#history will remember that you were complicit

[buttercuparry]

In less than two months it will be October 7th again.

In less than two months, it will be a year of genocide. 

In light of this, I just have only one request for you; please do not give into whatever you are describing as “compassion fatigue” right now.

Realize that this is exactly what the colonizers conducting this genocide want you to feel. Realize that apathy during a genocide is what leads to the normalization of atrocities. Realize that this is a tried and tested method found throughout history; that now when the genocide is been widely documented by Gazans themselves- the only way the colonizers can get away with it is by running you down and making you feel hopeless!

They want you to stop caring about their victims and this is why you need to fight harder now more than ever!!

I request you to fight harder for every Gazan! And therefore request you to fight for my friend Siraj Abudayeh too, whose family recently faced another assault. His parents and siblings had to flee to him for protection, because their areas ( Hamad, southern Khan Younis) were marked for assault from occupation forces. With the number of people depending on him increased now, Siraj has a much heavier responsibility on his shoulders to raise enough funds to support all of them and their needs, when prices of food water and other essentials are already skyrocketing.

With the coming of the rainy season, there comes the danger of epidemics spreading from open sewers as well! Siraj’s son Amir has already fallen ill, and his other two sons are showing symptoms too- they are in dire need of medical treatment! I cannot overstate how badly Siraj and his family need these funds!! How badly he needs your continuous support.

There has been a significant drop in engagement with fundraising posts and I very clearly remember, someone tagging one of my posts with compassion fatigue. It shocked me to my core to think that the cries of Free Palestine could fade so suddenly; that after only a year some of you have begun to feel fatigued, from having to care about this.

Do not give in please; do not let the colonizers make you complicit in this horror! They know that if they can overwhelm you enough, then one day the videos and posts would stop hitting as hard and sooner or later everyone will stop talking about Palestine. This cannot happen again! Not when your attention can literally save a life! This is the power you hold- especially if you are living in the Imperial core. The colonizers are afraid of it. You have to know this and believe this!

So please do not turn away and help Siraj get to 50k as soon as possible!

He is currently only at $45,044 / $82,000 CAD

[ GFM LINK ]

[ Vetting at 219 on Hussein's spreadsheet]

And if you are having trouble donating to Siraj's fundraiser through Paypal, please get in touch with @malcriada .

[frecklenog]

“self immolation as a form of extreme political protest has a long history all over the world, and aaron bushnell’s death should not be discussed solely as a suicide”

and

“people who are already hurting and vulnerable can do more to help while they are still alive than they could in death, and should not repeat aaron bushnell’s actions”

are statements that can and must coexist, actually.

he felt that he was complicit in genocide as an active duty us service member, and, to an extent, he was. but also as an active duty service member, he was legally not allowed to quit his job as a member of the military.

his final act was to take drastic measures to draw attention to a genocide that many people in this country are turning a blind eye towards, and i commend him for his sacrifice. it should be honored and remembered.

that doesn’t mean i want anyone to feel that they should follow in his footsteps.

he should not have been made, by nature of his employment, to feel that he was complicit in genocide, because those in power should not be funding and supporting it in the first place. but they are doing so, and he made it clear that did feel that way. we can’t change that. that doesn’t give us the right to dismiss and ignore his actions.

“this [genocide] is what our ruling class has decided is normal.” and it shouldn’t be.

keep bushnell’s message in mind as you organize. protest, fundraise, call your representatives. these are actions that have a tangible effect. and they do far more to help than dying.

but i’m not going to condemn him, just as i’m not going to condemn the likes of thích quảng đức. i’m not going to say that his death was worthless, because it brought undeniable attention to the matter at hand, despite attempts by american media to gloss over why he did what he did.

i understand where people are coming from — self immolation is a deeply disturbing thing to witness, even blurred. i was very deeply affected by the video. but that’s exactly why he did it; to get through to people that this matters.

i don’t want anyone else to die, either. but remembering aaron bushnell and what he died for is not synonymous with encouraging suicide.

his last words were “free palestine” and, as people living in countries that are funding extermination, it is our job to carry on that cry until palestine is free.

that means living to see it through. ensure that he did not die in vain.

[vague-humanoid]

n childhood, I was taught the importance of seeing Black faces in government positions and political power. At school, I learned how integral specific Black political leaders were to the Black Revolution—especially during the Reconstruction era and the Civil Rights Movement. I understood from a young age that the presence of Black faces in political institutions was necessary for community advancement. 

I still remember learning about Hiram Revels, who in 1870 became the first Black elected official to serve in Congress. This was shortly after slavery was abolished, and Revels’ presence in U.S. politics was a watershed moment for Black American communities. 

Our presence in these institutions that sought to exclude us did indeed make a difference. Now, even after witnessing the election of a Black president in 2008 and seeing more and more Black people in spaces of political power and privilege, I’m not so sure.

When Barack Obama became president in 2008, I remember the joy felt across my community and this understanding that if a Black person could reach the highest level of power in the U.S., change had certainly come.   

That was the beginning of a harsh reality check for me. What good is Black political representation in a system meant to maintain the subjugation of marginalized people? What positive change does that representation bring when people with Black faces are complicit in the same oppression and violence that continue to devastate communities like ours?

Communities like Gaza, whose devastation we continue to see every day.

The death toll in Gaza is more than 37,000, and the U.S. has repeatedly vetoed a life-saving ceasefire for the Palestinian people and voted against the effort to recognize Palestinian statehood. 

The U.S. has left Palestine and its people in the path of fire and destruction. The world has watched the U.S. ambassadors for the United Nations silently raise their hands to veto ceasefire resolutions. Their silence speaks volumes.

