#maga drivel

[lenbryant]

MAGA parents will have our school theater departments producing drivel instead of drama before you know it. They wouldn't want children feeling uncomfortable or raising WOKE issues. I guess the 2,500-year old "Oedipus" with all its murder, incest, suicide, mythical beasts, and bloody, self-inflicted eye disgorgement is out of the question now?

(NYT) It’s Getting Hard to Stage a School Play Without Political Drama

At a time when lawmakers and parents are seeking to restrict what can and cannot be taught in classrooms, many teachers are seeing efforts to limit what can be staged in their auditoriums.

July 4, 2023

Stevie Ray Dallimore, an actor and teacher, had been running the theater program for a private boys’ school in Chattanooga for a decade, but he never faced a school year like this one.

A proposed production of “She Kills Monsters” at a neighboring girls’ school that would have included his students was rejected for gay content, he said. A “Shakespeare in Love” at the girls’ school that would have featured his boys was rejected because of cross-dressing. His school’s production of “Three Sisters,” the Chekhov classic, was rejected because it deals with adultery and there were concerns that some boys might play women, as they had in the past, he said.

School plays — long an important element of arts education and a formative experience for creative adolescents — have become the latest battleground at a moment when America’s political and cultural divisions have led to a spike in book bans, conflicts over how race and sexuality are taught in schools, and efforts by some politicians to restrict drag performances and transgender health care for children and teenagers.

For decades student productions have faced scrutiny over whether they are age-appropriate, and more recently left-leaning students and parents have pushed back against many shows over how they portray women and people of color. The latest wave of objections is coming largely from right-leaning parents and school officials.

The final act in Dallimore’s yearlong drama in Chattanooga? He learned that his position at McCallie School, along with that of his counterpart at the nearby Girls Preparatory School, was being eliminated. They were invited to apply for a single new position overseeing theater at both schools; both educators are now out of the jobs.

“This is obviously a countrywide issue that we are a small part of,” Dallimore said. “It’s definitely part of a bigger movement — a strongly concerted effort of politics and religion going hand in hand, banning books and trying to erase history and villainizing otherness.”

A McCallie spokeswoman, Jamie Baker, acknowledged that the two school theater positions had been eliminated so the programs could be combined but said that “implying or asserting in any way that the contract of McCallie’s theater director was not renewed because of content concerns would be inaccurate.” She noted that the school has a “Judeo-Christian heritage and commitment to Christian principles,” and added, “That we would and will continue to make decisions aligned with these commitments should be no surprise to anyone.”

Drama teachers around the country say they are facing growing scrutiny of their show selections, and that titles that were acceptable just a few years ago can no longer be staged in some districts. The Educational Theater Association released a survey of teachers last month that found that 67 percent say censorship concerns are influencing their selections for the upcoming school year.

(Photo) After a production of “Marian, or The True Tale of Robin Hood” was canceled by a school in Fort Wayne, Ind., the students staged it at a local outdoor theater.Matt McClain/The Washington Post, via Getty Images

[liberalsarecool]

The fascism is Nazi 101.

No more dog whistles, this is just lazy as fuck nativism and racism.

MAGA is the death of conservative politics. The anti-immigrant drivel is coming from a guy with two immigrant wives who loves commie Putin.

[patriotictf]

"Oh my god, this can't be real," John muttered to himself as he stepped into his new apartment. The space was adorned with distinctly MAGA-themed items - red hats, banners with "Make America Great Again" slogans, and a couple of Trump-Pence signs, all immaculately arranged.

John, a staunch liberal and openly gay, felt a pang of disgust. How had he ended up here?

"This is a nightmare," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

John stood motionless for a moment, taking in the room's overpowering display of conservative regalia. Then, a thought struck him. Maybe he could just remove all this stuff. After all, it was his apartment now.

But as soon as he attempted to take down one of the MAGA banners, he realized something strange was happening. The banner refused to budge. It seemed to cling to the wall, as if the very paint was glue.

Frustrated, John tried again, putting more force into the pull. But the result was still the same. The banner seemed stuck in place, mocking him with its stubborn resistance.

He tried another item, attempting to remove a small MAGA badge from the dresser. But just like the banner, the badge defied movement. It felt glued to the surface, no matter how hard he tugged.

John's heart began to race, a mix of confusion and panic setting in. These items were immovable. Why? How was this possible? And more importantly, what was their purpose here?

He sank down onto the bed, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. This had to be a prank. Someone had planted these items here as a cruel joke, or some weird form of psychological experiment. There was no other reasonable explanation. Or... was there?

John scanned the room again, his gaze falling on more Trump-themed items - a red "Make America Great Again" mug, a framed photo of the former president, and even a small American flag with the slogan "Keep America Great" stitched onto it.

