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sharonisthebettercarter · 1 year ago

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the people in denial about this genuinely worry me.

billy butcher is genocidal.

i love him (both actually) as a character, he's very intriguing and entertaining, utterly fascinating as a case study. but that sumbitch knows he's a horrifically evil person and chooses to do whatever horrible act that comes to mind anyway.

homelander was raised specifically to not be able to tell the difference/believe that he is above humanity and therefore 'exempt' from limitations/rules of morality (ironic, because he still obeys them most the time, unfortunately people taught him how to disobey and get away with it, and now with crowds of people makin' him realize they don't give a shit...)

because he doesn't even believe he is human. he's been dehumanized and preconditioned to that level.

but billy is legitimately genocidal over a group he *knows* includes innocent people and *children* over the actions of a *single* person.

"punish only he who has committed the crime"

collective punishment is a literal war crime and also billy's favorite--

he gives absolutely no shits about any other victims. his revenge boner is 100% driven by his pride 'as a man' because another man 'sullied what was his' or 'touched his property' or 'invaded his territory'. take your pick of poison phrase, but that is the play.

that is the only play for butcher...

had he really *really* cared about what becca/becky had to say?

he'd fucking *listen* to her, the actual voice of the actual victim, instead of amassing piles upon piles of dead bodies she never asked for nor wanted, and plastering her name at the top of the macabre hill he's built.

she would have felt *safe* enough to confide in *him*, instead of keeping it a secret/going to vought because she was *afraid* of his reaction.

it still disgusts me how just how fucking little fandom seems to care about what *becca/becky* actually wanted, and how billy treats her as a result. like this shit ain't hidden, it's literally outlined in *plain site*, *shown* to us in the fucking story.

he *adds* insult to injury. he makes everything *worse* for her. and that doesn't even begin to cover just how much his dependency on her was *destroying* her to begin with.

and the thing is, he fucking knows.

but fandom misogyny rears its ugly head again, guess what--to protect *the man*. nevermind kimiko or starlight. and who were those other women butcher mistreated? not important, right? or y'know? let's just blame homelander. billy does and he's the 'main character', hughie doesn't exist so butcher *must* be right--

instead, billy makes it about himself and what *he* wants. he uses what happened to becca, the actual victim, as an *excuse* to be his worst self--which she fucking hated!

world's shittiest fuckin' husband--.

and then there's the genocide. that shit actually scares me. we shouldn't have genocide apologists in the world, let alone in *this* fandom of all things, the boys fandom, the comic AND show that make the clear cut point that *GENOCIDE* is *UNJUSTIFIABLE*, in every and all circumstances--no excuses.

you throw in the fact that billy is also a fuckin' rapist in the comic and homelander isn't even *the* rapist who hurt becky, he was after the wrong guy from the start, and it just goes to show.

we could have rational, reasonable, and understanding *non-ableist* people that could get that homelander is confirmable as *clinically* criminally insane and needs *help*. not a madman purposely trying to make him explode and destroy the world.

we could have the grooming apologism with madelyn stillwell addressed instead of purposely ignored so people don't feel bad about being horny, when they can *very easily* be horny *and* address that shit respectfully. (AND tag their shit accordingly!)

we *could* have people not excuse literal fucking genocide because they are so damn media illiterate that one of the biggest, SIMPLEST, messages of the series just flies right over their heads.

THIS AIN'T HARD. GENOCIDE = BAD. WAR PROFITEERING = BAD. CAPITALISM = BAD.

we could have nuance and conversations about this shit that actually give it the time of day, spread awareness, bring that understanding, and then move on with our lives with people as free to be as horny as they want!

and i'll be fair, i'll give credit where it's due that it at least happens *sometimes* for *some* things.

but no.

we can't have nice things... for... some reason i guess.

mm is better than both these motherfuckers--

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hisui-dreamer · 1 year ago

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rinnnaaaa!!! congrats on 2k, and i hope you have loads of fun with this event 💖💖 for my request, how about leona (haha i'm so unpredictable, ikr) with peonies! (any culture works <3)

fit for the throne

Pairing: Leona Kingscholar x gn!reader

Synopsis: it wasn't fair how his life had treated him, so it was up to you to give him what he truly deserved

Tags: fluff, reader is a leona apologist, leona has never done anything wrong in his life :), reader is secretly royalty

Word count: 700+

Notes: thanks soru!! i hope you don't mind how long this took hehe. i poured all of my leona simp energy into this (⁠*⁠ﾉ⁠・⁠ω⁠・⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♫

Masterlist

flower of choice: peony

peonies are often referred to as the "king of flowers", because they overwhelmingly bloom in splendor, giving rise to interpretations of "wealth" and "magnificence".

