#in response to:

[docholligay]

So for all of you who think nothing matters:

We have a local, I guess I'll call it an events complex. It's where concerts and the fair go. It's owned by the city.

When Trump started the whole ICE thing, our commissioner sent a letter to the local representatives, telling them they could use it as a detention center for illegal immigrants. Our event center. Where the 4H kids show their fuckin' lambs.

"The fuck you will" was the resounding reply.

So, when I talk about coalition-building, and working with people you do not agree with or maybe even like, this is what I'm talking about. There was an immediate and vocal show of disapproval, from all sides. We all contacted people we knew would dislike this, REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY FELT ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. The meeting was packed with people yelling at the commissioners. Of all political stripes. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Prairie Populist, Independent.

Some were, of course, the tumblr-style arguments about inherent humanity, but--I think more compellingly if you're actually trying to put the pressure on--there were questions of, 'How are we gonna get paid?" "Are you aware of how, as the only event center for more than two hours, much fuckin money this brings into the community? ANd that immigrants of all types make up less than 2% of the population of the entire state?(my argument), "Do we trust the government to pay us?", "Isn't there a fuckin' empty prison in [town about an hour from here]? Are you just being a kiss-ass?' (offered up by a man I know to be very conservative indeed. BUT HE DID NOT WANT OUR SPACE USED FOR THIS) and, an argument that was so good I was infuriated I didn't come up with it, "DO you think the bank is gonna want to be known as the sponsor of "National bank Detention Center?" (Which caught on and the bank had to offer up a letter saying how they hoped the commissioners would use the event center as intended.)

They folded. A letter came out a few days ago from the manager of the event center, saying it was decided that the events center would rescind the offer, as "more acceptable alternatives could be found." They blinked.

That's the thing. All that happened is that a bunch of people got mad an went to ONE TWO HOUR MEETING. It changed everything.

SHOW. UP.

[sushiisiu]

puppy instincts kicked in

[yaknowlikenyah]

We need to bring back the bait fish because sometimes it feels like yall can't tell when someone is trolling you

Look at him! He's so cute and he knows that someone posting stupid, brain dead or offensive comments is just trying to get you mad, and you should make fun of them for that.

We as a website need him back in our lives

[chessb0r3d]

Analysis so bad you don't even know what it's talking about anymore.

[kocho15]

I fixed it!

[lesbianshadowheart]

being a fan of a female fictional character is like yes im in love with her soulfully and carnally but i am ALSO her defence attorney her ambassador her pr manager her representative her missionary her right hand arm man her silly rabbit. her scholar her explainer the last man standing in her army. phd in explaining her nuance and depth priesthood in her church. could i be talking about other things?? move on?? maybe!!! were i not the animated suit of armor in her temple bound to protect her for eternity

[canonkiller]

asking for help can be done at any time, and it is free. you just have to let yourself accept it.

[linhzard]

has this been done yet

[snailcubezz]

fandom wiki simulator

[ghosted-jazz]

Doey's 2/3 angsty traumatized teen, I think he'd love MCR

[inkskinned]

the tradwife movement is the same as it has always been - back in the kitchen, back to breeding - it just has better branding.

when i was younger, i hated pink. i was not like other girls. this is now something i'm embarrassed of - this was not me being a "girl's girl."

but it was expressing something many of us felt at the time: i literally wasn't what girlhood was supposed to be. this is a hard thing to explain, but you know when you're not performing girlhood correctly. it isn't as easy as "i liked x when girls liked y" - because there were other girls that liked x, too - but i never figured out exactly the correct way to like x, or to be interested in y.

now there is the divine feminine. this is the same rhetoric it has always been: women are biologically driven to like pink and ribbons and submitting to our husbands.

the problem is that the patriarchy found a better PR team. because yes, actually, i want every woman to have the choice to be a homemaker. i also want her taken seriously for her legitimate home-making labor. i want her to be recognized as also having a job, just unpaid. i want men to have this opportunity, too.

but it is no longer "i made this choice and I love it." instead it is a sixteen-paragraph rant about how selfish it is that my generation isn't having kids. instead it's long videos about how if you feed your children processed foods, you're going to kill them. instead it is "this is what womanhood is supposed to be. i feel bad for any other choices you're making."