Each item seemed to stare back at him, its presence like a slap in the face. As if the room was mocking his own political beliefs and identity.

John felt a wave of anger wash over him, but it was swiftly followed by a pang of fear. Was he trapped here? Stuck in this MAGA-themed prison, with no escape?

He stood up and began pacing, the room feeling smaller with each step. He needed to think, to figure out what the hell was going on.

Frustration grew within John as he attempted to leave the apartment, only to discover the door was impossibly stuck. No matter how much force he applied, it remained sealed, as if it had been fused to the frame.

Panic set in as he tried to use his phone to call for help, but no signal could be found. He was completely cut off from the outside world.

He turned on the TV it was on Fox News. As John frantically flicked through the television channels, he was met with an unsettling sight. Every channel was broadcasting Fox News, without exception.

No matter how many times he clicked the buttons on the remote, the channel stubbornly remained on Fox News. It was as if the TV itself had been calibrated to play only this particular station.

Frustrated and bewildered, John tossed the remote onto the coffee table, the clatter echoing through the room. He couldn't escape the barrage of conservative news and commentary, no matter what he tried.

He plopped onto the couch, a sense of helplessness washing over him. How was this happening? What strange reality had he stumbled into where every electronic item seemed hell-bent on playing Fox News on repeat?

John clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. He loathed Fox News with a passion, every segment feeling like a personal affront to his liberal beliefs. The thought of being forced to watch this drivel on a constant loop was enough to drive him insane.

He considered unplugging the TV entirely, but a sense of unease held him back. What if this was all part of some twisted plan? Unplugging the TV could have unintended consequences. He couldn't risk it.

The hours passed slowly, the TV's constant barrage of conservative news and opinion pieces wearing down John's sanity. The words "Trump" and "MAGA" seemed to be chanted over and over, a maddening chorus that filled the room.

He tried to distract himself with other activities - pacing around the room, flipping through books, even going on his laptop - but nothing could drown out the endless stream of right-wing rhetoric.

By nightfall, John was beginning to waver. He argued with himself internally, trying to hold onto his liberal principles, but the constant exposure to right-wing talking points had begun to chip away at his resolve.

He found himself agreeing with some of the opinions being broadcast, nodding in approval at times, and occasionally even finding himself agreeing with the hosts. This realization terrified him.

As he sat on the couch, John clutched his head, the internal struggle raging within him. He could feel his core beliefs being shaken to the core. Who was he? What did he truly believe?

The TV continued to blast, the host's voice droning on about the virtues of conservative values and the importance of preserving "true American" principles. Each word seemed to sink into his brain, implanting seeds of conservatism that began to take root.

John found himself agreeing more and more with what he was hearing. He started to understand the conservative way of thinking, nodding along to the rhetoric, and even feeling a pang of disappointment when they switched topics.

The liberal ideology that he had always held so dear was slowly fading away, replaced by a growing appreciation for the values being espoused by Fox News.

As the night continued, John could feel his core beliefs crumbling under the onslaught of right-wing propaganda. He was becoming increasingly receptive to the conservative narrative, no longer able to recognize the liberal values he had held for so long.

His mind was changing, slowly but surely. Fox News was rewiring his very identity, molding him into a supporter of the MAGA cause.

As John finally succumbed to exhaustion and dropped off into a fitful sleep, the room around him began to change.

Unseen forces began to take hold, slowly altering his physical form. His features sharpened, his body becoming more toned and muscular. The remnants of his once-liberal appearance faded into memory, replaced by a more rugged, conservative look.

John's hair too changed, falling out leaving him bald as a dark beard begins to grow out of his face.. His skin tone darkened subtly, taking on a more sun-kissed, masculine hue. tattoos form on his neck? thoat, arms. and hands.

As he slept, the physical transformation continued, shaping him into the epitome of a conservative man.

John's wardrobe transformed as well, even in his sleep. The liberal attire he once wore was replaced by more conservative clothing. Jeans became camo pants, his shirt became black with Make Men Men again writen across it, and boots took the place of loafers. Tattoos emerged on his body, each one reflecting a traditional, patriotic image.

He wasn't merely changing; he was being sculpted into a new person entirely.

The physical changes were drastic, but so were the mental ones. As John slept, his mind was being indoctrinated. His liberal beliefs and values were slowly being overwritten by conservative ones. He was dreaming now, visions of a strong America, traditional values, and unyielding patriotism filling his subconscious.

By the time John began to stir, he was a changed man. The physical transformation was complete; he looked every inch the conservative he was now.

His beliefs, too, had undergone a complete metamorphosis. He no longer held onto liberal ideals. In fact, he despised them.