U.N. ambassadors Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Robert A. Wood are Black Americans in high-ranking government positions, two Black Americans who ostensibly represent our ability to overcome a history of slavery, genocide, and racism, the relics of which continue to plague our communities today. They are two Black Americans choosing to subject another group of oppressed people to genocide and displacement, not so different from what our ancestors faced when they were stolen from their lands, slaughtered, and enslaved. 

Before you assume otherwise, let me say that I do understand nuance. Yes, Ambassadors Thomas-Greenfield and Wood do carry out Washington’s decisions, and they do not act on their own behalf; they are the voice of the U.S. government. But for me, the question remains: Why are you there? As Black Americans, why are you choosing to work as conduits for colonization, imperialism, and genocide? What does this do for Black people in America right now? Because existing in places of power and privilege does not inherently equate to uplifting and serving the Black community. 

Another example is White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Jean-Pierre is the first Black and openly gay woman to hold her role in the White House. She is a Black woman I once looked up to—until I began to pay close attention to the way she speaks of Israel’s war on Gaza. 

In one press conference, Jean-Pierre could not even acknowledge why Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab organizations rejected meetings with President Joe Biden. I’ve watched Jean-Pierre dismiss journalists’ questions regarding the safety and protection of Palestinians in Gaza. Of course, Jean-Pierre is the White House’s mouthpiece, and we do not know her thoughts on the genocide in Palestine. But again, I ask: Why is she there? What is she willing to co-sign to have proximity to power? What personal excuses are used to justify being complicit in oppression not so different from what our own people face?

How many times will we exempt Black political figures from accountability while holding up their representation as some sort of community good? Do we not realize the harm this does when we uplift Black leaders who merely act as conduits for white supremacy? As a Black woman, I find this hard to accept. 

more at link

[unbidden-yidden-deactivated20240]

I have gotten so many messages from folks who see what's happening to Jews right now, how literally any statement from us that isn't straight up "death to Israel!" "tear it down!" "river to the sea!" etc. - no matter how tempered in other ways or critical of the Israeli government it is - anything even mildly supportive of the terrorism victims/their families in their grief and/or Israelis deserving to live is getting dog piled to an absurd degree. And yes, that primarily targets Jews (because we're the ones primarily speaking on it) but it definitely is also hitting anyone not Jewish who says this as well. Immediately, overnight, the left has made any position that respects everyone's human rights and allows Jews room to grieve our murdered and missing family and friends without telling us they deserved to die in terrible ways completely radioactive. Like literally even the most milquetoaste statement attracts numerous hysterical commentators. And because it's so toxic, people are afraid to speak up.

And I've now heard from a lot of gentiles that they had no idea how deep the rot of leftist antisemitism went, how they've been seeing this unfold with horror, and are afraid to speak up.

Here's what I'll say: those messages give me a lot of strength, because they help me remember that I'm not insane, that this is horrendous, and we are seeing in real time exactly who would have helped the Gestapo find us if they were sufficiently convinced that this is "decolonization." That yes, the backlash really *is* that bad. I hear that affirmation and I appreciate it, and I understand your fear, because it was mine too. I myself strongly considered at the beginning not saying anything about this until I could do so without being harassed. (I decided against that because I am physically incapable of shutting up when it pertains to my people, but I understand the sentiment.)

Here's the thing: this is never going to end - those people who take seriously the question "are Jews people?" are going to be the vocal minority unless and until we all speak out. Jews are 2% of the US population and 0.2% of the world's population - there are literally more self-identified Nazis in America than there are Jews. I would honestly be surprised if there weren't more horseshoe theory leftists in the world than Jews also.

That being the case, we really do need our allies to speak up with us. I think if we all spoke up at once, it might be enough to break the silence-taken-as-agreement and shame everyone but the avowed antisemites (rather than the thoughtless and opportunistic ones) back into keeping their antisemitism under wraps. Which does have the effect of bringing the mob under control. Jews have faced a ton of mob violence in the form of pogroms throughout our history and backlash to Jewish victimhood. (Tl;dr - "How dare you make me consider how I might have benefited from or been complicit in hurting Jews? This is actually the fault of the Jews." is a disturbingly common thought process.) (You may also be wondering what I mean by "opportunistic;" I can explain in another post if people are interested.)

I know it's scary. I am well aware that you might lose friends from this. I personally decided that if those "friends" valued Jewish lives so little, they were never my friends to begin with, but it's different for non-Jews. They may genuinely be your friends. I'm not demanding you do this for me or my community, but I am asking you to consider what your line is for your friends. And if you are able to talk to them, to ask them what makes this group different from all other groups in terms of deserving compassion and human rights, it may just help us to quiet the mob.

And, if nothing else, just privately reminding those of us who are speaking about it that we are grounded in reality and compassion helps combat the mass gaslighting going on.

[itsbansheebitch]

RIP Aaron Bushnell

Aaron Bushnell, an active duty Air Force officer, set himself on fire today. He did it in front of the Israeli Embassy in DC to protest the genocide against Gaza & Palestine. He said "I will no longer be complicit in genocide" and set himself on fire. He said, "Free Palestine."

Thank you, Aaron, for doing what our "free" country wasn't brave enough to do: Speak out and against the powers that be.

This act can not be defined as a mental illness problem. to do so would be to water it down into an act that he could not control, when he very clearly stated that this was an act of protest.

To say he didn't have a clear motive, to say his words had no meaning, is DISGUSTING. To ignore his words and his stance is incredibly INSINCERE.

I DO NOT encourage anyone to repeat what he has done, but I implore the people who don't understand to look into the history of the genocide against Gaza & Palestine and learn why "peaceful protest" isn't an option for a lot of people.

When Palestinians peacefully protested, they were gunned done again, and again, and again.

Not to meme or whatever, but Peace was Never an Option.

Again, Rest in Power, Aaron Bushnell, your bravery as an officer in the Air Force and your bravery to do what's right, will forever be remembered. Even if our country refuses to write you in the history books, the people of this country, nay the world, will remember.