A sigh interrupts your focus, drawing your eyes away from the grimoire cradled in your hands. Your focus shifts to Leona, who sits with regal poise in the armchair, embraced by the golden glow of the setting sun. The fading light plays upon the angles of his noble countenance, highlighting the sharp lines of his jaw and the elegant curve of his cheekbones.

“What’s wrong, love?”

Leona's emerald eyes meet yours, frustration etched into his features as another sigh escapes his lips. “It’s another letter from home. They’re requesting my presence for some big event,” he grumbles.

An eyebrow arches at his words. Undeniably Leona's presence radiates warmth and comfort, like the brilliance of a supernova that dispelled the darkness, but it isn’t unknown to you how his worth went unappreciated in his childhood. Surely, anyone could appreciate him better than the palace of the Sunset Savanah had. What could they possibly want with his presence now?

“An event?” you echo, your grimoire long forgotten now that something far more important has caught your attention. Rising from the desk, you move to settle on Leona's lap, his legs shifting so you can lean against him comfortably. "It doesn’t seem very considerate of them to request your absence from school," you frown, your fingers combing through his hair in an attempt to soothe his frustration. It's unlikely they truly require his presence; more probable is their desire for the second prince to make a token appearance, showcasing the facade of a happy and stable royal family.

He huffed at your comment. “When have they ever been considerate?”

It was unfair, how they treated him like a chess piece to wave about whenever they pleased, but refused to acknowledge when he had a voice. He had qualities that could rival the great kings of the past, but his potential is overshadowed simply by the order of his birth. You can't shake the feeling that his true potential is being squandered within the confines of his homeland.

You've observed firsthand how effortlessly he embodies the qualities of a leader. One of your favourite attributes about him is his intelligence. His mind is razor-sharp and perceptive, effortlessly dissecting complex problems with precision. From your casual discussions alone, you’ve gleaned that he possesses a keen insight into matters of statecraft and diplomacy, navigating political intricacies with a deftness that belies his years.

His voice is velvety, smooth, and rich, with undertones of authority. When he speaks, his words carry weight, resonating with a quiet power that commands attention without the need for raised voices or harsh commands. He possesses a natural eloquence and is able to convey his thoughts with precision and clarity, leaving no room for doubt or misunderstanding.

His profound care and compassion for his people fill your heart with warmth. Leona's unwavering dedication to bettering their lives is evident as he tirelessly pushes for policies aimed at fostering prosperity and equality throughout the kingdom. Yet, what truly distinguishes him is his genuine warmth and kindness, treating everyone with respect and consideration, irrespective of their status or background.

But perhaps most striking of all is the aura of calm that surrounds him, even in the midst of chaos. Like a steadfast lighthouse in a storm, he remains unshaken by the turbulence of the world around him, his demeanour unwavering and composed. It is this unwavering composure, coupled with his innate sense of duty and honour, that truly marks him as a king among men.

“You would never be fit to rule!”

The words of Lilia Vanrouge resurface in your mind, the ones that triggered your beloved into his overblot, and a surge of fury begins to build within you.

Because he is wrong, entirely wrong. Because Leona is the only person you could ever see ruling by your side.

Said lion beastman nestles against you, nuzzling his nose gently into your cheek, his way of silently probing your thoughts, having sensed your bubbling anger.

Calmness washes over you at his affection. He truly deserves the world and so much more.

You pulled away slightly, gazing directly into his eyes.

It shouldn’t be too difficult for him to fall in love with your kingdom.

“Leona, dear, did I ever mention that I'm the heir to a kingdom's throne?”

Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

#✧2k! blossoming bouquets✦#twstnexus #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland leona #disney twisted wonderland #leona kingscholar x reader #leona kingsholar #twst leona kingscholar x reader #twst leona x reader #twst leona kingscholar #twst leona

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astarionconsort · 2 years ago

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Friendly reminder: You are not an abuse apologist for liking ascendant Astarion and pursuing a romantic path with him. No one should be harassed and received death threats over this.

No one should feel bad for ascending him. You shouldn't dismiss other people's trauma over him (it's bullshit that there are people who thinks you are a 'fake survivor' just because you like a different ending for a vampire) You paid $60 for bg3 and by god it is your rights to ascend him 100 times if you wish. No one should mock or berate other people's Durge/Tav story with Ascendant Astarion

No one needs to hear "I hope you understand that this is actually a bad—" BG3 fans are adults, we dont need strangers online to hand holding us

If people are chill with villain fuckers like Dimitrescu fans or homelander fans. Why the hell Astarion fandom made so many drama over this evil vampire? Ridiculous. Utter nonsense I tell ya

#baldur's gate 3 #astarion #astarion ancunin #ascendant astarion #ascended astarion #fandom #purity culture #anti censorship

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stargumiinterlude · 1 month ago

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twau2 snowby thoughts.....