As he sat up, groggy and disoriented, he found himself staring down at the tattoos on his arm, each one a testament to his new persona.

John's eyes flicked up towards a mirror hanging on the wall. The sight of his reflection sent a jolt of surprise through him. He couldn't believe the person staring back at him.

His appearance was that of a stereotypical conservative man. His bald head, the beard, the tattoos, the clothing - everything screamed "MAGA." He looked like a completely different person.

As he stood there, staring at his reflection in disbelief, John struggled to come to terms with his dramatic transformation.

He touched his bald head, feeling the roughness of his shaved skin. He ran his hand over his beard, tracing the thick strands that grew from his once-smooth face. He looked down at his clothing, seeing the MAGA shirt and camo pants that clung to his newly-toned body.

It was a nightmare come true. John tried to deny it, telling himself this was all just a dream. But as he pinched himself and felt the pain, he realized the horrifying truth: this was all too real. He was trapped in a body and mind he no longer recognized.

His heart raced, panic starting to kick in. He had to get out of here, find a way to reverse this nightmare. But when he moved towards the door, he found it still sealed shut.

John froze as a thought suddenly appeared in his mind, seemingly out of nowhere. It was like a strange inner voice, a thought that wasn't his own. It told him to "accept this."

He fought against it at first, resisting the idea of surrendering to the changes. But as the thought echoed in his head, it grew louder and more insistent.

For a long moment, he stood there, wrestling with his inner thoughts. The voice demanded his compliance, and it was becoming harder to resist.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of struggle, John's resistance broke. He couldn't fight the inner command any longer. He had to "accept this."

He took a deep breath, the realization sinking in. This was his reality now. He was no longer the liberal man he once was. He was a conservative, down to his bones.

With a mixture of resignation and acceptance, he stood a little straighter, embracing his new identity.

But as he made the mental shift, John felt another, more subtle change taking place. His emotions began to reshape themselves, shifting towards the conservative values now ingrained in him.

The panic and disbelief that consumed him moments ago faded away, replaced by a sense of conviction. He no longer felt the need to fight against his new identity. In fact, he felt a growing sense of comfort and even satisfaction with it.

The voice in his head grew louder, reinforcing the new emotional landscape within him. The liberal ideals he once held dear were replaced by a staunch conservatism, fueled by inner feelings of patriotism, tradition, and strength.

John began to understand that his transformation wasn't limited to the physical. It was a full-blown mental and emotional restructuring, shaping him into the perfect American conservative.

The more he delved into this new mindset, the more a sense of calmness washed over John. His past as a liberal seemed distant and almost alien.

Now, he had a deep understanding of conservative values and beliefs. He felt a strong connection to America, its heritage, and its future.

Most strikingly, John felt a growing dislike towards liberals and progressive ideals. He had become the very thing he once despised.

John opened the no longer locked door, stepping into the blistering Florida sun, squinting against the bright light. He slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses. As he felt the heat on his skin, his new conservative beliefs began to solidify further.

He took a deep breath, inhaling the humid air. It felt like a homecoming, as if this new persona of his had been waiting to emerge.

With a determined stride, John walked down the street, a sense of comfort and certainty guiding his every step.

As he walked, the city seemed to come to life around him. He passed by people of all ages - some young, some old - but what struck him was the sense of unity that pervaded the air.

He saw American flags flying proudly, MAGA hats on people's heads, and bumper stickers supporting conservative values on cars.

This was his world now. A world where patriotism was celebrated and liberal ideas were left behind.

[tenaciousgay]

How DID the local elections in the republic go down?

All I know is that FFG made a good few gains (followed by comments on the internet about how we are but a nation of children and we need the British back (nvm we in the north are still waiting for them to leave) and the usual drivel), SF made a few, and the far right came out with baseless accusations of voter fraud.

Overall, FFG lost seats and SF gained seats, despite FFG crowing about SF losing the election. Smug bastards.

Labor, Greens, and People before Profit also lost seats since the last local election.

Social Democrats (SD), Aontu, Independents, and Other parties gained seats.

There's an RTE link that's okay information. There's been some criticism of the lack of seeing the transfers and such on the tv, with only journalist information being a source of it.

The EU counts are still going on, though Dublins 4 seats were filled today via elimination. Nobody there beat the quota.

Limericks first democratically elected mayor was elected today too, and won in the same way, by last person standing. The quota was not reached by anyone.

Yes, the far right went off the deep end because few got in. There was no far right wave, thank fuck. So the far right have started coping the likes of maga and their baseless accusations.

Such as voter ID, they honestly claimed that it was sus that nobody was photo IDed. Your ballot card is valid ID enough. All the years I've been voting, I've only been photo IDed once, and that was for the recent referendum the far right also went batshit for.

