#bravery in the face of genocide

[news4dzhozhar]

[shellshocklove]

hot 'n' heavy | joel miller

pairing/AU: mom's friend from work!joel miller x female!reader

summary: hiding away in your room during your mother's annual work party, your mom's friend from work, the handsome joel miller, finds you in a compromising position.

warnings: this is an 18+ fic so mdni! swearing, age gap (reader is college age), use of pet names, pwp, smut, f!masturbation, dom!joel, daddy!joel, manhandling, oral (m receiving), degradation (slut), pussy spanking, unprotected sex (don't do it!), creampie, no use of y/n

a/n: this is just something short and smutty. i debated not posting this tbh since it felt a little simple and not as detailed + with no plot, but it's been so long since i've written anything at all so i'm gonna look at it as a win that it's something lol

main masterlist / ao3 / fic updates

from the river to the sea, palestine will be free 🇵🇸 this account stands with palestine. the creator of tlou is a zionist, and the second game is largly based on israel/palestine. please, everyone who interacts, educate yourself about the genocide happening right now, and support/donate.

"Fuck… Is this really what ya want, sweetheart?"

Joel's voice was barely a whisper, something deep and gravely as he let his thumb skate over your cheek. It was depraved how gone you were already: half-naked on your knees before a man you barely knew, your eyes half-lidded from his touch, and your panties soaked through with your arousal.

You shouldn't be doing this.

Joel worked with your mother. He wasn't technically her coworker – a fact you'd cling to tomorrow when the reality of your actions would settle in – he was a contractor the company she worked for used for most of their projects. That's why he was here tonight, in your childhood home, attending your mother's work party.

You hadn't planned on visiting this weekend, didn't really plan on it for the foreseeable future either, but the devil herself (your roommate) had basically kicked you out because her army boyfriend (ugh) was visiting. With no place to go, if you didn't want to spend this month's paycheck on a last minute hotel room for two nights, you'd ended up going home.

Technically, and you'll forever be hung up on the technicalities of this situation, you were supposed to be studying at your desk in your childhood bedroom… not getting caught in bed masturbating by your mother's coworker.

To say getting caught had been embarrassing was an understatement. That he'd seen the glistening of your arousal on your fingers when you'd quickly retracted your hand from your panties and seen the porn video flicker over your phone screen… was even worse. But the fact that he was the most gorgeous man you'd ever seen, was definitely the worst part of this situation.

"'m sorry, sweetheart," he let out an embarrassed chuckle, like he couldn't believe what he'd walked in on, "I was just lookin' for the bathroom."

"It's at the end of the hall," you peeped out.

"Right… thanks," he said, his hand still lingering on your door handle.

A beat passed, and your eyes locked with his where you could glimpse something darker clouding them. It ignited something inside you, played the strings of the arousal still settling inside you, and sparked a hint of bravery in the pit of your stomach.

"You can use my bathroom if you like?" Biting down on your bottom lip, a lilt of innocence coated your words.

Something like a smile twitched over his face, and his grip on the door handle tightened slightly as he seemed to weigh his options. A loud choir of laughs could be heard coming from the back yard, and like the sound had made the decision for him, he stepped inside your bedroom.

"Through here?" he asked, pointing to your open bathroom door.

"Yes," you nodded, putting on a sugar coated smile across your face. When he'd closed the door after him, you weren't thinking straight; the lingering arousal from earlier drove your actions.

What was his name again? Something starting with J… John? James? No. Joel– Joel Miller.

Removing your hoodie and exposing the ribbed tank top underneath you remembered how he'd introduced himself to you at the start of the night. He'd been early, and your mother had forced you to say hello right before you'd sought refuge in your room for the rest of the night. His hand had engulfed your own as he'd shook it, calloused hands rough against your skin, and the friendly wink he'd given you as he'd introduced himself had had a swarm of wings fluttering in your tummy.

Pushing the covers away your heart was beating out of your chest as you heard the toilet getting flushed and your sink turn on. This would either be the worst or the best decision you'd ever made.

When he stepped out of your bathroom you sat up a little straighter and pulled your knees coquettishly to your chest – innocently, but with intent. Joel's eyes followed the movement and you knew he could see the wet spot where you'd soaked through your panties.

He didn't say anything for what felt like an eternity– he only watched you, his jaw tightening before the deep bass of his voice broke across the silence, "Y'know I work with your mother–"

"Technically you don't," you cut him off, a teasing smirk coating your lips.

Joel huffed out a short laugh. "I don't?" he challenged with a raise of an eyebrow.

"No," you shook your head slowly and spread your legs apart.

Joel's eyes were nothing close to subtle as you exposed yourself to him. "You shouldn't be doin' this, sweetheart– d'you know how old I am?"

"I don't care," you sighed, and let a hand glide down your body, your fingers toying with the elastic band of your panties.

"Clearly," he remarked, his voice strained.

Slipping your hand into your panties, your fingers found your clit where you started to press down in tight circles. Hitching out a small breath your eyes never left Joel's, and you watched as his whole body stiffened.

"Sweetheart," he warned, his voice stern as he stepped closer.

"Please," you breathed out, fingers still working your clit.

"Please, what?" he pressed, stepping so close to your bed now he could reach out to touch you.

"Please…" you pouted, making Joel let out a deep groan, "Want you to fuck me."

"Fuck– you're dirty baby," he whispered, and the way his voice seemed to get deeper and deeper made you rub your clit even faster.

"You have no idea," you whimpered as you looked up at him as innocently as you possibly could through your lashes, but you knew he saw right through your little ruse when his hand locked around your bare knee.

One sweet little plea was all it took for him to snap, and in one quick sweep Joel had you on your knees in front of him. The straps of your tank top had fallen off your shoulders from his manhandling, exposing the top of your chest. Your hands moved with haste then, fingering the buckle of his belt and pushing it through the loop.

"Fuck… Is this really what ya want, sweetheart?" Joel asked, his hand finding your cheek and letting his thumb skate over your skin.

Looking up at him through your lashes you nodded into his hand. It felt insane to admit it, but there was nothing you wanted more in this moment than him; a man you barely knew, a man too old to be even close to appropriate, but it only turned you on even more.

Over you, Joel's eyes had darkened into a stormy sea where rough waves of arousal crashed against his irises. Staring into your own eyes, Joel's jaw tightened and then popped. "Fuck… undo my belt, sweetheart," he ordered and let go of your cheek.

Wasting no time your fingers pulled his belt from the loops and popped the button of his pants. Through the fabric you could feel the way his cock had hardened, and you couldn't help but lean in closer to press open mouthed kisses along his clothed length.