saw a caitvi edit to detention by however u spell her name martinez today and suddenly thought abt what snowbys dynamic in twau2 will be, and i think i might be spot on

so, how twau left off was an obvious divide between bigby and snow (guys pls js kiss and make up). after the case bigby's craving the dynamic and relationship they (him and snow) built up as they were hunting the crooked man. there's an established connection between them now and bigby's relishing it, so when snow suddenly becomes unavailable he's like "hey shawty what the fuck????" - ik damn well seeing bluebeards fuckass butt the line and ACTUALLY GET IN like he used to be able to do pissed him off SOOOOOO BAD (me too i hate his skeeball ass (thank u jettro ily) ). which is totally fair. bigby is left feeling like he's not good enough for both snow and the community of fabletown. his dialogue "it seems like no matter what i do, i'm just not good enough for her. or anyone" (also this line giving us a subtext that he values snows opinion above all. OEUGH.) and his optional lines of "snow doesn't need me", "no one's ever fucking happy", "i don't know where we stand", bigby's CRAVING validation from not just the community but from snow too. from snow specifically, he's looking for validation and that connection. "i don't know where we stand" he's clearly confused about him and snows relationship now that she's vanished practically from his life.

BUT. is that her fault???? fuck no who do u think i am????? im a snow apologist nothing's her fault (im kidding im analyzing this from an unbiased perspective pls dont jump me)

now, snow (though she's been basically doing the job for YEEEEARS) is now officially the deputy mayor to a crippled and divided town whose biggest but also most debilitating asset - the crooked man - has been taken away from them. cole is fucking missing, we dgaf about crane, so snow is left to repair a town of broken and angry people ALL ON HER OWN with a government that is severely unequipped and underfunded with everyone making HER the enemy because she can't feed into all their hands. ALL WHILE feeding out of the hand of bluebeard because he's the only one who funds the damn place. do you think she has time for fucking anything. do you think she has time for ANYTHING besides bending over backwards for everyone who walks into her office. snow is in the exact same position as bigby, they're both trying to appease everyone while doing the right thing, and everyone ends up hating them for it. both bigby and snow are judged for their origins in the homelands, bigby being the big bad wolf and snow being a queen in her "high tower" (she was born a peasant girl fyi she was js like ya'll.....). both bigby and snow are being bent over backwards for the community trying to save it while also trying to appease everyone. same spot, different people. the only difference is that snow has to be unavailable, because mentally snows put herself in this position where she HAS to do everything right and by the book because their whole society was built on lies, treachery, and power struggles. it's the whole reason she starts to detach and become more of a "bitch", because from her perspective the only way to fix fabletown is to follow. the. rules. she's not heartless, if anything she's the opposite. she's stepping up and being in a position of power, working her ass off and giving a (semi-rightfully) ungrateful community everything she has out of love. she loves the people, has empathy for them, and is doing what she thinks best to help them all because it's what she wants. out of the kindness of her heart she is trying. if she was heartless, why would she even put herself in that position anyway? if she was heartless, wouldn't she just become the crooked man or not even be apart of fable towns government in the first place? if she was heartless, why do you think she tries so hard to make sure bigby follows the rules too? maybe she does care, and wants everyone to see past the monster, like she has since the start. but right now, the groups of people that are lining up outside her door are the priority right now because she has been suddenly thrust in her position. in her mind, bigbys always been there, and he always will be. she hasn't left him - not at all actually her slapping him in anger management completely disproves that - she just can't be physically present. but she's still there, just like bigby.

a lyric that comes to mind, that i think fits them so both perfectly; "so i will wait for the next time you want me. like a dog, with a bird at your door."

you ever stop to think that maybe, snow, just like bigby, waits outside his door with the dead bird between her teeth? maybe she just does it differently than he does. instead of waiting with the bird, she just leaves it there.

anyway i digress. they're both currently left feeling unsettled and shaken. they haven't had time to discuss or process the crooked man case TOGETHER as a team. instead of having time they've just been swept up into another case or another person at the office door. you know what that creates. TENSION. as if they didn't have enough already fuck sakes

i think in the twau2 they're going to build on this tension, like genuinely i think the writers are going to milk the shit out of it. obviously, bigby's investigation is going to be the main focus but i think telltale will also shift a little more into the emotional world building, specifically between bigby with snow. how i think it's going to go is that, bigby and snow are more separated than ever, bigby wants answers or even just a conversation but snow - and maybe even he - will never have the time for a full conversation. it's gonna be that fuckass apartment scene all over again but instead of colins big back bacon double cheeseburger ass ruining it it's going to be snows job and bigby's case. i suspect the telephone rings trope right as their about to get busy. istfg ill kill somebody.

eventually, this tension is going to build up. and miscommunications, snow throwing his angry ass into therapy (THIS SHIT HAS ME CTFU she genuinely put him into therapy holy shit), the interruptions, and maybe even rose red (ill get into her bitchass later), is all going to put more and more pressure and strain on them. it's like a pipe building up pressure eventually it's going to burst. and i think it's going to burst through conflict.