I did hear one of the far right candidates was escorted out of polling stations for aggressive behaviour, which is good. And supposedly one may get slapped with a criminal record for breaking canvessing laws on election day.

[aokozaki]

The Murdoch’s are auss

Very good job noticing that mate, it's obviously not like I have a vocal disgust with SkyNews, NewsCorp's Australian vomit stain.

Obviously, when I complain about MAGA and QAnon fucks proliferating in Australia, the obvious gotcha is that actually, the news networks pushing that drivel are owned by an Australian, so you can't blame America (even though they're first and foremost American as fuck conspiracy theories).

Good job mate, you got me.

[scumgristle]

“Young men were willing to vote for him because they liked his vibes. They enjoyed how he talked tough about the economy. They looked back on his last presidency as a simpler time when Fortnite was in a golden age and they bopped to Travis Scott’s Sicko Mode at their middle-school prom”

These appearances helped soften Trump’s image. They made him palatable and positioned him as a benevolent, inspiring elder; the type of relative you’d gather around at Christmas who’d tell war stories about fearlessly draining the swamp. Never mind that he’s a convicted felon, has been accused of sexual assault by 26 women (with one judge declaring a rape allegation was ​“substantially true”) and is an aspiring dictator. Young men were willing to vote for him because they liked his vibes. They enjoyed how he talked tough about the economy. They looked back on his last presidency nostalgically, as a simpler time when Fortnite was in a golden age and they bopped to Travis Scott’s Sicko Mode at their middle-school prom. Trump, now, has taken over the Barstool Extended Universe, or the ​“Zynternet” – journalist Max Read’s riff on the way many young conservatives love the nicotine pouch Zyn. He’s been cultivating this pop cultural image for years by attending UFC fights and college sports; he even visited an Iowa State University frat house in 2023.

Now his influencer base includes all the ones from the 2010s’ ​‘Intellectual Dark Web’, the network of commentators who lashed out against PC culture and identity politics (the Ben Shapiros and Joe Rogans) and a new guard of popular radicals like Sneako, the white supremacist Nick Fuentes and, of course, Andrew Tate, who has been given credit for helping to radicalise so many young men. These creators thrive on poorly regulated social media – live streaming sites such as Rumble and Kick, and Telegram — that silo viewers and flood them with provocative clips. The hypercharged algorithms of X and TikTok, meanwhile, fuel far-right rage-bait content, whether it’s ridiculing Harris’s laugh or man-on-the-street clips with ardent Trump fans.

“He managed to brand MAGA as counterculture, like a defiant source of masculine pride, a rebellion for young dudes who already felt discarded, disenfranchised and resentful of women in their lives”

Obviously, Trump’s grand streaming tour is only one reason he won. There is inflation, Biden’s late exit and his administration’s abysmal response to the atrocities in Gaza. But the rightward shift of young men is alarming and worthy of attention – both because of what it tells us about the next generation and because, in an online hellscape inundated by podcast slop and hypermasculine drivel, it’s hard to imagine how the hell the left can start winning them back.

[bitchy-peachy]

Maga are like starved puppies for attention. These people attacking you are lame. Don't they have friends or some shit to hang out with? I'm here trying to find cute fanarts for my queue and they're here having a fit of the vapors by acting like sore winners without social lives.

You really have the patience of a saint. I don't even tolerate them more than one reblog. All they say is ignorant drivel.

The MAIN reason I’m voting AGAINST Trump is because this guy is a legitimate THREAT to America. What do I mean? Let’s not forget he STOLE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE:

What the fuck was he going to do with those? And when you couple the fact that he kisses ass to DICTATORS:

He is NOT someone we can afford to let back into the White House.

For the sake of us NOT becoming a dictatorship, please let’s all vote blue down the board.

SO MUCH that the votes won’t be taken to the Supreme Court because they will fuck us all over for him.

[elitist-asshole]

the absolute drivel on twitter is driving me more and more to be online on this hellsite instead. every ad there is trash (ex: conspiracy theory mashup, opinion piece in nature on how wind power kills more birds than outdoor cars and should be abolished before outdoor catkeeping promoted presumably by the author, bullshit maga political ads). even the tweets i’m being served on the timeline of ACCOUNTS I FOLLOW are going down in quality, it’s not remotely chronological, a good 10% is just tiktoks reposted. and i’m constantly having to mute the Stupid Discourse of the Day Words which change, well, every day or so. and this is for someone who is clearly a progressive/leftist/whatever and specifically interacts with those types of tweets/accounts while blocking/reporting weirdo far right shit.