"That's a good girl," Joel sighed, as the comforting weight of his hand found the back of your head. You couldn't help but sigh at the praise and a rumbling laugh tore through his chest at your reaction.

"You liked that didn't you?" he coaxed.

Turning your face to the side, you pressed your cheek against his clothed cock while you looked up to find his eyes. If your panties weren't soaked through with your arousal and your whole body tingling with excitement, you'd be embarrassed. But in this moment, Joel's teasing only made you wetter.

"Please," you begged, wide-eyed and pathetic with arousal, "please, I need your cock."

Joel's hand found the back of your neck where he gripped it, not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to make a point.

"Yeah, sweetheart? Need to be fucked nice and hard by a real man, huh?" he mocked, his voice laced with fake pity. Before you could whine out an answer he let go of your neck with a small push. "But first…" he grinned and leaned back, fishing out your phone from your sheets, "let's see what's made you this fuckin' needy for m'cock."

The video you'd watched, before he'd walked in on you with your fingers down your panties, were still playing silently on your phone. Still on your knees for him, you felt your cheeks burn with embarrassment when his eyes widened and a small chuckle left his lips.

Holding your phone an arms length away from his face, he read out loud, "'Big Dicked Daddy Creampies Needy girl'– that's what you want sweetheart, need to get fucked raw and filled up with cum?"

"Yes," you nodded, eagerly and desperate, your cunt so wet it was starting to hurt.

"Yes, what, sweetheart?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrow, "let me hear ya say it f'me."

"Yes… Daddy?" you tried, and a satisfied smile spread across Joel's face. Throwing your phone back on your bed, Joel's fingers undid his zipper.

"Now take my cock out– c'mon," he ordered, almost impatiently.

With fingers shaking from excitement, you looped them through the elastic band of his underwear and pulled it down along with his pants, revealing inch by inch of his thick hard cock. Leaning back on your haunches you tipped your head back slightly to avoid his cock hitting you in the face.

Freed from its confinements, you wasted no time wrapping your hands around him.

His cock was thick with a throbbing vein running down to the base where a patch of dark and silver wiry hair met his happy trail. At the tip of him a pearl of precum had started to bead, and mesmerized you leaned forward to place a soft kiss to the thick head.

A deep noise rumbled in Joel's chest at your action, and his hand fell back to rest on the back of your head again. "Spit on it, baby–" he sighed and pushed your head a little closer, "C'mon, stroke that spit in."

Tipping your head back slightly, you met his eyes while you gathered a blob of spit in your mouth and spat! Your spit dribbled over the shaft and over where your fist struggled to meet around him, and with slick slow movements, you started to stroke his cock.

"Thaaaat's it," Joel groaned, "just like that."

Shifting your weight on your knees you sat up a little straighter as you jerked his cock in a slow steady rhythm. Your spit made the glide go easy, and above you Joel let out short deep groans with every tug on his cock. Leaning in a little closer, you lined the tip up with your mouth, but before you wrapped your lips around him, you hesitated.

"C’mon, sweetheart, nothin’ to be afraid of,” he soothed, the hand at the back of your head pushing you forward towards his cock, “I know you wanna taste.”

With his encouragement, you closed your lips around the tip of his hard cock – tasting him, finally, for the first time. Running your tongue around the sensitive head in slow circles, you teased the underside of him as you hummed, closing your eyes with contentment.

"There you go," he whispered, "S'good, baby."

Encouraged, you took him deeper into your mouth, testing your limits as the hefty length of him made room for himself inside your mouth. You couldn’t fit him all inside, gagging as the head of him hit the back of your throat, and forcing you to pull back with a cough.

"You're alright, baby," he cooed, stroking the back of your head as you recovered through gasps of air.

Never known to be a quitter, you pushed him back down your throat again a second time. Dropping your jaw and relaxing your throat, it was easier this time, and soon you were bopping your head on his cock. In your mouth you felt his cock grow even harder, and soon enough Joel met your mouth with small thrusts of his own.

Hushed rambles of praise fell from his lips. A sweet symphony through the wet sound of his cock hitting the back of your throat. Snot ran from your nose and mixed with the spit dripping down your chin while tears started to travel down your cheeks in salty rivers. It was dirty, and wet, and so so hot. Pulling off every once in a while when you needed air, you flashed him a wet smile before he was back in your throat again.

Through your open window, a sudden loud cheer came from the garden and startled you. Accidentally you pushed him down too deep, gagging yourself on his cock. Gasping for air you quickly pulled off his cock.

"I know," he cooed, two large palms wiping at the spit around your jaw, "You did so well, baby."

"N-need you to touch me, Daddy," you told him with pleading eyes, your voice raw and used.

"Yeah?" he coaxed, "Bend over then, sweetheart, let Daddy see you pussy."

With a strong hand wrapped around your bicep, Joel helped you on your feet. Unsteady like a newborn foal, he pushed you down on your stomach against the edge of your twin bed. His hands found your ass where they rubbed soothing circles over the muscle, before you felt him split your ass cheeks apart to put your clothed cunt on display.

"You're a little slut aren't you, sweetheart?" he asked, and you could hear the smirk in his voice, "You're so fuckin' wet f'me and I ain't even touched you yet," he laughed.

But there was nothing to laugh about in this situation.

A second later Joel pulled your panties to the side, exposing your wet cunt to him and let a harsh spank come down on your folds.

With a whiny cry, your whole body jerked at the impact. A prickling pain mixed with your burning arousal, and even with practically no stimulation, you felt right on the edge already.

One strong hand gathered your wrists behind your back as you felt the weight of him over your back. "Shhh," he hushed into your ear. With his other hand he guided the wide head of his cock through your soaked folds, slicking himself in your arousal. "Listen," he commanded, "y'hear how fuckin' wet you are?"

He gave you no room to answer him as he pushed the head past your entrance, and filled you up with his cock in one rough jerk of his hips. Instead, what came out of your mouth was a surprised moan.

"Bet that felt good, huh? That pussy's finally filled up like she needed?" Joel cooed into your ear.

Nodding your head, your cheek pressed tightly to your mattress, you managed to croak out a satisfied, "Yes, Daddy."

Pleased, Joel pulled out slowly before he slammed back inside you again, splitting you open on his cock as he made you take it. He felt so big inside you, that heavy pressure of him hitting the deepest parts of you just right with every kant of his hips. Moaning unabashedly, you let him fuck you hard and fast, guiding your body back against his cock with the grip of his hand around your wrist.