[jandthecrow]

The Ghost

Simon Riley

SUMMARY: Simon Riley is sent back in time to kill the British parliament

CW: Death, talk of death, mentions of ‘atrocious crimes’, doesn’t go too into the deaths

Simon “Ghost” Riley had seen the impossible during his service with Task Force 141 - unthinkable operations, underground missions in hostile territories, and battles fought in the shadows where they can’t be found. But this? This was beyond his comprehension. One moment, he was in a shitty safe house looking over intercepted enemy comms. The next, a flash of light enveloped him, and he found himself standing in an unfamiliar room - ugly Victorian decor (Simon just didn’t like the look), with gas lamps flickering on the walls and a heavy cloud of cigar smoke hanging in the air.

He blinked, adjusting his mask as his surroundings came into focus. Rows of well-dressed men sat at long wooden benches, heatedly debating something that sounded vaguely political. He wasn’t just anywhere… he was in the British Parliament.

“What the hell…” Ghost muttered under his breath.

A loud bang startled him. Turning to his left, he saw a figure in a dark cloak and a crooked smile. “Simon Riley,” the stranger said, his voice low and conspiratorial. “You’ve been brought here for a purpose.”

Ghost’s instincts kicked in. His hand went to his holstered pistol, only to find it gone. Instead, he felt the weight of an old-fashioned revolver tucked into his belt.

“Who are you?” Ghost growled. “And where exactly is here?”

“London, year’s 1834,” the man replied. “The Parliament you see before you is overflowing with corruption, its members complicit in countless atrocities. History calls for a reckoning. That’s where you come in.”

Ghost narrowed his eyes. Time travel? Assassination? It sounded like madness… “Have I lost my shit?” Ghost grumbled to himself. But something about the man’s demeanor convinced him it wasn’t a joke. And if he’d been dropped into this chaos, he had no choice but to play along - for now.

“Fine,” Ghost said. “Who’s the target?”

The man handed him a parchment with several names scrawled in elegant, fancy handwriting - despite the irony he was about to do. Prime Minister Robert Peel, the Earl of Aberdeen, and a half-dozen other prominent figures.

“You’re mad if you think I can take them all out in one go,” Ghost said. “This place is crawling with guards.”

“You’re a ghost, aren’t you?” the man countered. “Disappear. Strike from the shadows. They’ll never see you coming.”

———————————————————————

The mission began as the debates continued late into the night. Ghost stalked the dimly lit corridors of Parliament like a predator, his footfalls silent on the plush carpet. He’d never assassinated a political figure (that he could remember), much less a historical one, but his training kicked in as he evaluated each target.

First was the Earl of Aberdeen, who lingered in the smoking room with a group of sycophants *cough* *cough* arse-kisser, stuck-up creeps. Ghost waited for the group to disperse, then slipped behind the Earl, choking him silently with a garrote improvised from a curtain cord. He laid the body on a chaise longue, arranging it to look like the Earl had fallen asleep.

Next was Robert Peel, the Prime Minister himself. Ghost found him alone in his chambers, writing by candlelight. For a moment, he hesitated. Killing soldiers in the heat of battle was one thing; this felt… different. But then he thought of the stranger’s words: corruption, atrocities. If these men were truly guilty, history would remember them differently.

He crept closer, his revolver aimed. The click of the hammer being pulled back made Peel turn, his eyes wide with fear. “W-who are you?” the Prime Minister stammered.

“A ghost,” Simon replied before pulling the trigger.

———————————————————————

By the time dawn broke, the halls of Parliament were in chaos. Guards scoured the building for the mysterious killer, but Ghost was already gone, melting into the foggy streets of 19th-century London.

He found the stranger waiting for him in an alley. “You’ve done well,” the man said, his grin as sharp as a knife.

“Send me back,” Ghost demanded. “I don’t belong here.”

“All in due time,” the man replied. “But first, there’s another mission. The course of history is fragile, after all.”

Simon “Ghost” Riley didn’t like being anyone’s pawn, but he had little choice. Adjusting his mask, he followed the stranger into the shadows, ready to face whatever the past - or even future - had in store.

@ghost-askblog here’s the story about you going back in time and assassinating the British parliament, cheers mate 🍻

[nonbinarypirat]

Okay, I’ve been collecting my thoughts on the many-ears demon race and their subservient stance in the Netherworld. And I think this is a perfect time to make a post since chapter 361 just came out and we are getting the main conflict of the arch: conservative older generation vs progressive younger generation. Plus also the fact that the forming country and school still isn’t stable and all that. Spoilers for chapter 361!

So it’s becoming more and more clear that the main conflict will be changing the minds of the older more fearful generation of the many-ears race. Which makes perfect sense, a newer kid comes into this area with ideas of making them equals (something they have never been in their race’s history from what we know) and with the help of one of their own, starts influencing the minds of their children. Obviously the elders would be scared and want to shut this down. It looks like the many-ears can’t remember or see a past or future where they didn’t have this class system in place and the idea of it shifting could very much lead to pain and suffering. It kind of reminds me of the civil rights movement in America, like sure it lead to the many laws that protect marginalized people today, but it came at the cost of many injuries/deaths, fights, and years of activism. The road isn’t an easy one and similarly to the movement, many people didn’t see a point. There’s a few mindsets that you can fall into for this, either you don’t believe change is possible or you do believe it is possible but ultimately would not be worth pursuing because of the consequences. It seems like most fall into the “it’s not possible” with maybe some believing that even if it could change, why change something that has works for generations. The elder in particular seems to believe the second one, that maybe life could be better for them but refuses to change anything on a chance.

