this county work for looking for me. So take your chances, kill me but you'll see what happens"

She stormed over grabbing a handful of your hair forcing you to your feet despite the strain it caused from the chains snatching both your arms backward and the fact that even had you been free you weren't sure you could stand on your own "You'll be long dead before they ever find you. I manipulated the situation this far it won't take a lot to turn your hunter and your cowboy against each other"

"Raylan, we gotta find her" Dean didn't care if he sounded broken or weak. For the first time in longer than he could remember he was panicking. You had been radio silent for far too long. Even Sam's calls had gone unanswered.

"We will. Look, the list was only so long. Tim said the places they checked were a bust so there's only two more on the list. We're closest to the one off Morrison road so let's check it out then we'll see where they're at" Dean chanced a glance at the other man and could see no matter his calm demeanor that he was worried as well. Neither of them could lose you,not like this.

------

Dean pulled to a stop behind Boyd's truck that was parked just outside the abandoned house. He cut his eyes at Raylan as they both climbed out of the impala. "Why hasn't she answered her phone?" Raylan was the first one to give voice to the question.

Dean pulled his gun quickly as he checked the hood of Boyd's truck. "It's cold" Raylan drew his gun at that discovery "So there's a chance she's hurt" "Or worse" Dean added feeling his heart drop at the mere thought of it.

------

The door of the house flew off the hinges when both men landed a boot solidly to the middle of it. They walked in shoulder to shoulder "We clear it room by room. Watch your back. Y/N said these things move fast and will bite at any given chance" Dean warned and Raylan nodded.

------

The house had nearly been cleared when the two men met up at the door leading down into the cellar. "Y/N said these things like dens" Raylan offered and Dean nodded "I go in first though" at the look Raylan gave him he clarified "I don't give a damn that you're a Marshal. This is my territory. I'd be a shit hunter to let you down those stairs first. Besides she cares about you, that means if you're hurt it's gonna hurt her" 

"And if you get hurt when she's in love with you?" Raylan countered with his hand on the door. Dean sighed in defeat "Count of three?"

------

Blood, a body and more blood...Dean felt his stomach churn looking at the mess in front of them. He spotted something amidst the carnage and squatted down to investigate when he found your leather bracelet. It took everything in him to not break down. "Givens" he barely choked out. 

Raylan turned and froze when he saw the bloody piece of jewelry "That's Y/N's" "There's a lot of blood but no body. She's hurt but she's not dead" Dean's voice sounded a lot more certain than his heart felt at the moment. If only he'd told you how he truly felt. If only he'd stopped being a stubborn asshole for two seconds you would've been with him not alone. He didn't have time to beat himself up though. Finding you was top priority.

"So she's taken by whatever caused this?" Raylan asked, shoving the body with the toe of his boot. "We can find her with her bracelet. Sam can do a tracking spell Rowena taught him" Dean replied standing up straight and already reaching for his phone "and if we're too late?" Raylan asked, giving voice to the dread lying in wait at the back of both their minds.

"We won't be" Dean bit back heading up the stairs without so much as looking back to see if Raylan was following, your bracelet clutched tightly in his hand. "We won't be" he repeated hoping if he said it enough maybe he'd believe it too.

@universallyraylangivens

[yourreddancer]

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

August 30, 2022 (Tuesday)

The big news until shortly before midnight tonight was that businesses do indeed seem to be coming home after the pandemic illustrated the dangers of stretched supply lines, the global minimum tax reduced the incentives to flee to other countries with lower taxes, and the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act spurred investment in technology.

Yesterday, Honda and LG Energy Solution announced they would spend $4.4 billion to construct a new battery plant in the U.S. to join the plants General Motors is building in Ohio, Michigan, and Tennessee; the ones Ford is building in Kentucky and Tennessee; the one Toyota is building in North Carolina; and the one Stellantis is building in Indiana. The plants are part of the switch to electric vehicles.  According to auto industry reporter Neal E. Boudette of the New York Times, they represent “one of the most profound shifts the auto industry has experienced in its century-long history.”

Today, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear (D) announced that Kentucky has secured more than $8.5 billion for investment in the production of electric vehicle batteries, which should produce more than 8,000 jobs in the EV sector. “Kentuckians will literally be powering the future,” he said. 