"'f your mother only knew what a fuckin' slut you are, baby," he hushed out under his breath between jerks of his hips. "The door's not even locked– anyone could walk in on you gettin' fucked."

Lost on the feeling of his cock inside you, a fire ignited in your belly at his words. You felt yourself get even more turned on at the thought of getting caught, of exactly how exposed you'd be if someone were to open your bedroom door at exactly this moment.

"Don't worry your pretty little head 'bout it– I won't tell," Joel told you, emphasizing every word with a harsh thrust.

Pushing himself as deep as he could, his balls slapping against your clit, a deep moan rumbled from deep in his chest. Your own moan got stuck in your chest as he grinded his hips against your ass – making sure the tip of his cock rubbed against your g-spot – before he resumed his rhythm.

"You're makin' such a big mess on my cock, sweetheart… it's drippin' down my balls," he grunted, "That turn you on? Getting caught gettin' fucked by an old man?" he chuckled.

"P-please," was the only thing you could manage between your breathy mewls, "I-I'm c-close."

"Yeah, I know, baby, I know. Can feel you squeezin' me so fuckin' tight– so perfect for this big cock," he praised.

Shifting his grip around your wrist, he snuck his other hand between your legs where his calloused fingers found your neglected clit. Pushing down on it in rough circles, you let out a squeal at the new stimulation.

"I know, I know, sweetheart, " he cooed, "I know you want to come all over Daddy's big cock– come while I rub this little clit."

"Y-yes," you moaned, his hips slapping harshly against your ass as Joel brought you closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy. Tears had started to darken your sheets with a wet patch as you heaved for breath. You were right there, right on the edge now.

"You want my cum don't you? Want it inside?" he grunted the question in your ear.

"Please," you hiccuped.

Above you Joel’s groans and moans got louder, as he sped up his rhythm.

"Fuck, baby, 'm close– come f'me now, come for Daddy," he commanded, and with the kant of his hips and a flick of your clit, you came around Joel's thick cock.

Arching your back off the mattress and kanting your hips, your body shook as you rode through your high. Above you, Joel’s movement had become even more erratic, thrusting himself deeper and deeper before a loud groan vibrated through his chest.

Pushing himself deep inside you, Joel came inside you. A warmth filled you as he emptied himself, filling you and coating your walls with his spend.

"That's it– take that fuckin' cum," he rambled, forcing your hips to stay flush against his thighs.

As both your highs started to slowly fizzle out, Joel slowly pulled back and pushed his hips back in shallow thrusts, making sure to give you every single drop of his cum. Sensitive from your orgasm, the pressure of his thick cock inside you was almost too much, and with a small whine you pulled away.

"No-no-no," he said, his hands tightening around your hips, "Stay right there just a little longer f'me baby– good girl."

Satiated, you released a breathy sigh into the mattress as you felt a tiredness wrap itself around you. Joel's hands loosened around your hips, instead he rubbed soft circles over your skin, before he slowly pulled out and snapped your panties back in place.

For a beat you didn't move, but the metal sound of Joel's belt buckling had you turning over on your back. The lamp on your bed side table casted soft warm shadows over his face as you watched him put himself back together again.

"You okay?" he asked you, his voice low but warm – all his rough teasing gone now and replaced by the friendly man you'd shaken hands with for the first time only a few hours ago.

"More than okay," you smiled, "I can't believe that actually happened."

Your words pulled a chuckle from his chest. "Wouldn't mind if it happened again," he smiled.

"Me neither."

........................................................................................................................

i hope someone out there liked this little fic. i'd love to hear your thoughts either in a comment or as an ask! <3

© shellshocklove, 2024 i do not give any permission to repost, translate, feed to AI or redistribute any of my writing, with or without credit!

[shellshooked]

Link stands against genocide. Link stands against the killing of 22835 people, humans with lives and memories and stories and ambition and favourite music and favourite movies and melodies they would hum while walking home. he stands against the brutality of collective punishment, of bombing refugee camps, religious buildings, universities, and the erasure of what made the land of Palestine so beautiful in the first place. (source: Gaza ministry of health, OCHA)

Link is the representation of courage in the face of total darkness and erupting of evil. His character stands to represent that even if young, weak, or powerless, you can fight evil, you can raise your voice, you can persevere. And what bigger bravery isn't there than of those living in the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza? what bigger symbol of courage is there in the world right now than the palestinians who are despite the countless oppression and violence resisitng against genocide, mourning their loved ones and fighting like hell for the living? Link is right there with them. They are Link. And we should be Link too.

[dresshistorynerd]

I don't know what motivated you to write out that super detailed response to the Choctaw kindness to the Irish, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your dedication to sharing humanitarian acts of kindness. I'm a trans guy in the US american south and I feel so alone and despised, but things like that story give me hope that someone, somewhere, will understand and give compassion. Thank you for sharing humanity.

Thank you very much for this lovely message. I'm really sorry things are looking so bleak for you. I'm not USAmerican, but I've been watching the the situation there spiral into fascism with horror. Things are not looking so good here in Europe either, in general, it's quite a dark moment in history.

I write about history because it gives perspective for times like these. Every time I read about a horrific moment in history, the horrors are not what stay with me but the endless human resilience that lead humans to endure and build something beautiful from the ashes. Human kindness, bravery and resilience - humanity - shines brightest in inhuman times. We have survived so many terrible times and we will survive this as well. One of my best friends is a trans masc German, a proof that even genocide can't erase trans people, so neither will this US administration. Knowing we are not the first people to face such times, nor to survive such times, makes me feel less alone. So maybe I can tell you some stories of trans and queer history in the US, and perhaps that'll make you feel tiny bit less alone.

The period of New World chattel slavery is one of the darkest periods in history, but Black people were able to survive even that and create vibrant cultural expressions from the ashes. People always resisted slavery. There was not a moment, when everyone gave up. In Caribbean, slaves escaped all the time and became Maroons, who found home in the insular communities of the surviving indigenous Taino people of the genocides against them. They formed mixed settlement of indigenous people and escaped slaves, where their languages and traditions were mixed together to create a new culture, that preserved two traditions under threat of annihilation. They resisted constantly the tyrannical colonial powers, waged guerilla warfare against them and assisted in slave rebellions even when the punishments for them were extreme and severe. There were maroons in US as well. They didn't have dense jungle islands where they could hide their settlements in the US South, but they had swamps they used in a similar way. In the swamp settlements the maroons also were joined by indigenous people escaping the genocidal onslaught as well as other outcasts of the colonial society. Together they survived and resisted. In US too the slaves didn't just escape to freedom, they orchestrated numerous slave rebellions from the very beginning to the bitter end.