let me set the scene (get me in the writers room).

imagine bigby - cs he's our mc we're not getting snow pov - he's pissed. bro wants closure, he wants snow, he wants a conversation where she calls him bigby and not mr. wolf. it's late, case has him fucked up, he's a ticking time bomb basically. at this point he's over it. bigby is tired of their cat and mouse chase game and has decided to do something about it. so what does he do? kicks her door down obviously. well not literally, but he busts right into her office while she's meeting with bluebeard and kicks his 8ball looking ass out the room. and that pisses snow off, great start. they begin to fight, fight about kicking bluebeard out, fight about the therapy, the avoidance. eventually it gets emotional, snow maybe pulls the "im not yours to lose card again", bigby says "fuck that i know this isn't just me". they get closer, and closer, and closer...then BAAAAAAM. snow says fuck it and js eats his face. potentially (hopefully) freak nasty but it's emotional and very intentional. we finally get those deep and emotional and intimate conversations they've BEEEEEEEN needing to have but it's through the fight, they're not even a fight there's no harsh words or unintentional insults just emotions being thrown at each other. that's my wau2 prediction.

telltale get me in the writers room rn. please. please hire me.

#the wolf among us #twau bigby #bigby wolf #twau snow white #snow white #snow twau #the wolf among us 2 #telltale games #where this twau2 istg.#imagine im 100% right ill tweak out #snowby #whitewolf #bigby x snow #need them

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misfitwashere · 3 months ago

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TIMOTHY SNYDER

APR 19

READ IN APP

Thirty years ago today, I was driving a moving van across the country, from the west coast to the east. The hold was packed well; the ride was wobbly, and I kept the heavy vehicle between the lines, mile after mile. Driving carefully, I was surprised to be stopped by state troopers. When I rolled down the window to face some polite questioning, I didn’t know that Timothy McVeigh had bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring 684 more.

In the days that followed, the horror was treated for what it was: an attack by a racist, right-wing anti-government terrorist. I worry now that, thirty years on, a similar attack is very likely, and would have a different outcome. I don't want us to be more frightened than we should be. But I do want us to be ready, so that a moment of predictable shock does not become a lifetime of avoidable subjugation.

As I will try to show, the present government invites a terror attack. Most of the people directing the relevant agencies are incompetent; the next few layers down have been purged in culture wars; much the remaining personnel have resigned, been fired, or are demoralized; resources have been diverted away from terror prevention; Americans has been distracted by fiction and chaos; and potential attackers have been encouraged.

And so we have to think — now — about what would follow such an attack. Musk, Trump, Vance, and the rest would try to exploit the moment to undo remaining American freedoms. Let me cite Lesson 18 of On Tyranny.

18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of opposition parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book. Do not fall for it.

In just three months, the Trump people have made the unthinkable much more likely. They have created the conditions for terrorism, and thus for terror management. This is true at several levels.

Most obviously, they have debilitated the services that detect terrorist threats and prevent attacks: the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the National Security Agency (NSA). The CIA is a foreign intelligence service. The FBI is the federal police force. The NSA, which specializes in cryptography and foreign signals intelligence, is part of the Department of Defense. Homeland Security is a cabinet-level department that amalgamates a number of functions from immigration control through disaster relief and anti-terrorism.

Overall guidance over the intelligence agencies is exercised by Tulsi Gabbard, who is known as an apologist for the now-overthrown Assad regime in Syria and the Putin regime in Russia. The director of the FBI is Kash Patel, an author of children's books that promote conspiracy theories, and a recipient of payments from sources linked to Russia. Patel plans to run the agency from Las Vegas, where he resides in the home of a Republican megadonor. The deputy director of the FBI is Dan Bongino, a right-wing entertainer who has called the FBI "irredeemable corrupt" and indulged in conspiracy theories about its special agents. He now draws FBI special agents away from their usual duties to serve as a personal bodyguard. The director of Homeland Security is Kristi Noem, who lacks relevant expertise.

Noem has distinguished herself by posing in front of a cell full of prisoners in El Salvador. Homeland Security is focused on spectacular abductions at the expense of its other missions. Its programs to prevent terrorism have been defunded, and it is no longer keeping up its database on domestic terrorism. As one insider put it: “The vibe is: How to use DHS to go after migrants, immigrants. That is the vibe, that is the only vibe, there is no other vibe. It’s wild — it’s as if the rest of the department doesn’t exist.” The obsession with migrants means that local law enforcement, all across the country, is being in effect federalized in the service of an objective that is essentially irrelevant to core missions. That, too, makes life easier for aspiring terrorists.

The National Security Agency sits within the Department of Defense, which is run by Pete Hegseth, a right-wing entertainer and culture warrior. He has fired people who were qualified, and is unable to keep even his own people at work — he just lost four staffers in one day. The “meltdown” at the top of the Pentagon bodes ill.