[cryingoflot49]

Book Review

The Feminists by Parley J. Cooper

Lots of readers will reject this novel without ever bothering to learn what it’s all about. I’ll start by saying what Parley J. Cooper’s The Feminists is not. It is not incel manosphere drivel written so some scared alt-right creep will have something to stroke himself to while fantasizing about dominance and power. It isn’t a red pill book. It really isn’t even misogynistic. It certainly isn’t some garbage extremist manifesto like The Turner Diaries. If you’re a loony Republican MAGA-type, it will probably disappoint you. If you’re a knee-jerk, overly-sensitive radical feminist prone to fits of rage at the patriarchy over the tiniest provocations, you probably won’t like it much either. But if you are level-headed and prefer to see things through to their proper conclusion before passing judgment, you will actually see this novel as an argument for sexual equality, power-sharing between the genders, and the saner elements of Second Wave Feminism.

The story takes place in Manhattan, 1992. America has just gone through a period of transformation where women and men have equal representation in government. But a small group of high-handed radical feminists are dissatisfied with this arrangement and seize control of the state apparatus, turning the country into a dictatorship with gender segregation, men forcibly placed into the most menial positions of the labor force, and sexual relationships between men and women are illegal without prior written consent from the inefficient matriarchal bureaucracy. This is where Keith Montalvo gets into trouble. After a dangerous liaison with a willing, nubile young lady, the radical feminist storm troopers chase him through the streets of New York after curfew. He escapes underground in the now-defunct subway system and meets up with a gang of urban guerrillas preparing to overthrow the female government with acts of terrorism, sabotage, assassination, and armed insurgency. And this group is not made up entirely of men. They have plenty of women who are just as dedicated to the cause. One of them is a sweet and saucy young woman named Angela who falls in love with Keith.

The villain of the story is the Thatcher-like Mayor Fredericks who runs New York City from her private mansion. As far as being a mayor goes, Ms. Fredericks is doing a terrible job. Food has to be rationed, curfews are in place, transportation is limited to public buses due to fuel shortages, the buses are segregated by sex, and the streets are patrolled by bully feminist soldiers who don’t like men. New York City has become a dystopia because the feminists in power are more concerned with their power trip than they are with managing the services needed to keep a society functioning. The American feminist president is not any better at leadership and the entire country is in shambles. The radical feminists prove to be incapable of effective leadership.

So far you might be wondering why I say this novel is not misogynistic. For one, the characters who are written with the most depth are two women, Angela and Mayor Fredericks. Angela is the daughter of a prominent radical feminist and, while her feelings about her mother are confusing and contradictory, she loves her all the same as can be seen near the end during the assassination attempt in the theater. Angela opposes the matriarchal government, but she doesn’t oppose sexual equality throughout all of society. Compared to her lover Keith, she is portrayed with far more depth and leadership responsibility in the rebel group than he is. Keith is little more than an ordinary action hero with a couple small twists, one being the revelation of his identity at the end of the story. The other twist being that when the police catch him, he becomes the damsel-in-distress of the story, the maiden waiting to be saved by the noble knight in a gender-role reversal whose freedom depends on the heroics of Angela and her gang.

Mayor Fredericks is also well-drawn with a fair amount of depth even though she is a character who lacks empathy and a sense of fairness, having the sociopathic traits that probably propelled her into political power in the first place. She becomes morally conflicted when she learns who the captive Keith really is. Without giving away the ending, I will say that her actions at the end redeem her and humanize her after all the evil things she did up until that point.

Speaking of redemption, the other character who redeems herself in the end is the feminist president of the United States. Although her role is minor in the story, a statement is made when she resigns, handing her power over to someone who is better qualified to run the country. What makes her sympathetic is that she puts the needs of her country before herself and sacrifices her powerful position for the greater good of society. She admits that she wasn’t a good leader. Unlike a certain bloviating idiot who just so happened to be the 45th president of our country, she is smart enough to know when to quit. So while this novel attacks a fictitious matriarchy, it doesn’t indulge in misogyny, it isn’t full of male chauvinism, and it largely refrains from even making ad hominem attacks on the adversarial characters.

Another reason this novel is more feminist-friendly than you might at first imagine is that the absolute worst character in the story is a man. Rinehart is a male who takes Keith on a mission to blow up the armory where feminist troops are sleeping. During the attempt, Rinehart tries to kill Keith. Fortunately he fails but he later abducts Claire, a spy for the guerillas who works in Mayor Fredericks’ office. What he plans to do with Claire can only be guessed at, but his speech to her proves him to be an incel type, a man who hates women because he feels he can’t get the sex he feels entitled to. Rinehart is violent and cruel and rhe author includes him the story to show us what a man is not supposed to be. Claire survives and goes on to be active in the planning and execution of the gang’s plots of terrorism and sabotage, another of the story’s strong female characters.