There were also some white abolitionists too, who did the right thing. John Brown was of course one of them. He believed it was his secret duty as a Christian to wage war against US until slavery was abolished and he gladly died for it. But I want to shout out a trans masc abolitionist, Public Universal Friend. Public Universal Friend has possibly the most wild and interesting story ever. The Friend was a Quaker. Quakers have always been abolitionists, even in England before slavery was banned there. The Friend lived from 1752 to 1819 in New England, dressed mostly masculine, rejected gendered pronouns and used instead The Friend and PUF as pronouns (though some of the Friend's followers referred to the Friend with he/him), became a Quaker cult leader, made the Friend's cult followers to free their slaves and preached about gender equality, universal salvation and abolition of slavery. Basically the Friend was a cult leader for good. Truly chaotic good alignment. I write about the Friend more in my post about some cool historical queer figures.

Another story starts with a pioneering American trans man, Alan L. Hart. He was born in 1890 and presented as a boy from a very young age. His parents and grandparents accepted him as a boy. In school he was forced to present as a girl, but in college he fully presented as a man. He became the first recorded trans man to surgically transition in US in 1917-1918. He was not only pioneering as a trans man, but as a doctor as well. He was instrumental in developing x-ray screening for tuberculosis, which at the time was one of the leading causes of death. His contribution has saved thousands of lives.

He was undoubtedly a trans man (he expressed it to his doctors to gain access to medical transition and in an interview after he was outed once and in all the possible ways he could really), but still couple of decades after his death in 1980s and 90s, trans-exclusionary lesbians "reclaimed" him as a historical lesbian figure. This caused a battle in the Portland queer community. Trans people, who had of course been part of the community forever, did not take such blatant erasure lying down and protested the organizations, who insisted on misgendering Hart and touting him as a "lesbian hero". They were not alone though. After being presented with the historical facts, the Lesbian Avengers joined their trans siblings in the fight. Eventually the organizations, which had kept misgendering him relented, but some trans-exclusionary lesbians still kept bringing doubt to his very clearly expressed gender identity even afterwards.

Lesbian Avengers, a direct action group, has many amazing stories in their history. One of those is told in Weird Little Guy's podcast episode Fire Will Not Consume Us. The podcast is about fascists, and this particular episode tells the story of how KKK waged a war against a rural gay bar kept by a local elderly straight couple, who had lost a child to AIDS. Their gay patrons called the lady their mom. The Lesbian Avengers showed up to stand with their gay brothers against the KKK. They chanted "Fire will not burns us. We'll take it and make it our own." to burning crosses and a KKK preacher telling them they would burn in hell. They had an fire-eating act, during which they chanted that chant, they had started after Hattie Mae Cohens and Brian Mock, a lesbian and a gay man, had been murdered with a Molotov cocktail thrown into their apartment. I really recommend that episode, it's a beautiful story of solidarity and resistance.

The lesson I take from these stories, and history in general, is that survival is resistance and we survive with solidarity. Alone we are outcasts, but together we are strong. I can only imagine how lonely it must be for you right now, but you are not alone. You have never been. Behind you is a long line of trans and queer ancestors, who stood in the same ground before you. Around you are so many facing the same enemy.

[anarchistcommunism]

The “choice” of this election, like all elections, presented us with no choice at all: one program of open reaction and the other friendly-faced genocide. Still, a Trump victory was far from inevitable. Presented with an opportunity to overhaul their platform, the Democratic Party instead swapped one stand-in for another without any significant change in position. This was most glaring in Biden and later Harris’s willingness to sacrifice the votes of Muslim and Arab Americans by refusing to even slow—let alone stop—US facilitation of Israel’s genocidal wars in Gaza and Lebanon. But other factors prevailed too, including the Democrats’ failure to articulate anything resembling a plan to address compounding crises around profit hungry price-gouging, the cost of living, housing, bodily autonomy, or healthcare. It is impossible now to argue that Trump is an aberration. He is as American as apple pie, a product of the system of domination that structures our society. If we are to confront a second Trump administration, we must also confront this system of domination—a task that will require organization, bravery, and commitment. So here we are. While you might be feeling fear, anger, and despair right now, it’s not a time to back down. It’s time to step up.

[world-of-wales]

❥ 27 JANUARY 2025 | The Prince of Wales gave a speech during the Holocaust memorial service at London's Guildhall.

During the speech, he paid tribute to his great-grandmother, Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.

“I am honoured to join you today to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and to remember the millions murdered during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides. We also remember those survivors, who have lived with the scars both mental and physical. Their bravery in sharing with us the most harrowing moments of their lives, are extremely powerful and ensure we never forget. I assure them, we never will.

On this, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we also recall those who risked their own lives to help and save others. They risked death, torture and persecution to defy the aggressors.

I was recently reminded of my great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, who lived in Athens during the Second World War.

This is an extract from the book ‘Heroes of the Holocaust’:

'In the early days of German occupation, conditions deteriorated rapidly as food ran out when an estimated 300,000 people died…Conditions were particularly severe in Athens and its port, Piraeus. Alice worked tirelessly for the Red Cross, helping to organise soup kitchens, opening shelters for orphaned children, and setting up a nursing system for poor areas of the city. It was at this time that Princess Alice gave refuge to a Jewish widow, Rachel Cohen, and two of her five children to save them from deportation to the death camps.

This was an extremely risky undertaking in the close-packed streets of Athens where there was always the danger of spies and gossip….On 15 October 1943, Rachel Cohen and Tilde moved into Alice’s home. The staff were told that Mrs Cohen was the former governess to her children…Michel, the youngest of the four brothers, joined them about a month later…. There were great risks, not least the position of the house – the front door faced the residence of the local Archbishop, which always had a German guard on duty outside. She was sometimes interviewed by the Gestapo and used her deafness to an advantage, pretending not to understand their questions or what they were talking about. It worked and they soon gave up. Thanks to her, the entire Cohen family survived the war.' It has been a great honour for Catherine and I to join you all today.

Thank you.

Princess Alice was honoured as 'Righteous Among the Nations' for hiding the Cohens in her house in Athens during the War and was posthumously named a Hero of the Holocaust by the British Government in 2010.