The leadership of the NSA itself was recently changed, under bizarre and troubling circumstances. After a meeting with conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, Trump fired the NSA director, General Timothy Haugh. Wendy Noble, the deputy director, was also fired. This decapitation was part of a larger set of firings initiated by Loomer. It takes place during an ongoing purge of military leaders and national security officials. From the perspective of potential attackers, the culture wars mean vulnerability.

Meanwhile, other Department of Defense agencies that are central to the twenty-first century security of the United States, such as the Defense Digital Service, are destroyed by Elon Musk’s DOGE. It is worth contemplating the reaction of a former Pentagon official: “They’re not really using AI, they’re not really driving efficiency. What they’re doing is smashing everything.” In general, the penetration of the federal government by DOGE has weakened its functions, and likely made critical data available to adversaries who wish to hurt Americans.

The rank and file of the critical institutions are subjected to administrative hostility and chaos. The names of active CIA officers have been sent on open emails to the White House, and in a Signal chat in which a reporter was included. CIA employees have been urged to take early retirement. CIA officers involved in any way in diversity recruitment have been fired (a judge has blocked this, for the time being).

FBI special agents have been exposed to similar indignities. Top FBI officials have been pressured to resign and have done so. Musk-Trump is pursuingFBI special agents who were involved in prosecutions of people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th 2021. Patel proposes that special agents be trained by a company that promotes commercial fights that is based in Las Vegas. Sending FBI special agents to Nevada to simulate Fight Club for Patel’s personal delectation is not going to keep Americans safe.

The Musk-Trump people run national security, intelligence, and law enforcement like a television show. The entire operation of forcible rendition of migrants to a Salvadoran concentration camp was based upon lies. It is not just that Kilmar Abgrego Garcia was mistakenly apprehended. The entire thing was made for television. Its point was the creation of the fascist videos. But this is a media strategy, meant to frighten Americans. And a media strategy does not stop actual terrorists. It summons them.

Terrorism is a real risk in the real world. The constant use of the word to denote unreal threats creates unreality. And unreality inside ket institutions degrades capability. Security agencies that have been trained to follow political instructions about imaginary threats do not investigate actual threats. Fiction is dangerous. Treating the administration’s abduction of a legal permanent resident as a heroic defense against terror is not only mendacious and unconstitutional but also dangerous.

Moreover, Musk-Trump make the United States look vulnerable. Americans under the spell of Trump’s or Musk’s charisma might imagine that strength is being projected. Not so. To prospective terrorists we look erratic and weak. Even apparently unrelated policies — such as enabling foreign disinformation, gutting environmental protection, undoing weather forecasting, ending food inspections, and undermining disease control — make life easier for terrorists and open avenues of attack. By taking apart the government, crashing the economy, and dividing the population, Musk and Trump invite attention of the worst sort, from people who wish to hurt Americans.

Who are such people? Three possible groups of perpetrators of a major terrorist attack in the United States are native right-wing nationalists or white supremacists (“domestic violent extremists”), Islamicists, and Russians.

Most terrorism in the United States is domestic, and most of the domestic terror comes from the far right. We have recently seen a series of white supremacist killings. Cody Balmer, who wanted to kill Pennsylvania’s (Democratic, Jewish) governor, wrote that “Biden supporters should not exist.”

It might seem counter-intuitive that the far right would carry out acts of terror under Trump, but this is already the norm, and there are good reasons to expect worse. Musk pushes the story that civil servants deserve pain. The most lethal domestic terror attack in US history, McVeigh’s bombing, was directed against federal workers. Right-wing terrorists might believe that terror is what Trump wants. The suspect in the recent Florida mass shooting “advocated for President Donald Trump's agenda and often promoted white supremacist values,” according to someone who saw him regularly. Trump has long practiced stochastic violence. His pardon of the January 6th criminals encourages terror with the promise of forgiveness. Patel promoted a recording of the January 6 criminals singing the national anthem. This coddling culture of martryrdom makes more killing more likely.

There is also another scenario. Far right movements can divide, with the more impatient angry with those they see as compromised. This is a lessonfrom the history of fascism. Some supporters of Trump will be disappointed with him. The assassination attempt on Trump was carried out by someone whose social media posts conveyed hatred of Jews and immigrants. Bongino now has to contend with fans of his show who think that the January 6th criminals should be running the FBI.

The Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City, 19 April 1995

And our guard has been dropped. Even at the best of times, the FBI has generally had trouble articulating the centrality of domestic right-wing terrorism. Now the risk is denied. High officials of Musk-Trump tend to sharethe views of right-wing nationalists, which makes it less likely that they will be seen as a threat. Under Patel, the FBI will deprioritize this important area of investigation. In keeping with his and Noem’s priorities, FBI agents have been assigned away from domestic terrorism. Thus far, the main "terrorist" threat seen by Trump-Musk are protestors in front of Tesla dealerships. Diverting attention to parking lots will not keep Americans safe.