It’s understandable why they wouldn’t want change to happen, especially at the expense of their children. But at the same time, younger generations are typically the ones who are less willing to stick to the status quo (queue high school musical) and engage in activism. That’s why student activism is so prevalent, you become aware of new cultures, ideas, and history and are less willing to settle with what’s “worked.” Think about the recent college activism for Palestine or the student walkouts in Florida against the “don’t say gay” bill. A few examples of a much larger trend. However, as you get older you are less willing to see things change, you become compliant and many ways, complicit. Things that seemed like there wasn’t an issue or shouldn’t be an issue are now being questioned and that forces you to question your whole system. And many don’t want to confront that.

In the case for the many-ears, they have survived off of honing their hearing skill to careers that would best benefit from having superb hearing. However, what about many-ears who don’t have incredible hearing like Nova or you simply don’t want the jobs you are trained for like the children in chapter 360. What happens if someone wants to be a florist like the Monmo-chan that doesn’t require good hearing to succeed? If you base your value on your hearing alone, does someone who doesn’t want to base their worth on that lesser in their society? Are they seen as misguided, helpless, or even traitor to your race? It seems chapter 361 confirms that fear. If you don’t have great hearing, you do not have value or worth. And sure, we can argue that he was just saying that to get him to quit teaching the students, but no matter what, his statements were ableist. There’s no other way to slice it. He literally told Nova he has no value in their society because he doesn’t have the many-ears hearing skill. He may be able to hear like most other demons, but in reference to the many-ears, he has a disability that makes him “worthless” in their eyes.

I think another thing I find interesting is that they believe (probably based on a fact(s) of some kind) that they are weak. Weak in body and weak in magic. First, weak in body is something that we can, for the most part, can agree about because of their stature. They are very small compared to most demons and this easily makes them prey to many other demons. But why do they believe that not training your strength and combat isn’t at least worth pursing? Same for magic. Right now we haven’t seen much evidence this is true since we have only seen Nova sucessfully do magic, but let’s say this is true. Does learning some easy or basic spells not seem worth it? On some part the lack physical and magical prowess seems to be innate in the many-ears, but I believe a larger issue is them internalizing this perceived weakness and deciding it’s not worth learning to better themselves. We know that there does exist spells that doesn’t require much magic from Momonoki’s flashback when she was a newbie teacher. Demons come in many shapes and sizes, including magic. This wouldn’t be a new issue that there exists a demon who has small magic reserves (like Kirio for instance). There has to be more spells that exist that you can use if you fall into this category. And just because someone is smaller doesn’t mean that can’t learn how to fight or train athletically. Sure you may not be as strong as other demons, but you can always learn how to use a weapon. At the very least, learning the theory could protect them if nothing else.

At this point, it seems like the many-ears are just shooting themselves in the foot because they’d rather not even try to learn another skill that could benefit them in the future. Sure the jack of all trades may be the master of none, but as the end of the saying goes, it’s still better than the master of one. This really feels like home schooling verses public school debate too. Like sure, the school that the love trio made isn’t perfect by any means, but it provides them with a more well rounded education that doesn’t just focus on the one. The elder talks about how mastering magic isn’t guaranteed, but couldn’t we say the same with their hearing? Just because others have succeeded doesn’t mean the children are bound to accomplish greatness just because of their hearing. You can’t ever know that.

Children are full of potential and as a teacher you are supposed to give them a plethora of chances to do new things and learn new skills. By stifling them, you essentially are saying they don’t have any other potential to grow. And as a future teacher, it really makes me mad to see that their parents don’t also see their children’s potential. Not to mention that even if you are good at something, it doesn’t mean you are destined to be happy. In fact, I think many of the skills we have are better left as hobbies or something you do for fun. Making a career out of every little skill you’ve honed makes it just that, a job. And maybe not a fun one. They are just repeating a cycle that makes everyone miserable but “works” not for their children’s benefit but for their own because well, at least they are “safe.” Idk, I’d rather be happy but that’s just me.

This is also not to say that the many-ears’ issues are all created by them, clearly other demons are also to blame for this problem. A broken system doesn’t just sprout from no where, it is created by years of oppression and oppressive thinking. What demon wouldn’t take advantage of a race that seems powerless without the strength of the powerful? It creates a back and forth systemic issue that works in theory but is broken if you even think about it for two seconds. The many-ears cannot base their entire worth on their hearing, it just causes unaddressed pain and self worth problems. And not to mention, while it may be working out for them now, it isn’t sustainable. What if at some point demons decide they no longer want to rely on the many ears and start training others for the jobs they are known for? What if a disease or virus spreads that attaches their hearing? What if a large majority of them get hurt or injured, damaging their ears? Not to mention, on a small scale everyone can be disabled in their life time. If you become disabled with your hearing, you wouldn’t be able to fall back on anything. Because you based your entire existence on being able to hear well.

Ultimately, I think this is why it needs to be Nova or Nova in the future that needs to rule the many-ears because he’s living proof that your hearing not only doesn’t define you, but also that the system is built off ableist ideals. Nova should be seen as less valuable because he was born without excellent hearing, especially when he clearly loves and cares for his people. Change is built off the backs of not those in power but by those who’s been suppressed, who want to see change for themselves and for others like them. I hope Nova can see his own value even if his people don’t right now

[arcadianambivalence]

IWTV S2E2 and History

One thing I really appreciate about this show is how it interacts with its historical setting. I worried that when Louis and Claudia left New Orleans last season, the show would start to shirk the historical details, but the latest episode has given me enough historical tidbits to chew on (pun intended).

Hidden behind the humor of lines like "Paris is shit" and the thrill of meeting other vampires, there's a sense of foreboding lingering beside the recent traumas.

As with the first episode of season 2, Louis and Claudia are surrounded by reminders of war, even if they do not have the context (or empathy) for the survivors they encounter. Claudia complains that she has to pick twice as many pockets to get by, but the two are still able to afford an apartment. Meanwhile, food staples and clothing are still rationed, but people and pigeons are easy to come by.