[signanothername]

I know next to nothing about Delta Sans lol... what are some of his main traits and characteristics? /nf

I GET TO RAMBLE ABOUT DELTA LETS GOOOOO

Funny enough, Delta’s canon material isn’t very vast, considering most his canon story is animated, so you can imagine how long it takes to animate and how few animations there are, despite that i just can’t help but love this bitch

Let’s start with basics since you don’t know much, you might see Delta’s Au with 3 names: Ultratale, Vitaltale, and Delta’s tale, which are all canon as they’re all used by Delta’s creator Animated Zorox

Ultratale is the Au’s series old name when it was first animated (and is now cancelled), Vitaltale is the Au’s current name which refers to the new repooted series, Delta’s tale use is honestly unclear for me, but i like to believe it’s more of a general name for the Au

Kay so with that out of the way, Delta is a sans that fused with the human soul of bravery, that’s why he has his signature orange gloves, (and Delta can talk and communicate with the bravery soul inside his head)

Delta is from a Genocide timeline and is the only survivor, so after he defeats Chara (who’s called “Omega Chara” in the Au) Delta takes it upon himself to become a protector of Aus (imagine it as his coping mechanism for losing his own Au fused with Bravery’s sense of protection) but he’s not a protector in the same sense that is Ink, Delta travels from Au to Au pretty much looking for a fight, looking to see if the Au he’s in is in trouble and fighting whoever causes it to save it from the same fate his own Au faced

So he’s kind, brave, righteous and honest… too honest chchchch

But he’s also egotistical, super hot headed, and can easily rage, and despite deeming himself a protector, he’s only a protector to those who need protection, so the poor bitches who threaten the Au? Yeah Delta isn’t above tainting his hands with someone else’s blood (ma boi is passionate about murdering fr fr) in his defense tho he tries listening and talking to them and convincing them (for roughly 10 seconds) if it doesn’t work then he goes for the kill

Look at him telling Cross he’ll kill him (god I love him)

But he’s also willing to put himself in danger if it meant protecting someone else (basically putting the life of others above his own)

What’s also fun is the fact Delta can easily give up like a normal Sans would, It’s Bravery that keeps him going

But what I also really love is his way of fighting/using his powers, Delta tends to use his own blaster’s jaws as a super speed jet pack, and his fighting style tends to mostly be up close and personal, like this bitch will break bones with his bare hands, and believe me, this bitch sure got stamina cause DAMN

He can even fully fuse with Bravery, like he becomes a glowing orange lamp hcchchchch

he’s a bit reckless but still smart to know when to stay a safe distance or change tactics

One of my fave things is him using his gloves as armored shoes cause why the fuck not y’know?

Delta is also semi canonically friends with Color and Epic (semi-canon as in the creators of these three drew them together as the “Epic Sanses Trio” but are not necessarily part of their own respective timeline’s stories chchhcch) but it’s fully canon in my heart <3333

If you’d like to see the actual canon content for Delta, I recommend checking this doc made by @howlsofbloodhounds they’ve done an amazing job at collecting as much as they can <3

[is-today-tomorrow-in-nz]

YA authors and their failing protagonists:

YA authors more often than not butcher their female characters. These characters often range from utter passiveness to ultimate girlbosses or remain tragic victims. Even male characters are not spared from this idiocy but they suffer much less indignity than the female characters. Very rarely we see a well-written and balanced female protagonists in YA novels. In an attempt to make these characters 'relatable' the authors do them a massive disservice, especially in fantasy and chosen one tropes. YA authors create these massive, dystopian societies and then unleash a bunch of teenagers to handle its problems and then coddle them from their own consequences. And in recent times, I'm finding many readers, especially on the younger side, echoing the same idealogies which is truly disheartening.

A YA fantasy novel is not about the person undergoing the hero's journey it's about the cause they're representing. And while fulfilling the cause they also overcome their personal struggles and grow but ultimately the story is about the cause. A passive or undecisive female character can be relatable in a romcom or a high school world but not in a war-torn, genocidal universe. If these audiences find the passivity and ignorance of a character in dystopian worlds 'relatable' then I'm truly worried about the morals they uphold in their real lives.

Unable to raise to the occasion is not an adorable quality. Katniss, Primrose, Hermoine, Harry, Percy were all teenagers too but what makes them memorable and relatable even after 20+ years is their strong moral code, bravery and fierce need to do the right thing to protect the innocent. Their journey was filled with losses and sacrifices which ultimately made them kinder and they taught me, as a reader, to be braver when faced with an adversity. Which is why I'm hating this current trend of passive heroines and girlbosses and their 'relatable' audience.

The Grishaverse is ripe with such characters.

Alina:

Alina is a protagonist who is about as useful as a fur coat in summer heat. She is stagnant and has nothing going on in her life beside Mal. She has no morality in her and possess zero ability to think. She is at best a doormat and at worst a bulldozer wrecking havoc without a forethought. She is the only protagonist who starts her journey and ends it the same way without an ounce of personal growth. She starts as an orphan with no self esteem and ends up as a nobody with no self esteem. She has no higher purpose in her own story and for all the no nuance Nellys calling it being 'relatable', this is not Highschool Musical, it's a political fantasy with the Chosen One trope. Her biggest gripes in the whole series are- being away from Mal, not being attractive enough for Mal and not being able to be with Mal. The other characters around her literally has to push her from plot A to plot B.

While being a reluctant protagonist makes sense at the beginning she doesn't do anything to improve her situation beyond that. She is entitled, extremely judgemental, has no empathy for others(remember how she blamed Genya for her situation in book 1), doesn't connect with people and any minor improvements she undergoes in immediately undone. She had the whole library of books to educate herself, people to take help from and train herself better. And yet chapter after chapter after chapter she undoes any progress she makes. Not to mention how much of an unreliable narrator she is throught the whole series. I was beyond exhausted being stuck inside her head for 3 whole books.

Zoya:

To all the people people hailing Zoya as their queen, I ask of you to genderswap Zoya then you'll understand the issues with her character. She represents every toxic masculine trait that we hate seeing in typical male characters. Her 'tragic' back story( and ulltimate powerup) was a rip off from Danny from GoT which was only added to 'justify' Zoya's bullying nature because it's okay if an abused person abuses in return. The backstory did nothing to her character other than act as a point of appeal to the readers to ignore her toxic traits because she was hurt.

Genya:

Genya was the only female character I loved in the series besides Inej. Without glorifying her abuse, Genya had the potential to be Natasha Romanoff but LB tragically restricts her progress to be a tragic victim instead. She was brave, fierce, possesed the right amount of cunning and kindness. She had all the traits of a protagonist but LB ruins her character like no other. I've explained this before in several posts. She was reduced to a shock factor- scars, David's death etc. In LB's own words, Ravka is a war torn country with drafts starting at age 15. Grisha has to join frontlines or serve in wealthy households. So, Genya would have been sent to a household either way. It was trolley problem situation and Aleksander took a gamble. For those screaming that Aleksander did nothing, I suggest you read 'The Tailor' by LB. Anyway, LB had such a impactful character and utilized her so poorly in the name of 'relatability'.