Most of the book is action-driven. It is written in the style of Hollywood movie from 1970s with wild and unpredictable plot twists, overblown combat sequences, gunfights, and a few good explosions all spiced up with a little family drama, a romantic subplot involving the two main characters, and a happy ending. It is essentially a gritty, action-packed thriller framed as a political statement about the need for sexual equality. If you are a fan of classic psychotronic cult films like The Warriors or Escape from New York, then this one is right up your alley.

I don’t think Leftist politically minded people have anything to fear from The Feminists. Certain radicals and extremists will be offended by anything that critiques the idea of a matriarchy, but more rational people will at least be sensible enough to detach themselves from the worst elements of the book like its being slightly dated in its method and meaning. And if you are still deeply offended by this book’s portrayal of feminism as you clutch your matriarchal pearls tightly enough to crush them, I say this to you: I have heard a lot of people say that the world would be more perfect if we had a matriarchy in charge. It is a dogmatic assertion and I don’t know if it is true or false. What I do know is that I have never heard any activists or theorists produce a realistic plan for establishing a matriarchy, running it, and defending it from the inevitable opponents who will try to tear it down. I have never heard a detailed description of what a matriarchy would look like. If you are not capable of providing these types of utopian details, then the opponents of your dreams will step in and take control; their version of your matriarchy will be one of dystopian nightmare. When that happens then you have already lost before you’ve begun. If your naivete and shortsightedness prevent you from reaching your goals, don’t blame it one anyone but yourselves. Sorry for my mansplaining, but sometimes outsiders can see groups of people more clearly than they see themselves. If that offends you, then so be it.

[liberalsarecool]

MAGA know their orchestrated drivel.

[blog-sliverofjade]

Howdy, I'm still alive. In case you were wondering what I've been up to *inhales deeply*

First, my biological mother died in February and I *knew*, but was too afraid to confirm my witchy senses and face reality. My adoptive mom told me in May and I reached out to the only bio uncle who didn't seem to hate my bio mom. Turns out this elderly relative is a MAGA hat, and to make an already weird "hi, we've never met, but I'd like to know more about my bio family tree" I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm a terrorist.

Oh, and my president basically declared me a terrorist, which should make things interesting next time I try and visit family because I wouldn't be surprised if I get pulled aside at the border and questioned about my anti-fascism sentiments.

Speaking of abuse of presidential power, I'm from the Portland, OR area. I wrote my politicians (which right wingers absolutely hate because they like to tell people to leave the US instead of fixing it, without realizing expats still get to vote), attended BLM protests where I live now (yes, BLM is pretty much in every English speaking country), and I spent over a month practically glued to livefeeds and Twitter, worried about friends and family being attacked by law enforcement, waiting for checkins that they got home safely.

My province is doing ok with the pandemic, and I tried to work from home, which was a disaster. Our border's still closed to the US, so I have no idea when I'll see my family again. To deal with that, I crocheted some things and sent a care package to my nieces.

A neighbour wanted a bird, so we let our mated pair hatch an egg (we normally throw them out because you can't spay or neuter birds and I won't run a bird mill). For about 2 months, any time I was home and not working, I cuddled a baby cockatiel.

Without giving my whole medical history, I'm finally getting answers after 15 years. It's likely endometriosis and I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of next month. Between that pain, menstrual issues, and someone poking around my nether bits what feels like every couple of months, I haven't felt like writing or reading fun, sexy times.

Big changes at work means that while I'm not laid off, I'm looking for a better job.

I've been hiding in video games, working on my German, French, and Spanish, and continuing to make my own clothing (I made a pair of sandals!) I am so extra, I'm even embroidering face masks for myself and friends and family (can you tell my love language is handmade items?)

Now I just have to get over my anxiety of reading my WIPs to figure out where I was, because let's face it, it's gonna be cringey for me no matter what. I haven't even been reading or listening to any books/short stories (I usually read about 150 a year, and I'm only at 96) because I get so spun up in the "I suck, but I should write because I've somehow conned people into liking my drivel" that my guilt and anxiety spike. I started to avoid AO3 and Tumblr because of it to the point where I had to step down as a tag wrangler because I wasn't doing my job.

tl;dr Fuck 2020

[never-was-has-been]