Musk-Trump are also generating scenarios for Islamicist terror. A motivation for Islamicist terrorists is contention over territory in the Middle East. The Trump administration advocates the ethnic cleansing of the entire (surviving) population of Gaza. The US armed forces are also firing ordnance into Yemen with the announced goal of "annihilating" the Houthis who hold power. In a Signal group chat, top national security officials rejoiced (with emojis) over a strike in which a building collapsed. It seems unclear that Musk-Trump will have accounted for the related terrorism risk.

Russia is now a risk in a way that it was not before. It has special units that carry out acts of destruction abroad, such as assassinations and sabotage. In the last three years, these operations have accelerated inside Europe, and include blowing up military sites. Russia also pays people inside other countries to carry out acts of terror and sabotage. Russia has been carrying out cyber attacks inside the United States for years.

Before Musk-Trump, the United States had been fastidious about including Russia as a possible source of foreign terror. Now Russia is presented as an ally and Putin as a friend; intelligence and defense work designed to monitor Russian sabotage inside the United States have been scaled back, as has tracking of Russian war crimes in Ukraine and public reporting on Russia. Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, rationalizes Russian aggression. Patel, the FBI director, owes his career to the claim that people who (truthfully) speak of Russian operations inside the United States are carrying out a hoax. Trump’s nominee for US district attorney for Washington, DC, is a media star in Russia.

This is all beyond the wildest dreams of the Kremlin. The Putinism on display in the federal government creates an atmosphere in which a Russian operation inside the United States would be much easier.

It is not hard to see what Russia would gain from a false-flag terror attack on American territory. Moscow would be seeking to weaken the United States, and by generating a response from Musk-Trump that suits Russia. Having Trump blame his enemies for what was in fact a Russian attack is in the interest of the Russian Federation.

Other actors than these three are also possible. I fear, though, that whether I am right or wrong about the specific source, there can be no doubt that we are far more vulnerable than we were three months ago. And any major attack, regardless of origin, would lead to the same kind terror management. The people in the White House have no governing skills, but they do have entertainment skills. They will seek to transform themselves from the villains of the story to the heroes, and in the process bring down the republic. Please indulge me if I ask you to consider Lesson 18 again.

20 lessons, read by John Lithgow

That lesson arises from two notorious twentieth-century examples: the Reichstag Fire in Germany in 1933, which Hitler used to declare a state of emergency, and the Kirov assassination in the Soviet Union in 1934, which Stalin used as an excuse to expand terror. In both cases, it is the reactionthat we remember, rather than the event itself.

I wish that terrorist attacks were a moment when government could be trusted. But the temptation, for any government, is to take the shock and to divert it in a convenient direction. And the temptation, for us, is to imagine that our leaders will rise to the occasion. After 9/11, I listened to President Bush address the nation, sitting in my pickup, on the driveway outside a friend’s house. Though my own politics were very different, I remember the pull inside me, the wish to believe that he would do the right thing. I didn’t let myself believe anything of the sort, but I remember the feeling: and it is that tug that we cannot let get the best of us.

Our present government would be the last to resist the temptation to exploit terror. Musk-Trump would, I fear, make little if any attempt to apprehend the responsible people, especially if they are Americans or Russians. They might blame the Democratic Party, or Americans they hate for other reasons, or the opposition generally, or Canadians or Ukrainians or other Europeans. They will likely try to put an end to the American republic.

This is the critical moment when we must prevent ourselves from going along.

I do not relish describing this chain of events. But the only way to cut the chain it is to see the links. And when we can imagine that we ourselves have the power to cut the links, as we do, we can also imagine ourselves more free.

History teaches us how terrorist attacks are exploited. Our advantage is that we know this history, and so react sensibly. Do not give the present regime the benefit of the doubt after it allows a terrorist attack to take place on American soil. Be skeptical about its account of who is to blame. Insist that Musk-Trump take responsibility. And understand that freedom is the first condition of security. A terrorist attack is no reason to concede anything to this regime. On the contrary: such a failure by Musk-Trump would be one more reason, and a very powerful one, to resist it.

Throughout history, and around the world right now, government indifference and incompetence that leads to civilians deaths has been seen as a reason for protest.

The night before I was stopped by the police, I had been driving that truck through water. It was a time of high rain in the central United States. Highways were flooded.

In the pre-revolutionary France of the eighteenth century, decadent rulers said “après nous, le déluge” — “after us, the flood.” We care not at all about the consequences of our actions; we are here to profit so long as we can. This is the attitude of Musk, Trump, and the rest. They are in it for themselves, provoking disasters for the rest of us along the way.