I don't want to make an already long post longer. Many YA authors need to take a step back before building worlds with massive adult issues. If their focus is on being relatable to young readers then I suggest them to not use heavy topics like genocide, war and abuse. If they cannot handle such adult topics with the sensitivity and respect it deserves then they're better off not writing it. I'm strongly against using such topics as shock factor and making a fool of the readers ( looking at you dragon zoya climax and everybody clapped moment 🤢🤢🤢). For readers, who are unable to comprehend the authors true motives maybe heavy YA fantasy tropes are not for you.

[genoskissors]

My Ranking of Genocide Jack Sprites

IMPORTANT!: I love each and every sprite she has, so when I rank one low, it's still a 10/10, I just like the others more. Please do not misinterpret this as anything other than Genocide Jack appreciation.

Honorable Mention: Empty Eyes

- I cannot consider it to be an official Genocide Jack sprite, but this is most certainly her. The iconic tongue and eccentric behavior can’t be confused for anyone else but the glorious Genocide Jack.

12) Frustrated

- Looking as gorgeous as ever, it does bring some pain to my heart to see a lack of tongue. However, I understand the sacrifice. Hopefully her frustrations will be resolved soon, it’s nice to see a smile.

11) Agreement

- Nodding her head. It’s always good to see Genocide Jack coming to an understanding with her classmates. The bonds she forms allow her to open up more, revealing her complex emotions.

10) Agreement (Eyes Open)

- A step up from 11, as in this, you can see her eyes. They say that eyes are the windows to the soul. Is Genocide Jack’s soul black, often associated with death, or pink, like the blood she happily sheds?

9) Surprised

- Due to her personality, she feels more silly than surprised, but not everyone displays emotions the same. It’s important to understand that the beauty of Genocide Jack comes in more than one form.

8) Enchanted

- While she is a bit riled up, she is capable of reaching higher extremes, but this lighter excitement is just as thrilling. She can’t help but hold her face to contain her dirty comments. It’s good to be comfortable.

7) Serious

- A calm yet stern sprite. While relaxed, the feelings her demeanor gives off do not disappear. She carries herself with dignity and bravery, in both expression and stance. It’s a good choice for her default.

6) Intense

- Someone’s pissed. I hope she is able to overcome the obstacle blocking her from her goal. This sprite also shows her tongue is longer than first suspected. It adds a lot to her design and I love it.

5) Smile

- This sprite oozes with confidence. The hand she holds up has killed 37 boys and men. Even without holding scissors, you can sense her strength. While introducing herself, she presents a huge smile!

4) Throbbing

- What is Genocide Jack if not a maiden who follows her heart? Her squinted eyes full of passion look beautiful. Whether it’s yaoi, yuri, or murder, it gets Genocide Jack all excited, it’s very cute.

3)🥉 Scissors

- Genocide Jack in her element, with her trusty scissors by her side. The predatory look and the positioning of the weapons puts you in the scared perspective of her victims. Her braids flow well here.

2)🥈 Smiling Face (Refreshing)

- A warm and wholesome sprite capable of purifying even my darkest days. A face showing not only a big smile, but a satisfied individual. The hands held and the slight head tilt add to the overwhelming charm.

1)🥇 Smile (High Tension)

- An undeniable classic. It’s power is simply unmatched when it comes to the most authentic portrayal of Genocide Jack as a character. It’s impossible to look at such a big smile and feel any sorrow.

[breadarcade]

Uhh have a feeling you might like this request haha so-

Can I ask for Longan Dragon x reader? Specifically a reader who’s relatively hard to scare and occasionally says the most out of pocket things. I don’t know what forms of writing you do but HCs are preferred, anything’s fine though 👍 thanks for reading!!

★ 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝗽𝘀𝗵𝗵𝗵𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁? 𝗵𝗺𝗺𝗺 (𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗳𝗽, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲, 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘆𝗻)

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗘 𝘅 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴

★𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗘 is the definition of fear, one’s eyes that stare to one's soul only to make them crumble and harden to stone with fear evident to their faces, pitiful cookies, truly! such pathetic display of cookies being frozen in fear especially in their last moment of living as walking dough, hm.

★so my dear, explain why is it SO HARD to scare, someone, some cookie like you?

★when longan dragon cookie began to obliterate your place of living to proceed with their plan of complete genocide, you, in the other hand are unsettling, fearless, longan dragon cookie resents the face of bravery especially with cookies like you, to face a dragon? a second place to a primordial entity? who do you think you are?! It frustrates them to see such fearless cookie, aside from that pest, Gingerbrave, you are second to him by Longan’s list of cookies that I hate so much.

★but! Being someone who has the interest of a dragon has a positive and negative side! the pros; you are most likely to live than most cookies and receive the benevolence of the might ivory dragon, cons; no sense of freedom or whatsoever, visualize longan being someone watching national geographic and you are the one being filmed.

★longan’s pride gets in the way on trying to make measly attempted to scare you, be scared for once! the thought of doing this repeatedly makes their eyes twitch, eye twitch. So they leave you be for the most time but they are there to see if you will be scared or not for the sake of their sanity and your survival. So if anything be scared, but not too scared because if you swing with one of them, bye bye life!

★and the out of pocket part──there might be a chance were both of you become a little bit close, but not too close, where you let longan in your house, and they actually agreed without complaining and comparing their extravagant palace to your simple abode, win-win, no?

★while longan is waiting for the day for you to be scared, you said one of the most, by far, stupidest thing you ever said. “if we swim to the water, does that make us boats because we float in the water?”, you say, and longan dragon cookie is this close to turning you to stone, cookies are obnoxious, prideful, undeserving, and most importantly stupid, and you just proved it, right in front of them, good job! you are this close to ending cookiekind! are you happy with yourself?

★whenever they foresee that you will say the stupidest thing once more, they will cover your mouth with their hand, shut up, shut up! nuisance! you caused enough trouble in their life, give them a break! dragons have feelings too!

★is longan happy about this? no. is longan real about this? also no. they find you unbearable but you keep good company, they will keep you for now, just know your place and your life will go smoothly than you expected.