* (NOW QUIT VOTING FOR MCCONNELL AND PAUL)

Also today, First Solar, the largest solar panel maker in the U.S., announced that it would construct a new solar panel plant in the Southeast, investing up to $1 billion. It credited the Inflation Reduction Act with making solar construction attractive enough in the U.S. to build here rather than elsewhere. First Solar has also said it will upgrade and expand an existing plant in Ohio, spending $185 million.

Corning has announced a new manufacturing plant outside Phoenix, Arizona, to build fiber-optic cable to help supply the $42.5 billion high-speed internet infrastructure investment made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. AT&T will also build a new fiber internet network in Arizona.

The CHIPS and Science Act is spurring investment in the manufacturing of chips in the U.S. Earlier this month, Micron announced a $40 billion investment in the next eight years, producing up to 40,000 new jobs. Qualcomm has also committed to investing $4.2 billion in chips from the New York facility of GlobalFoundries. Qualcomm says it intends to increase chip production in the U.S. by 50% over the next five years. In January, Intel announced it would invest $20 billion, and possibly as much as $100 billion, in a chip plant in Ohio.

This investment is part of a larger trend in which U.S. companies are bringing their operations back to the U.S. Last week, a report by the Reshoring Initiative noted that nearly 350,000 U.S. jobs have come home this year. The coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s war on Ukraine, and China’s instability were the push to bring jobs home, while the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act were the pull. Dion Rabouin notes in the Wall Street Journal that this reshoring will not necessarily translate to blue-collar jobs, as companies will likely increase automation to avoid higher labor costs.  

*(SHITHEAD CORPORATIONS!)

President Joe Biden’s record is unexpectedly strong going into the midterms, and he is directly challenging Republicans on the issues they formerly considered their own. Today, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, he challenged the Republicans on their claim to be the party of law and order, calling out their recent demands to “defund” the FBI and saying he wants to increase funding for law enforcement to enable it to have more social workers, mental health care specialists, and so on. 

He noted that law enforcement officers want a ban on assault weapons and that he would work to pass one like that of 1994. When that law expired in 2004, mass shootings in the U.S. tripled. 

 *(WELL, COPS, QUIT VOTING REPTURD!)

Then the president took on MAGA Republicans: “A safer America requires all of us to uphold the rule of law, not the rule of any one party or any one person.” He addressed Senator Lindsey Graham’s comment yesterday about how there would be violence if the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Trump. “Let’s be clear,” Biden said, “You hear some of my friends in the other team talking about political violence and how it’s necessary.” But violence is never appropriate, he said. “Never. Period. Never, never, never. No one should be encouraged to use political violence. None whatsoever.”

To audience applause, he called out those who supported the January 6 attack on the Capitol: “Don’t tell me you support law enforcement if you won’t condemn what happened on the 6th…. For God’s sake, whose side are you on?... You can’t be pro-law enforcement and pro-insurrection. You can’t be a party of law and order and call the people who attacked the police on January 6th ‘patriots.’ You can’t do it.”

While Biden is consolidating and pushing the Democrats’ worldview, the Republicans are in disarray. The revelation that former president Trump moved classified intelligence to the Trump Organization’s property at Mar-a-Lago has kept some of them sidelined, as they didn’t want to talk about the issue, and has forced others to try to justify an unprecedented breach of national security. Republican candidates for elected office who are not in deep red districts have been taking references to Trump (and to abortion restrictions) off their websites.

*OH NOW, HE’S RADIOACTIVE! WELL, WELL, WELL!)

The deadly seriousness of what he has done is clear in part from the former president’s own behavior over it. Yesterday, he demanded to be made president or to have a do-over of the 2020 election; today, after constant reposting of conspiracy theories and defenses on his ailing Truth Social, he wrote: “Why are people so mean?”

*(FROM THE NASTIEST SHIT OF THEM ALL?  )

The reason for his fear turned up tonight in a Department of Justice filing in response to his demand for the appointment of a special master to review the documents, and for the return of several of them to him. His requests gave the DOJ an opening to correct the record that he and his allies have been muddying.