I get it. "mainstream Democrats" (MSD's) are starting to commend Trump's ability to "own" his supporters at the rallies he conjures up. WHY? Because MSD's believe that THEY should use the same methods Trump uses to captivate his audiences, regardless of how dense and idiotic they are and how they respond with violence . The Republican party has become an EXPERT at moving the Fascist Christian mindless MAGA supporters to keep Trump as the sole candidate for President...again! In other words, the MSD's think they too need to use that strategy. They're dead wrong. Biden won't do that and neither will any Progressive candidates (if there are any left that have notoriety among the national Democratic party). Progressives have become "rare birds" in this country's political spectrum, and they're STILL being hunted by MAGA's and MSD's alike, because Progressives don't let Christianity or anti-communist drivel affect their thinking or take their loyalty to common sense and social democracy away from them. Once again the Democratic party is emphasizing "Centrism" along with Christianity and anti-communist ideologies that have NO BUSINESS being included in a Progressive movement...NONE! When DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz did a full court press to eliminate Bernie Sanders as the Primary winner in 2016, the Democrats showed their hand and showed their WEAKNESS. We all know what happened after that. This time, Biden will take the country back to a point where Democratic leaders are still to the RIGHT of Center; but in their minds, MORE acceptable than the extreme right wing MAGA's. We're headed down the same road we were on in 2016, and I'm seriously concerned that when Biden wins, he will need a distraction to keep wolves from his door..."how about a World War, folks!" Stay tuned...

[swan2swan]

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve been doing it all wrong.

I wonder if I should have put on a red MAGA hat four years ago and just spent all my time around family and friends spouting off the latest conspiracy drivel until they all got angry and annoyed and wound up driving themselves to liberalism.

[calicojack1718]

Conspiracy theorists lack critical thinking skills: New study -- The New Daily

Of course YOU knew this the whole time. You can't be thinking critically -- no matter how much of your own research you do -- believe this drivel. But, now it is #ScienceFact

The Making of the Republican Stooge Voter: A Review of “Strangers In Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right” Well, no duh, right? But, poking fun at the right-wing MAGA Nation rural Christian white folk isn’t exactly the point. Like it or not, these people inhabit the same planet and country that we do, so we have to make nice with them at some point so we can all live…

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The completely unnecessary news analysis

by Christopher Smart

July 13, 2021

GOODBYE GREAT SALT LAKE — HELLO BABYLON

How can you have a Salt Lake City without a Great Salt Lake? Here's the honest truth: The Great Salt Lake is drying up — FAST. Soon it will just be a dusty depression where crazy people drive ATVs around in circles kicking up toxic dust. But it was just three decades ago that Gov. Norm Bangerter installed gigantic pumps on the lake's western shores to drain the rising waters before they flooded the airport. Back then our mountains got 600 inches of snow each winter. But we're faced with another problem now: It would be like having a Bonneville City without Lake Bonneville. Dumb. There is a lot of denial, but if history is any guide we could end up like Babylon, Carthage and Angkor Watt. People would say, what is Salt Lake City? as though it were Palenque. No surprise, Mayor Erin Mendenhall is having none of it. She commissioned a new city flag and pressed the City Council to pass an ordinance forbidding the lake from drying up. Not least, SLOC is seeking the 2034 Winter Olympics like there will be a Great Salt Lake and other stuff, like snow. We need a new name that will reflect more aptly where we live. How about something like New Egypt. We could import camels and the Utah Travel Council would just love it: “Greatest Humps on Earth.”

HATE CRIME IN PANGUICH? SHUT UP!

There are certain places you shouldn't go if you have a Biden or Obama bumper sticker on your Subaru. Blanding, Utah, comes to mind. And if you have one disparaging Trump, you should never leave Salt Lake County. But this latest bit of news actually scared the hell out of Wilson and the band: A 19-year-old woman was charged with a hate crime after allegedly stomping on a sign at a gas station in Panguitch — population 1,712. (We aren't making this up.) The sign read “Back the Blue,” referring, of course, to law enforcement. Ever since Black Lives Matter, others want to matter, too — Blue Lives Matter, White Lives Matter, Red Necks Matter... Anyway, you might add Garfield County to the “don't go zone” if you aren't white and conservative — a  MAGA hat wouldn't hurt. According to Tribune ace Jordan Miller, the arresting officer's statement said: The woman “crumpled the sign up in a destructive manner and threw it into a trash can all while smirking in an intimidating manner towards me.” There is this little matter of the First Amendment. Stomping on a sign falls under freedom of expression, as does burning Old Glory. Still, the woman faces up to one year in the slammer — Bill of Rights be damned — and Panguitch is a much safer place.