[unabletodonate]

I appeal to you with all the pain and suffering. We are living in difficult circumstances as a result of the war in Gaza. Our homes have been destroyed and our dreams have faded. We are stuck in Egypt after my wife and I lost our jobs. My family lives in constant fear. My brothers, mother and father also live in Gaza. The catastrophic conditions are the result of bombing and genocide. They are facing an endless nightmare and I need help. Your help to protect my family and restore hope to our hearts

Thank you so much for reaching out, I appreciate your bravery 💕

[ouroborosmoons]

Press Statement, Hamas:

The crimes of the occupation against Palestinian journalists will not silence them or deter them from continuing their role

We call for the protection of the journalists and hold accountable the perpetrators of crimes against them

The Palestinian people commemorate the Day of Loyalty to the Palestinian Journalist annually on December 31, following a decision by the Palestinian government in Gaza to honor the Palestinian journalists and their efforts and sacrifices in conveying the Palestinian narrative in our conflict with the Zionist enemy, enhancing the image of heroism and steadfastness of our people, and exposing the crimes of the occupation and its aggressive plans.

The anniversary falls this year amid ongoing Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip and the legendary steadfastness of our people and resistance in the face of genocide, starvation, forced displacement and ethnic cleansing, and the failure of the occupation to achieve its aggressive goals and establish its false narrative and propaganda, and to confirm once again the importance of this national day in honoring our heroic Palestinian journalists who are united with our people, living their pains and hopes.

201 journalists have beed martyred, as they sincerely conveyed the truth about the crimes committed against our people in the Gaza Strip, and narrate the scenes of their steadfastness and perseverance on their land.

On the Day of Loyalty to the Palestinian Journalist, we affirm the following:

First: The ongoing aggressive occupation war against our people in the Gaza Strip has revealed that the Zionist occupation is the most dangerous enemy to the press and journalists in occupied Palestine, as the journalists were truly the prominent tool in exposing the crimes and massacres against our people, and the major means of debunking its false narrative and black propaganda against our people's legitimate rights to freedom and independence and the bravery of our resistance in defense of our land and sanctities.

Second: We salute all Palestinian journalists who risk their lives in order to convey the truth, heroism and steadfastness of our people and resistance, and to convey the brutal and hideous crimes and massacres committed by the Zionist occupation against our Palestinian people across the occupied territories, especially in Gaza, which has been subject to the most heinous aggressive war and genocide for 15 months.

Third: We warn against the grave danger of targeting the Palestinian journalists and its dangerous effect the national unity. We renew our call to all national factions and rights groups to work to adopt a media ethics code that enhances the role of the Palestinian journalists and their noble message, provides them a safe environment, and protects them from murder, persecution, harassment or arrest.

Fourth: We call on the rights and humanitarian groups to continue their work in exposing the crimes of the occupation against Palestinian journalists and condemn them. We urge for immediate action against the Zionist perpetrators involved in the crimes against Palestinian journalists and hold them accountable before international courts.

Finally: We also urge all media institutions worldwide to uphold the values of objectivity, honesty, and integrity in reporting the realities of the situation in Gaza and Palestine, and not to succumb to the Zionist media deception and lies.

Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)

1, Jan

Official website - Hamas movement

https://t.me/+kUoQCMfm8bI1NWE0

[webanglikethat]

Please donate to my family in Gaza, who are suffering from genocide, the threat of famine, and a severe shortage of essential medicines. My brother urgently needs treatment to regain stability. If you can, please don't hesitate to support us, and if you can't, share our story.

Thank you for taking the time to read our plea. 🙏❤️❤️❤️

https://gofund.me/917ecb89

Hi!🙏

Even though I’m not in a position to donate at the moment, I’m here to amplify your voice. I truly hope that your story finds those who can offer meaningful support, whether through donations, sharing, or words of encouragement.

To everyone reading this: now is the time for collective compassion. Every small act of kindness matters, whether it’s a donation, a share, or simply a moment of empathy for what this family is going through. If you’re able to, please consider contributing or passing this message along. Together, even the smallest efforts can create waves of change for someone in need!

To you and your family, I want to extend my deepest hope for brighter days ahead. I hope you find solace in knowing that people are rallying behind you, that your bravery inspires others to step forward and help. I’m keeping you and your family in my thoughts. I’m wishing you peace, safety, and the strength to face what lies ahead with the same courage you’ve already shown. Opening a place to help others, even with limited resources, is such a selfless thing to do.

Sending all my love, strength, and compassion to you during this time. May your path ahead be filled with light, kindness, and the help you need to overcome these challenges.

Here’s the link again for anyone willing to assist:

[workersolidarity]

🇵🇸 🚨

HAMAS DELIVERS A MESSAGE TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE OF GAZA, AND THE WOMEN OF PALESTINE

Hamas delivered a statement today to the Palestinian people, and reported on by Al-Mayadeen News.

The statement begins by addressing the Palestinian people generally, but the people of Gaza in particular, delivers it's sincere message.

According to Al-Mayadeen, "The Palestinian Resistance movement expressed honor and pride in the Palestinian people in Gaza who have endured what no other nation could bear."

The statement then emphasizes the resilience of the Palestinian people of Gaza, "teaching the world meaning of patience, patriotism, and sacrifice for the sake of the dignity of their homeland, despite abandonment and silence that left them to face this brutal war on their own."

The Hamas resistance movement goes on to point to the Gazan people's support for the Resistance, "affirming that this Resistance emerged from these people's suffering and sacrifices and fought with honor and bravery."

"We behold you crafting your own victory," the Resistance is quoted by Al-Mayadeen as saying.

Hamas says that it is working on many levels, and fighting on all fronts along with other Palestinian factions, striving to "offer a little for the people of Gaza" and "correcting the paths to avoid missteps and errors caused by the ongoing Israeli genocide."

The Resistance movement goes on underline its efforts through emergency committees to "correct governmental, relief, humanitarian, security and economic actions, acknowledging its successes and mistakes and exhibiting commitment to pursuing work to this end."

Next, the Hamas movement addresses the women of Palestine, describing them as "the best among women on this earth, and the symbol of victory," and further expressed gratitude, appreciation and respect for them.

The Resistance goes on to declare that Operation Al-Aqsa Flood represents a strategic shift at a critical historical juncture for the Palestinian cause.

The Resistance says its leadership in Gaza decided in this moment, under siege, to excercise its right to resist occupation and respond to the occupation's crimes in the West Bank, dividing the occupied territory and building settlements.

Occupation Al-Aqsa Flood was also a response to the "Judaization and division of the Al-Aqsa Mosque" and "complete control over occupied Al-Quds (Jersusalem), its Mosques, and its Churches," the Hamas movement added.