the shame spiral is just prettier. it is large houses devoid of personality. it is the implication: if you don't have this, you aren't happy. the solid, everlasting assurance: women are actually supposed to be submitting. this is the default. this is the natural state of things. all other attempts inflict suffering.

but you can no longer say i'm not like other girls. you can no longer reject this image completely. you cannot find it revolting, even if you know that the underbelly is toxic and festering. sure, it is the same repackaged patriarchy. but the internet does not have shades of grey. you should support and reward other women! your disgust is actually internalized misogyny. not because you are seeing a vision of yourself the way they're trying to train you to be. not because you feel her ghost pass within an inch of your earlobe. not because your father will eventually ask you - why can't you be like her?

because they figured out how to make it beautiful: women will sell other women on this idea, and we will find the singular loophole in feminism. sure, she's shaming you in most of her videos. sure, she implies that a different life is obscene. but she just wants you to be happy! you'd be happier if you were listening!

and the whole time you're sitting there thinking: i'd actually just be happier if i had that kind of money.

[featherwurm]

I think Councilor Sevika deserves a fucking break (hot bath, good alcohol, decent smoke.) She's kinda... yanno... been through it.

[sennenpharaoh]

I Want to Be With You, Always

Atem was doing as he was told, being there for Yugi. Making sure his partner wasn't alone and letting him know that he was always there, all he had to do was ask. Last time they had slept together it was Atem's nightmare that they were both trapped in, dreaming of Atem's "new" Soul Room. Of course ever since his little "curse" (if he wanted to call it that) he had been avoiding his Room, and most recently avoiding mirrors in general.

Tonight was different.

Tonight was just a nice relaxing trip to his partner's Memory Room, ignoring the dark reflection's attempts to interrupt. So long as Atem was inside a Memory Room, he was safe from the dark reflection, and so he would just stay in there. Looking at the walls of pictures, watching the antique television of their moments together, running his hand along the golden box where the Puzzle used to reside in. It was calming, something to latch on to, to keep him grounded. How he wished that when Yugi was here he was able to show him all the good memories that the two made together, but alas--

"Augh!!!"

A cry out as he brought his hands to his chest, face twisted in great pain. "My hands... they're burning... what's happening... to my hands...?" It felt like his hands were on fire! Although looking at them... they seemed fine, but... very shaky. Extremely shaky. "What's going on...? Was this..." No, this wasn't the reflection's doing, for he was unable to enter a room.

Wait... Aibou? Something must have happened to Yugi in his dream!

Trying to recover he looked at his hands again, then blinked in surprise. Feeling Aibou's pain, yes. That made sense. But their Link was barely there, so he'd only feel a fraction, which meant that...

Oh. Oh no.

He had to wake up. Now. Had to check on--

As he flung the door open, leaving Yugi's Memory Room, he felt a rush to his head, causing him to grasp his head and collapse to one knee.

"What's... going... on...?" It was a rush of emotion he'd never felt. Anger, anguish, desperation, pain... heartbreak. Oh. Of course. Just had to wait for him to come out, didn't he? "You did this, didn't you?!" He yelled out, expecting to hear the dark reflection, but only found silence, save for...

A scream.

A loud scream of anguish that echoed through the halls. It was loud... but distant. It wasn't from here. He could follow it well enough, but when he tried to...

He found a door.

A door, covered in dust, cobwebs, save for the handle. He knew that door. He had opened that door before, and every time it was the same. Just a hallway. Nothing else.

He looked at the door. Then shook his head.

"D... don't..." He groaned, feeling his head start to pound a little. "You're going to see the same thing... as you always do. Don't." A hiss in pain from his hands and the pounding in his head. He needed to wake up and check on Yugi, not follow some false hope. Besides, they'd already confirmed the Link was weak at best. Opening it would do nothing. Just like every other time he's opened it.

And yet... he still wants to open it.

Don't.

He stands up.

You're going to be hurt again, and then what would Aibou say?

He moves forward.

It's the same thing every time.

He looks at the dusty, cobweb covered door.

Stop. Just... stop.

He brings a shaky hand to the pristine handle.

When will you learn?

A slow turn... then a push.

It creaks open.

[kawareo]

My only new year's resolution is to leave more comments on AO3