"Paris was Nazi scar tissue at the time..."

Louis explains, but the scars historically ran deeper than a tourist (and Louis is The stereotypical tourist in this episode) could understand. Blackouts, food shortages, rations, soldiers, and refugees linger at the corners of the episode.

Even Madeline is introduced to us by a man warning Claudia that she was a collaborator or Nazi sympathizer (he does a subtle salute and points to the shop window), which will certainly influence how the next episodes take her through her narrative beats.

The plays performed by the Théâtre des Vampires cross 1920s to 1940s expressionism with absurdity and horror. Even after all this time, Louis is unenthused about the theatrical performances.

"The plays were weird. They always ended in death or some kind of cruel, barely motivated violence."

Armand's reply is dulled by the onstage spectacle:

"Life is cruel. Life is violent. [...] It was all a seduction to lure the cattle into a willing belief of disbelief."

It's a line that is all the more concerning if you know where the story is going...

Annika, the doomed woman onstage, is from Belgium, yet another country recovering from occupation and war. When she desperately tries to convince the audience to flee (not just for them to help her, but to save themselves), she speaks Dutch, so neither the French nor English-speaking audience members understand her.

Still in character, Santiago pretends to offer her a choice. She could live if she gives up someone to die in her place, if she, as the phrase goes, "turns someone in." First, he offers to take her husband, and she refuses. Then he offers to take her son, and again she refuses. Finally, he points to a man in the audience. She nods vigorously, but it's a cruel joke.

Santiago has already made up his mind about her. He addresses the man, warning him against trusting his neighbors:

"They'll give you up in a wink."

As if someone who spent the last five years in occupied France would need reminding.

The warning is for us, the viewers.

Later, the troupe takes Louis and Claudia to a mansion, ostensibly to eat people who, apparently, hoarded resources from the black market. Another show for Claudia and Louis, tourists who still think of themselves as the "good" vampires. Because why would a troupe of vampires concern themselves with that? They don't need anything from the black market. They don't eat anything from the black market. Where was this sense of justice in recent years?

As with Annika, it's yet another excuse to enact cruel and public violence against people they consider less than them.

So when Santiago's introductory prologue includes lines like:

"Being vampires, and by nature superior to you mortals, we can [...] disrupt your tiny ship called human decency."

"Our jobs, which is at the heart of it, to laugh alongside your misery while you cry and scream for more."

"Everything you're about to see is real. Remember that when you leave here tonight. You are all complicit [...] I love you for it."

You know things are not going to get better for Louis and Claudia.

[kuromori4]

Gabriel Agreste's despicable request

I started this rant after watching the London special and I figured I should finally finish it and post it.

"Make sure Adrien never knows the villain that I was, and instead try and remember the times I tried to be a good father."

Who the hell does he think he is to make such a request?? He's relying on Marinette's desire to protect the boy she loves. He KNOWS that she'll do as he asks for Adrien. He's counting on it. And that's AWFUL. He has to know exactly what he's putting on her shoulders. He knows that she knows what an awful father he's been to Adrien. This isn't a heartfelt request to protect his son. This is a CURSE ON HIS ENEMY. A way to ensure that Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Ladybug, the major thorn in his side since day one, continues to suffer long after he's gone. Ladybug foiled all of his plans from the start, Marinette dared to win the heart of his son, whom he had promised to someone else without his knowledge. She was his downfall, and surely, in his mind, the (albeit indirect) cause of his impending doom.

If he really cared about Adrien, if Adrien's well-being was his real goal and final wish, then he should have given in. He should have decided, "You're right Ladybug, I fucked up. let's try and fix this, for Adrien." But NO. He chose to attack her, even after she gave him a chance to make things right. He wasn't willing to let things end on someone else's terms. If he was going to go out, he was going to do it HIS WAY. And he was going to make sure that his memory would never die, one way or another. So instead of doing the right thing and finding a way out of it that was less harmful to his child, whom he was about to leave an orphan, he steals the Miraculous and makes damn sure that his death will go down in history.

I don't give a shit if he changed the initial intention of his wish. He still wasn't sacrificing himself for some greater good. That's just how he wanted Marinette to perceive it, because she is good, and a child, and therefor easy to emotionally manipulate. He knowingly put both Adrien and Marinette into a position where a future of hurt and pain was inevitable. Everything Gabriel does is self-serving, right to the very end. His final act of villainy ensured that he could maintain control over his son's life even after his death, and keep his enemies suffering long after he's gone. And what's worse, he used the girl his son loves to enforce it. Which is the ultimate fuck you to Mari/bug if you ask me; forcing her to become the new keeper of his son's ignorance, maintaining that Adrien stays in the dark and never learns the truth about anything.

You could argue that he gave his life for Nathalie and that's somehow redeeming, but I argue that it was just another way for him to guarantee that his affairs were taken care of after his demise. Sure he does seem to care about Nathalie in some manner, maybe there's even some love there. (But as we well know, Gabriel's twisted 'love' seems to come at a price.) I'm sure Nathalie knows how to run his company in his stead, to make sure his assets stay in tact, and to a certain degree, maybe even thinks that Nathalie might carry on his mission, or at the very least protect his secrets. Even if she had a change of heart in the end and tried to stop him, she has been complicit all these years and knows most of, if not all of, his secrets and goals. She also has a position of authority over Adrien. She knows that he's a Sentibeing and where his Amok is, and has used it on him before. I truly think that Gabriel believed that Nathalie would help wrap everything up with a nice bow for him. Who else could he trust to handle his final affairs? Certainly not Tsurugi.