The Resistance goes on to affirm that the battle was a reaction to the occupation's "discriminatory practices against Palestinians in the 1948 occupied territories," along with the "continuous aggression against detainees," and the Israeli occupation's expansion and presence in the region.

Hamas also emphasized that the Israeli occupation "showed it's true colors to the entire world with its Nazi-like behavior and exposed the true nature of criminality and terrorism of its diminishing entity, which the [Hamas] movement would not have been able to do even if it tried for many years."

Lastly, the Resistance group turns its attention to the Israeli occupation itself, asking the occupation, "Can you just stand there for one moment in your occupation sites or continue your ground operations safely? Can you build fortifications to protect you from our resistance or live a moment of safety in our country?"

Hamas concludes by saying, "we will not answer you, as our answer will be delivered via our actions and not mere words."

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[kaeporagaepora]

SPOILERS FOR ONE PIECE CH. 1148

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Okay so here’s the thing:

All over the one piece fandom i’ve seen the same sentiment of “these new age pacifist giants are gonna have to relearn their former glory through battle” and as far as i can tell there are two main reasons people think this:

1. The push from harald to change elbaf culture toward pacifism was a mistake because obviously there’s no place for peace while the world government exists (understandable and honestly kinda true, but misses the point imo)

2. They are personally upset that the big cool giants aren’t playing directly into the shonen power scaling fantasy they’ve built up in their mind (less understandable, try to enjoy something about anime other than ‘cool guys punching things’ ya dingbats)

But the legends of the giant warriors of elbaf? The indomitable, proud people who never bent the knee to the world government? That attitude is THRIVING in the “weak” younger generation. The new generation of elbaf has grown up with a love for knowledge and empathy, they’ve been exposed to the importance of education, and perspectives outside their own culture.

So when the god knights kidnap these kids, holding them hostage to force elbaf to destroy its own culture, we see who’s truly carrying the unbreakable will of the elbaf giants. While the adults, the “big, strong” old guard who know nothing but might makes right scramble to acquiesce to the god knight’s demands for a total cultural genocide, the true face of the giant’s bravery comes from a young girl of the “weak willed” new gen, scared out of her mind and facing imminent death.

Ronja knows that there are things in the world that speak louder than violence, that are more important than physical domination. She pleads for her people to think about what’s truly important, and not throw away the knowledge and culture they have because they’re blinded by the threat of violence.

There are more ways to fight back than with fists, and there’s more to the giants than just the badass fighters the fandom desperately wants them to be.

Rant over

[artfilmfan]

Jonathan Glazer at last years Oscars, just recently Tilda Swinton at Berlin Film Festival, we'll need more of you. One award winning acceptance speech after another. Till this world is ridden of warmongering, racist, colonialist, imperialist, genocidal, apartheid like policies and politicians worldwide, we will not have peace or justice of any kind. Hats off to all the filmmakers, actors and actresses from the film world so eloquently speaking out. Silence is also complicity. The upcoming Academy Awards will be another test of humanity and bravery. Whoever dares to speak out...I'm seriously at a point where i dont even bother watching, attending, participating in any projects whatsoever that involve warmongering cheerleaders in the film business (its pretty obvious by now who they are). Not a single penny out of my pocket will ever go to them (again). Let them feel financially the consequences of their disgusting agenda. Since i have not seen a single case of anyone regretting signing those letters of support for Israel (totally disregarding decades of their own crimes and policies that led to much bigger civilian deaths than anything done by any other "terror" group, plus state terrorism has caused much more suffering worldwide) i can only assume they are all still fully behind US foreign policy (and whatever their military or even police does) and the crimes done in their name. Maybe if their fanbase eventually turns against them, they would probably rethink their stance. But doing it for financial reasons instead of principles would be just admitting they've failed as human beings. I really hope and believe history will judge them accordingly.

Let me add this important quote from another award winning filmmaker in last years Venice film festival, Sarah Friendland (words that should haunt some people for the remainders of their careers):

“As a Jewish American artist working in a time-based medium, I must note, I'm accepting this award on the 336th day of Israel's genocide in Gaza and 76th year of occupation. I believe it is our responsibility as filmmakers to use the institutional platforms through which we work to redress Israel's impunity on the global stage. I stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and their struggle for liberation.”

Personally i'd also add USA (both major parties!) in this context of impunity on the global stage. Its been the key enabler of it all on almost every possible level (financially, military, politically). What they do on the United Nations level alone is a crime of itself along with all the votes and the faces put behind it. I always questioned the "spreading democracy worldwide" mantra. Now we've all seen thru countless instances worldwide the hypocrisy and lies behind it without anyone ever being held accountable for it. USA has also failed on international level. To a horrifying degree. Wake up folks, before its too late. Complete and radical overhaul of the political system (and dismantling the lobbies behind it) will be a necessity if we ever want to see changes. Until then, intensifying the activism and speaking out on every single stage and using every single opportunity to voice the disgust and opposition will be a must for anyone that cares about justice and true equality. So many talented, intelligent, creative and original artists getting key awards for their work and speaking out can't be wrong, can they?

I'm so disgusted by it all i totally abandoned most of social media (it was a miracle i even stumbled upon Tilda's speech) Twitter/x will never see me again, Facebook is a waste of time, instagram is also owned by Meta, whose owner is part of the problem with censoring anyone that doesnt follow his personal agenda (Zuckerberg is just a refurbished version of Musk and is just as dangerous for silencing the dissenting voices), even here i see less and less desire to engage. I will never be consumed by hate (as tempting as it sometimes is when i see what happens) but enraged i am and i wil never be quiet about it even if it means that those who have been reading this expecting only purely film related stuff devoid of any social or political commentary abandon me. My activism will define me for the remainder or my life. I must do it for grandpa who was sent to a German concentration camp Dachau during WW2 and experienced all the nazi horrors that have been used decades later as an excuse (blank cheque) to do the same to other people of another religion. Which in itself is profoundly sad and disturbing. Makes you fundamentally question humanity. Just to be clear, this is not purely about Israel. It is just as much about USA. And to a degree also countries like UK, France and Germany and their disgusting treatment of dissent (even in media that once pretended to be selfcritical, BBC and NYT reaching their lowest point in history). Its all a culmination of everything that is wrong with this world. Its easy to point to countries like North Korea or Iran being a problem and mocking their leaders or regimes. But what happens when your own supposed "democratic" country has become in many ways a charicature of it. Including the elected leaders. The irony of it all.