A few days before that drive began, I finished my doctoral dissertation, about revolutions, based on research in post-communist Poland. One of my supervisors was the the British historian Timothy Garton Ash. Considering the task of Poland’s new democratic government, he reversed the formula of French royalty, writing: “après le deluge, nous.”

After the flood, we remain. The disaster brought by the decadent is part of the story. But it is not the conclusion. It is what we do next that matters.

#timothy snyder #thinking about...

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astra-the-dragon · 7 months ago

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Columbia University has just decided that it hates Jews, huh

oh nooooo I can't access the article what do I do

here follows many thoughts and clarifications, mostly for the goyim who follow me.

** part one: bunch of short clarifications

Jewish Insider IS a reliable source despite its right lean. This issue has been reported in several other places as well, and is in line with other reports of activity at Columbia.

yes, Professor Massad's full words are exactly as horrific and vile as the clickbaity title suggest. worse, even. the few tiny shreds of potentially-honest ideas are buried and tainted by the genocidal, antisemitic, rape-apologist, murderous content in it. oh, and he also claims that many millions of Arabs agree with him; I would imagine the average Arab does not support mass terrorism.

being "anti-Israel" -- sure. whatever. IFF you mean you're against our fascist government and brutal occupation; I sure am. if you're against our existence, you're pro-genocide.

supporting "Intifada" = calling for the murder of Jewish Israelis; often a call for the murder of Jews-in-general.

burning Israeli flags - I mean, lame, but you have the right.

hostility towards non-Israeli Jews for Israel's actions, even if you know for a fact that they are zionists and/or support Israel's existence as a Jewish homeland/country = antisemitism

hostility towards Israeli Jews for Israel's actions = I mean, okay, but please don't lump us all together. there are millions of us (out of only about 8 million!!) who are fiercely opposed to the war and the genocide.

pro-Palestine protests = quite valid. if only they weren't so often held at random synagogues, non-Israel-affiliated Jewish institutions, college Hillels, etc. And if only there weren't so many cases of calling for Intifada, systematically harassing Jews, and allowing antisemitic posters, chants, art, and people to be there. leftist antisemitism is real and strong and has harmed me and my family directly.

** part two: thoughts on the course and on the IDF

I don't mind a non-Jewish professor teaching about Jewish history. that's pretty cool, tbh. His being Arab is irrelevant to the issue. His being a raging antisemite is the problem.

it is more than weird for a class to try and link the 17th-19th century development of European Jewish culture and philosophy with 21st century middle eastern politics. I'd call it intellectually dishonest. It's like using the Federalist Papers to explain Hillary Clinton's politics without touching anything that happened in-between those two events. It's not "a reach", it's potentially disinformation.

While I have obviously not attended the class, I have observed this pattern many times when outsiders try to explain "zionism" and only show how grossly uninformed they are. eg: Jessie Gender's video on Zionism. Writing an essay on modern Zionism without so much as mentioning the Intifadas or Meir Kahane is like writing an essay on the modern Republican party without mentioning Reagan or Trump. What the fuck are you even doing.

confronting a current or past IDF soldier about what they've done against Palestinians = I'm not opposed to it; I myself have done it! But there is a big difference between telling someone they're complicit in a violent occupation, and saying something akin to "HOW MANY BABIES HAVE YOU SLAUGHTERED YOU PIG".

I myself was in the IDF; I am complicit in a violent occupation, and as an Israeli I cannot escape the fact that my tax dollars help fund a genocide. I am working constantly to heal the damage. When randos come up to me and accuse me of butchering innocent Palestinians, do you seriously think we're gonna get into an emotionally and intellectually honest conversation about the way a draftee non-combat soldier's work affects and is affected by their squadron commander's actions? Yeah, I didn't think so.

...any way. :/

#israel #jumblr #antisemitism #genocide #palestine #columbia university

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pinkcrocss · 1 year ago

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On Cate "Apologists"...

Okay... It's gotten to the point where the Cate Infantilization and apologia is getting annoying.

I thought the show did a decent job of portraying a sympathetic and complex character, but... she is still a villain. People are allowed to dislike her and she is not the biggest victim in the show by a long shot.

Also, people that keep saying "she's just a kid"... she's a college junior. She's supposed to be like 20-21 years old.

I get that that is still pretty young and a lot of her trauma happened when she was a kid. But she is still an adult that can be accountable for her actions.

She shares the exact same coded yt-supremicist ideals as homelander (similar blonde haired/blue eyed features are not a coincidence), and even if it came from trauma, so did Homelander and Shetty's actions... so?

Y'all hate Shetty cuz she tortured supes and wanted to enact a genocide due to her trauma and misplaced hatred? Wtf was Cate doing in the last episode?

Most of the human staff at Godolkin are not aware of the woods. They are also victim to Vought's propaganda and Cate is aware of this. Yet she intentionally massacres them and uses her powers to influence people to do it for her.