If Gabriel had turned himself in to Ladybug, he would have died alone, pretty much then and there. Without his wife. (Emilie's status of dead or nearly dead being unknown to us) Nathalie would have died, His company would fail, his contracts with Tsurugi enterprises would allow Tomoe to pick the Gabriel company apart like a vulture, and his empire would shrivel up. His son would know who and what he was, and would hate him. The plans he put in place for Adrien's future would fall apart, allowing for Adrien to grow and be who he wants without his father's influence. Maybe he'd be remembered for his villainy, but his accomplishments in life as Gabriel would be forgotten, lost, even resented. And what's worse, he would have lost everything to a couple of children. His son's girlfriend and her pet cat would be his downfall, his undoing. The great Gabriel Agreste, Monarch, bested by a young girl. Gabriel's blatant pretension would never stand for it.

His wish ensured that he got to be together with his wife in the end, Which was always his goal. It ensured that Mari/bug (And by extension, Chat Noir) would continue to suffer for daring to oppose him. He got his way. He won. IDGAF if he died. HE WON. He destroyed so many lives. He doesn't deserve the little comments in the special talking about "Rekindling what was still good in Gabriel Agreste" or "What finally made him a good father to Adrien." HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS ASKING OF HER. He knew what it would mean for her, and his son! The power he holds over Marinette and Adrien from beyond the grave guarantees that even with a new Butterfly holder, that he will ALWAYS be the formidable villain who defeated them. He will ALWAYS loom over their heads, wrap his fingers around their throats. He got to defeat his enemy AND look like the hero. He gets to have his cake and eat it too. He gave both of his identities a fucking LEGACY.

[oh-my-damn]

You don't know whether you're on the right side of history until after the fact.

Please remember, that the people who joined the Nazis when they invaded their countries and territories believed they were on the right side of history, when it happened.

Please remember, that the people who fought against them were told they were on the wrong side of history, when it happened.

Please remember, that the people who are now remembered as "freedom fighters" during WWII were classified as terrorists and traitors during their time, when it happened.

Please remember, that history is written by the winners of the wars. Victors Justice is real, and it has shaped the world we live in today.

It will continue to shape the world we live in.

If you do not know the term "Victors Justice", please look it up. It will explain a lot.

But please remember, that in 50 years, people will look back at the slaughter of Palestinians and say "why did no one react, why were they complicit?"

Just like you would say today, when looking back at WWII and the Holocaust.

A genocide is a genocide. The law was created as a result of the Holocaust. But genocides happen every single day. It's happening all over the world, without your knowledge.

Palestine is one you're aware of, though.

So why are you not reacting? Why are you complicit?

[flandrepudding]

History is repeating itself right before our very eyes. This is textbook genocide, and yet there are people who refuse to acknowledge this truth.

I will remember those of you who are silent and complicit in this bloodshed.

But do not ask me for forgiveness.

Ask forgiveness from the 20,000 innocent Gazans who were slaughtered.

Ask forgiveness from all Palestinians.

Ask forgiveness from God.

[deadpresidents]

Holy hell, is this the end of Dead Presidents?

I remember when you were a big Bill Clinton fan and I know you stated Biden was one of your favorite politicians, even prior to being the VP. Now it seems like any respect you've had for them is gone. Are you doing ok, man?

Last night was rough. I love Joe Biden and have for a long time. I think he's a good man and has been a good President. That's part of what makes all of this so painful, but I can't pretend I didn't see what I saw during the debate.

People say this in every single election cycle and have been saying it for 200 years, but this is the most important Presidential election in American history. We've had a preview of what life under Donald Trump is like, and a second term would be even more dangerous because one of the features he's selling his cult of supporters is that there will be no guardrails this time around. After what happened following the 2020 election, this year's election is going to be scary even if Trump is decisively defeated. He won't accept it, no matter what, and the personality cult that he has built and commands will literally believe anything he lies about. And he lies about everything. He's dangerous. I can't stress that enough. Donald Trump and his political movement is the biggest danger to American democracy we've ever had.

So, to put it frankly, we can't fuck around. Donald Trump needs to be defeated. President Biden is the guy who beat Donald Trump in 2020, but I don't know if he can do it in November, and that's a gamble I am not willing to make anymore. Not after what I saw last night. Something has to change, or else we are in serious trouble. The blueprint that Trump and his allies have laid out for his second term is fucking frightening, and they are better equipped to do what they intend to do. They already have a friendly Supreme Court that is the most ideologically oriented judicial body in American history and has two justices who are at best conflicted and quite possibly corrupt and complicit. Just look at the decisions being handed down by the Supreme Court this week alone. They've already overturned Roe v. Wade and radically limited if not totally eliminated a woman's right to choose in a vast section of the country. Don't think for a second that same-sex marriage, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, and more aren't also on their radar.

I'm not the kind of guy who stops fighting, so I'm not going anywhere. But this isn't going to be fun. It hasn't been for almost 10 years now, but we're really in the shit now.

[nrilliree]

https://www.tumblr.com/queenvhagar/748580386209218560/your-grace-he-said-you-forget-i-am-a-snow

the full post in itself is a joke but this line- “they remain bastards in the eyes of the law and society” really gets me.

do people not realise that LAENOR (and later Corlys, I suppose, after Laenor’s death) is the one that actually has to declare that they are not his children in order for them to be considered bastards ‘in the eyes of the law and society’ TG love using big words and writing elaborate paragraphs on paragraphs on the heritage of the Velaryon boys but it doesn’t hide how dumb they are.

Well, they may be bastards, but they are remembered by history as Velaryons, as Targaryen blood. As good, young boys whose deaths were the fault of the war. Jace was remembered as someone whose death was a tragedy because he would have been a good king.