This document replaced the economic news as today’s big story. The DOJ laid out the timeline behind the attempt of the U.S. government to recover the materials Trump took. First, officials from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recognized that materials were missing and tried to get Trump to return them voluntarily. When he finally handed over 15 boxes, the officials recognized that some of the materials were “highly classified” and told the Department of Justice. 

Trump delayed the FBI examination of the boxes, but when officials got into them, they recognized their haphazard storage threatened national security. They got evidence of more records at Mar-a-Lago, for which they obtained a grand jury subpoena. Trump’s representatives handed over a few more documents, and a lawyer certified that that was it—they had done a diligent search and now could confirm that there were no more documents left. They said there were no materials stored anywhere but a storeroom, but they refused to let agents look inside the boxes there.

It was a lie both that there were no more documents, and that materials were contained in the storeroom. The FBI learned there were still more documents, got a search warrant, and on August 8 seized from at least two locations 33 more boxes with more than 100 classified records—twice as many classified documents as Trump and his representatives had handed over under the subpoena.

The U.S. government spelled out that “those records do not belong to him”; they belong to the United States. It said that Trump never asserted that the records had been declassified or asserted any claim of executive privilege, and Trump’s representatives indicated they thought the documents were classified. It made a strong case that the former president and his lawyer obstructed the search for the documents. 

Even more chilling than the words of the filing was the exhibit attached: a photo of SECRET, TOP SECRET, and SECRET/SCI files recovered from a container, spread out on a carpeted floor next to a banker’s box containing framed TIME magazine covers. Trump has added Chris Kise, the former solicitor general of Florida, to his legal team. Although the Republican National Committee has been paying the former president’s legal bills since he left office, it will not pay the legal fees he racks up over this issue.

[science-criticaltheory]

Angry Kerr rips politicians after Texas elementary school shooting by Monte Poole

My neighbor breaks down in tears every time I see her. She is a widow. Her husband left for work one year ago this week and never came home. He was one of nine people shot and killed by a co-worker in San Jose. She is haunted by the sudden loss and enraged by the knowledge that the tragedy is unique to the country they considered safer than their homeland.

Surely America, sold as the land of freedom and bravery, would be kind.

In reality, we are the land of thoughts and prayers and craven indifference.

On Tuesday, two days shy of one year since the shooting at the VTA railyard, an armed man walked onto an elementary school in Texas killed 15 people, 14 children and one teacher. As he was gunning down innocents, the Warriors and Mavericks were preparing for a playoff game neither coach was inclined to discuss.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was beyond irate. Sitting at the podium with fire in his eyes and verbal flames off his tongue, he was shaking with anger.

“Since we left shootaround, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here,” he said. “And a teacher. In the last 10 days, we’ve had elderly Black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo. We’ve had Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California. Now we have children murdered at school.”

His voice rising, Kerr pounded the table.

“When are we going to do something?

“I’m tired. I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. I’m so tired of the excuses. I’m tired of the moments of silence. Enough!”

Kerr then sharply criticized the “50 senators” who have declined to vote on a house bill, HR8, which establishes enhanced background checks on gun purchases and passed through congress 14 months ago. It has stalled in the senate.

“There’s a reason they won’t vote on it: to hold onto power.”

Kerr issued an emotional plea to Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and “all you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence in school shootings and supermarket shootings, I ask you, ‘Are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers?’ Because that’s what it looks like.”

===

“We can’t get numb to this! We can’t sit here and just read about it and go, ‘Well, let’s have a moment of silence.’ Yeah. ‘Go Dubs.’ ‘Come on, Mavs. Let’s go!’ That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to go play basketball. And 50 senators in Washington are going to hold us hostage.”

The vast majority of American citizens, recognizing this is an American problem, have urged politicians to enact tighter gun laws. We’re talking 80-90 percent. But a select few continue to live in the pockets of gun manufactures and lobbyists.

===

Yes, as the nation endures another rubber-stamp “thoughts and prayers” response from those in position to act, and another ceremonial moment of silence, the Warriors and Mavericks will play a basketball game neither Kerr nor Dallas coach Jason Kidd were inclined to address.

We’re a country founded on violence and injustice, addicted to guns and “led” by a power structure determined to keep it that way.

Change? Maybe that will come if millions feel the pain my neighbor lives with every minute of every day. And every second of every night.