She continuously violates people's consent and bodily autonomy (despite being a victim of SA herself). If she had been able to touch Jordan and cause them to hurt Marie (or Marie to hurt them in self-defense), what do you think that would have done to either of them psychologically?

I actually don't hate Cate (although her growing fandom is starting to push me in that direction), and I was fine with the "Yass queen! Villain lady iconic!" type of discourse when I thought y'all were just kidding...

But now that it's starting to bleed into racism towards Marie and Andre, transphobia towards Jordan, and just the most pea-brained, no nuanced misinterpretations of the show's themes and messaging, I think we need to step back for a minute. Y'all are starting to sound like the gender-swapped version of the boys fans that worship homelander and think *he* is the actual hero of the story.

It also doesn't surprise me that the worst offender of this is a Swiftie. Because when we talk about the infantilization of a powerful, white woman as a precursor to racism... 👀

That being said: No hate to normal T-swift fans (I actually grew up on her music too) but the coincidence was too obvious to not point out.

And I have no issue with like MarieCate shippers, fan artists or anyone that's engaging with Cate's character in a normal, nuanced way... but a good chunk of y'all need to get a grip.

I've really been enjoying the Gen V fandom (small as it is), and i would hate to see it go the way of the greater boys fandom.

#gen v #jordan li #marie moreau #cate dunlap #fandom

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running-with-kn1ves · 11 months ago

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I started watching The Boys and the GRIP butcher has on me is NOT funny. Also, no I will NOT BE LISTENING to the homelander apologists you guys are going STRAIGHT TO JAIL!! I can see the appeal (..barely) but it's always outweighed by something batshit. Put your male manipulator awaY!!!

#I have heard things about the homelander fans here on tumblr #Only just finished season 2 so I swear to FUCK if someone spoils it for me #But butcher...baby boy zaddy aussie butcher...#the boys #the boys amazon #billy butcher #the boys tv #kn1ves rants #knives rants

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digitalbath1988 · 2 years ago

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I’m getting pushed a lot of anti-Homelander propaganda on this site, so I wanted to remind you all:

He did absolutely nothing wrong.

Tiddies.

We’re all just girls watching a tv show. (The sentiment is the same no matter how you identify.).

That Starlight apologist shouldn’t have thrown a water bottle at his kid.

Only God can judge him (also, he is God so he’s gonna be ok.)

Billy loves him too.

Tiddies.

Look at that smile and tell me he’s ever done anything bad in his life.

Just a boy with mommy issues. If you’re making him mad you could just bring him a glass of milk instead.

He’s a dad. A daddy, even.

He wouldn’t kill you personally. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.

#homelander #homedaddy #homefree

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mariacallous · 3 months ago

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In just three months, the Trump people have made the unthinkable much more likely. They have created the conditions for terrorism, and thus for terror management. This is true at several levels.

FBI special agents have been exposed to similar indignities. Top FBI officials have been pressured to resign and have done so. Musk-Trump is pursuing FBI special agents who were involved in prosecutions of people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th 2021. Patel proposes that special agents be trained by a company that promotes commercial fights that is based in Las Vegas. Sending FBI special agents to Nevada to simulate Fight Club for Patel’s personal delectation is not going to keep Americans safe.

The Musk-Trump people run national security, intelligence, and law enforcement like a television show. The entire operation of forcible rendition of migrants to a Salvadoran concentration camp was based upon lies. It is not just that Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly apprehended. The entire thing was made for television. Its point was the creation of the fascist videos. But this is a media strategy, meant to frighten Americans. And a media strategy does not stop actual terrorists. It summons them.

There is also another scenario. Far right movements can divide, with the more impatient angry with those they see as compromised. This is a lesson from the history of fascism. Some supporters of Trump will be disappointed with him. The assassination attempt on Trump was carried out by someone whose social media posts conveyed hatred of Jews and immigrants. Bongino now has to contend with fans of his show who think that the January 6th criminals should be running the FBI.

And our guard has been dropped. Even at the best of times, the FBI has generally had trouble articulating the centrality of domestic right-wing terrorism. Now the risk is denied. High officials of Musk-Trump tend to share the views of right-wing nationalists, which makes it less likely that they will be seen as a threat. Under Patel, the FBI will deprioritize this important area of investigation. In keeping with his and Noem’s priorities, FBI agents have been assigned away from domestic terrorism. Thus far, the main "terrorist" threat seen by Trump-Musk are protestors in front of Tesla dealerships. Diverting attention to parking lots will not keep Americans safe.

Right then comes is the critical moment when we must prevent ourselves from going along.

Throughout history, and around the world right now, government indifference and incompetence that leads to civilians deaths has been seen as a reason for protest.

The night before I was stopped by the police, I had been driving that truck through water. It was a time of high rain in the central United States. Highways were flooded.

After the flood, we remain. The disaster brought by the decadent is part of the story. But it is not the conclusion. It is what we do next that matters.

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