And Alicent's legitimate children? As a usurper, kinslayer and complicit in the Tumbleton massacre. I'd rather be remembered as a bastard 🙃

[blakbonnet]

Hey I love your takes on ofmd, it's so clear that you really understand the value and nuance of a thriving queer community and the joy in celebrating how vibrant that community is and how far we've come as a community and a society that we can have things like that. (If only for two seasons, fuck you MAX) And this is no way an attack on you, but when I saw your post about how I wish we could remember Nazis are bad right after you re blogged a gifset of Madeline from iwtv, I was actually really upset. I was wondering if you noticed that Madeline's whole thing is she sleeps with a Nazi, for no real reason, and the narrative of the show portrays this as a good thing. It felt like some very subtle pro-nazi propaganda. Remember that saying about "if you have one Nazi and nine regular people at a table you have ten Nazis?" And as this whole thing isn't in the books and was added for the show, It kinda got me wondering WHY. The narrative the showrunner (a person fond of disparaging trigger warnings) seems to be selling is "young boys who fall into the alt right and begin perpetuating neonazi values aren't REALLY Nazis, they're scared boys, and their girlfriends who of course don't AGREE with them aren't bad either", sort of a "forgive your alt right boyfriends and the people complicit with them" message. It was just very disgusting to see a character who collaborated with Nazis (and honestly reflected Nazi ableist values in the way she talked about her sister) portrayed as a good guy. Definitely one of those "hey didn't we used to think Nazis were bad?" Moments. I don't know if you read the book but the thematic update from "A community of hurt people who aren't allowed back in society occasionally hurt eachother but the COMMUNITY is still important" to "This is a community of monsters doing monstrous things" coming at the same time as making a lot of them brown and EXPLICITLY queer just seems .... suspicious. Anyway, I just wanted to point it out because your analysis on ofmd is usually so good, and clearly you're anti-nazi, and I feel like a lot of people didn't see what I saw because it's easy to get distracted by the sexy fun gay vampires and miss the unfortunately conservative implications that the showrunner keeps slipping into this narrative, the worst of which is, to me, the whole-ass Nazi!

hey. so to start off, this is an excellent question and i'm much more of a casual viewer of the show so please take this with a grain of salt (i have not read the books and im not sure when i'll have the time to do so).

i believe Madeleine sleeping with the german soldier was for "cigarettes and food" and they included that particular bit in the show especially to tell us that she's a survivor. she made decisions during the war that she felt were right for her and we may not agree with them (or wholly condemn them but those are the decisions she made), especially after her neighbors starved to death and died in front of her eyes. they also showed the public flagellation and shaving of the head scenes (which i believe were historically accurate?) and at no point does she think of herself as having been dealt an unjust punishment in that regard. what the writers wanted to contrast this with was that after everything - she survived, that's what draws claudia to her and for us - the viewer - shows that there are horrors and horrific things all these people have done and madeleine is no stranger to being morally fucked up like the vampires.

it also invites the question - once people get deradicalised, don't they deserve to get reintegrated into society? for her neighbours, they saw the graffiti painted on her shop window and most likely felt a keen sense of betrayal from her and their reactions to turning a blind eye again - morally weird tho it is - makes sense - did she deserve to be sexually assaulted as recompense for her past crimes? or had she suffered enough?

from a future vampire perspective, madeleine's history made her the perfect candidate to be a mostly successful vampire because she has made bad bad decisions in her life (no matter how/how not sympathetic) and she would've had her entire life to contemplate the effect of her actions. so for me - the show runner including these bits of backstory adds further grayness to an already very grey show regarding all the characters and it's a very good commentary on all types of people in this universe and the kind of stories they have.

madeleine betrayed her community for food or to just stave away loneliness but she also brought one of our lead and most suffering characters (claudia god i love her) back to life, showed her love and kindness as much as she deserves - stood by her till the end.

i would def like to see more characters like her.

[moistvonlipwig]

top 5 fav buffyverse characters and top 5 fav buffyverse ships!

ok this one's easy i am nothing if not practiced at yapping about the buffyverse!!

CHARACTERS:

Cordelia Chase my queen my cheerleader princess warrior my everything......truly one of my favorite characters of all time. I love her so much. And honestly, I wouldn't actually change much about her arc! I think the fact that she was denied a voice in S4 is criminal, but I like the idea of the possession storyline, and I truly love her ending and find it beautiful.

ANGEL I have no idea how you got here king I cannot imagine telling myself while I was watching BtVS for the first time that he would be my second favorite Buffyverse character but he is!!!!! He's such an interesting and layered and fun character and I think his arc is actually really good and underrated.

Spoike my horrible little guy <333 king of faking his accent and being committed to the bit!!! I don't think his arc is quite as good as Cordy's or Angel's -- I think "Seeing Red," while perfectly in-character, basically derailed both his and Buffy's arcs, and he REALLY needed to have more of a reckoning with Robin Wood and stop wearing Nikki's fucking coat -- but I think "Damage" does a pretty good job interrogating and problematizing his S7 arc and leaves him in a really good place character-wise. Overall, while I have criticisms of how his character was handled, I still generally like his story and I think he's one of the most purely entertaining characters in either show.

Charles Gunn you deserved SO much better ;_; can we get this guy an arc please!!! I love hearing J. August Richards talk about playing Gunn because there was clearly so much thought and care going into his performance and it's frustrating that after S2 it felt like the writers didn't know what to do with him. I personally think keeping vampire!Alonna around would've done wonders for his arc, but there's other directions they could've taken him as well, and unfortunately they just kind of pushed him to the background instead for a lot of S3 and even more in S4. Then in S5 you have this AMAZING setup where Gunn is now working at what he once called a "Mecca" for "evil white folks," he's now complicit in the system he once fought so hard against, and it could've been an utterly brilliant arc for him, and then instead. We get 5 separate episodes devoted to Angel & Spike having a pissing contest and then Gunn's realization of W&H being bad is spurred on NOT by anything having to do with his arc or history but because he signed a piece of paper that fridged Fred and he and all the other men were sad about it and Wesley fucking stabs him over it. NO THANKS. He still gets an incredible final episode despite all that, though, and I love that he's the only human left alive in the end (even if he might not have that long left once the credits roll).