GOP HAS GONE NEO-FASCIST — BUT DON'T TELL UTAHNS

One-time Republican strategist Susan Del Percio shuns the term, “Trumpism,” because the M.O. of the present-day Republican Party goes much deeper. “Neo-fascism, that's what the grassroots of the Republican Party is right now,” she said. Well, neo-fascism can't be so bad — Trump once said, “Well, Hitler did a lot of good things, too.” But don't tell Utah Republicans they are neo-fascists. They could get even more confused. Lately they've been convinced their kids could be indoctrinated by Marxists, vis-à-vis  critical race theory. And, of course, they think Trump won the election, despite 60 court rulings that say otherwise. The question for people like Del Percio is how to get the GOP back from QAnon Zombies, the Jan. 6 mob and evangelicals who think Trump is the Savior (seriously). The Swiss and Danes found that fighting Neo-Nazis on their own terms was fruitless, but providing a positive vision of the future without them was like throwing water on the Wicked Witch of the West. The staff here at Smart Bomb had a brainstorm: why not create a hologram of a brown Jesus washing the feet of Nancy Pelosi. It's far fetched, we know, but bringing the GOP back from Zombieland will take more than cutting off their heads with chainsaws.

Post script — OK, sun-worshipers that's a wrap for another week here in paradise, where we keep track of Mike Lee's drivel so you don't have to. Critical race theory will “weaponize diversity,” Mikey ranted last week as he launched a fund-raiser to ensure that kids will not learn this is a racist country. The senator, who grew up in an all-white neighborhood, went to a white college (BYU) and white law school (at BYU) knows a lot about diversity because every evening black and brown people come to clean his office. Lee rode into the Senate on the Tea Party wave of 2010, adding to his street cred on civil rights. Fun Fact: Mikey clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito — who is a bit to the right of Sarah Palin — when he sat on the U.S. Court of Appeals. So why all the hoo-ha about critical race theory? Columnist Leonard Pitts says this: “It is this year’s War on Christmas. It’s Sharia law, gay wedding cake and new Black Panthers... so white people feel resentful, frightened and besieged — and vote accordingly.” But fear not, the GOP has never used racism as a political strategy, except for Nixon's “southern strategy,” Reagan's “Welfare moms driving Cadillacs,” Bush Sr.'s Willy Horton and Trump's Mexican rapists. Racist Country? Nah.

Well, Wilson, it's hot and smokey and the band is going to need a lot of beer to survive. So, lets raise a mug of grog to Mike Lee and maybe you and the guys can play a little something Sen. White Bread might appreciate:

We skipped the light fandango turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick but the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder as the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink the waiter brought a tray And so it was that later as the miller told his tale that her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale

(Whiter Shade of Pale — Procol Harum)

[ifutureboss]

I find it funny how ADOS is supposedly a lineage and not a political party yet it started for black American reparations and immigration reform. You can’t run this movement like a political group then get mad when people say it’s about politics.

And ADOS isn’t a lineage, the Ados that Yvette Carnell and Antonio Morre has made up is a white surpremacist led movement that has mirror identical politics of it’s predecessor FAIR that was started by the late John Tanton. There is no option of ADOS on any government forms nor is it even widely known my majority of black Americans.

Also a lot of ADOS supporters talk about their link to John being fake, why? Because you don’t like the truth? We have links and sources that says otherwise but every time it’s been pointed out ADOS bombards the threads with insults and hate without any proof . I’ve never seen proof to this day to negate these allegations. You can’t say there are no connections to white surpremacist when your faves are wearing maga hats and posing with known white surpremacist.

A lot of ADOS mirror the anti immigration garbage that FAIR is known for, even saying that they have a point in parts of their beliefs. ADOS circles are known for harassing immigrants and seeing them lower then themselves. All of a sudden the whole world is against ADOS and the only way to fix it is to wipe out Hispanic, African and West Indian cultures away from certain areas so that they can live better (never mind that companies are complicit in not hiring black Americans and that these same companies exploit their immigrants employees, it’s specifically the immigrants fault !🙄)

If you think that any of this theoretic is familiar that’s because it is nothing new. It’s the same drivel that has gotten a lot of white Americans to move to the radicalized far-right. The “they are taking our jobs ,their stealing our opportunities, they are uprooting us, they are against us ,their going to change everything and make us like them , they are the reasons we can’t get what we want”, is the same old fear tactics/ propaganda that white nationalist use to make and maintain a white-ethnostate. Instead of facing companies that discriminate against black Americans they yell at other people of color working for cents, as if black Americans will be thankful that those exploitive low wages jobs opened up for them.

Also ADOS habit of barely attacking the right or white immigration. They majority it usually Latino’s that they harass. Your doing John’s work.

Another thing that I have seen is ADOS trying to portray that they are neutral and they will vote for any party that supports reparations. Y’all don’t even have a bill much less a Representative from the ADOS movement. Carnell and Antonio are just screaming into the void to make it seem like they are doing something. Actually a lot of ADOS are piggy backing on HR40 the same ones they keep trying to change it and disagree with its contents. They are making y’all think y’all bigoted ass’s are changing something when really time has stopped for your activism. To really try to change a bill that has nothing to do with your movement but act like your helping it while not doing anything to improve its passing is hilarious.