Lilah Morgan. Does any more need to be said? She is iconic, she is a queen, she is the moment, and she will bury you alive next to her house so she can hear you screaming.

and SHIPS:

I mean, Cordelia said it best: there are no people like Angel and Cordelia!!!!! They are BUDDIES and they are so FUNNY together and fun to watch but also their relationship forms the narrative backbone and thematic core of Angel and they are bound together by the joint mission they chose which is also the very mission that ends up keeping them from ever actually getting together romantically and they make each other better and inspire each other and call each other out on their worst impulses and they both love Connor so so much and are the only people who remember him and would choose him over each other every time just as all parents should and in the end she puts him on the path to stand up to Wolfram & Hart in his very final act in the show. Also they both love cars and fancy clothes and money and judging people and neither of them can sing. I love them your honor. <333

Wesley/Lilah is sooo good. One of the few enemies-to-lovers m/f ships I've seen in fiction where the woman is the evil one, which makes it infinitely more interesting to me than your standard cookie-cutter m/f evil-guy-and-heroic-girl ship. The fact that despite Lilah being pretty much just evil and Wesley being so emotionally calcified they still loved each other is just. Gahh!!! He used his one chance to sneak into W&H's files to free her from her contract!!! And he failed!!! Because flames wouldn't be eternal if they actually consumed anything!!! Lilah should've been in S5 and I will never be over it I will be mad about it forever. At least I can take heart in the fact that Wesley's contract with W&H likely had a perpetuity clause as well so he is down there right now in hell with Lilah doing evil lawyer things forever 😌

I like Angel's relationship with Darla a lot, and it retroactively makes his relationship with Buffy much more interesting to me. As much as they claimed otherwise, they clearly did hold a lot of love for one another, and were hugely formative to each other's lives. It's rather remarkable to me that a character who barely appeared in Buffy and whose status as Angel's sire seemed unimportant in that show came back in Angel and was fleshed out to such a great extent that it really colors how I view Angel's entire character on both shows. Bringing Darla back was one of the smartest things Angel ever did, and their relationship deserves more love from fandom.

Oh, the epic highs and lows of Buffy/Spike...I have very complicated feelings about them as a ship, and ultimately my ideal endgame for them is that they end up as platonic buddies, but I can't deny that I do have a great fondness for a lot of their scenes together and I do think the arc of their relationship does a lot for Buffy's character. (Even if it also causes some problems for her character as well. 😬)

Okay in terms of characters who actually interacted significantly in the show it's probably Giles/Anya because their chemistry was weirdly off the charts but also I would just like to say that I think AtS would've been improved if Gunn had dated Harmony. They had a cute flirty moment in "Disharmony" and I think it could've been really interesting for both characters. Just saying.

[buckgettingstruck]

okay since you twisted my arm about it 🙄🤨

we all know buck and tommy aren’t compatible. like they have the worst chemistry on the show i cant think of a single pairing that has worse chemistry than they do its just so dry they’re giving us nothinggggg

BUT. i 10000% in my soul KNOW that buck would absolutely not touch that man with a ten foot pole if he knew how he’d participated in the treatment of hen + chim when he was at the 118

which leads to two options as to how the narrative could have their relationship in the first place

1: tommy’s bigotry has been forgiven by the narrative off-screen and will never be addressed again (this is the most likely unfortunately) (especially with the bachelor party comment about knowing chimney longer + chim calling him for the backup from his team)

2: buck has no idea how tommy acted back then (no one told him?) (when he finds out it’s bones SOOO fast)

(i thought there might be a third option but i feel like anything i said could fit under the category of 1 or 2 but lmk!)

okay not to be a defender. but we’re forgetting marisol when it comes to worst chemistry i think 😔

and yeah it seems like hen and chim forgive him i guess??? idk if you’re talking about chimney calling him in s7 or way back in s2 when that whole neighborhood was going up in flames but idk. or at least they tolerated him 😭 i remembered the comment to hen like “i havent gotten your christmas cards” and how chimney didnt INVITE HIM TO THE WEDDING. AND DIDNT GIVE A SHIT AB HIM BEING IN THE HOSPITAL 😭 LIKE HELLO??? they also showed him being friendly with them in bobby begins again but hey we also know the 118 didnt become a family until after he left and buck showed up

i think it leans more toward 2 though? or a mix of the both? with the way they have tommy phrase things to buck about gerrard im assuming he doesn’t know tbh. not to make buck sound like a White Savior tm or anything but i REALLY doubt he’d let that shit fly 😭 and i feel like the way they wrote him in 7b as a mouthpiece to remind us of gerrard’s existence and little else is pointing the narrative in a specific direction. they keep pointing out their connection and tommy’s history so it has to go somewhere right?

something about the scene in 709 keeps fucking with me and i havent seen anyone point it out. he doesnt say SHIT to gerrard. we know tommy to be a pretty blunt character so why the hell didnt he? ik it was chimney’s moment there to clap back (and no he wasnt defending tommy he was defending himself) but he still could’ve said something too to show how different he is and they didnt do that. also they deleted his scene with hen for some reason. were they trying to show he’s still complicit or was it lazy writing?

the other thing is is that gerrard is fucking cooked 😭 like you’re telling me that the firehouse with the catchphrase “who cares” would give a fuck about that bag of bones. and arguably the only person who could be theoretically a part of gerrard’s Old Guard is both bisexual and the mf that wont shut up 😭

ultimately i want the gerrard shit to be about hen and chimney getting their comeuppance (and also eddie beating gerrard with his fists idc) but it feels like something related to gerrard might be what causes tommy tombstone tbh. like i could see tommy telling buck to lay low or whatever and buck is immediately like fuck that or something. otherwise tho i want the storyline to focus on other characters