#names. are currently from the shelter but i think they're gonna stick

[bitterotter]

They're really good. @queerplantbaby were thinking about adopting. One or two more cats. So we brought home three (in addition to my three step cats who are also really good)

[potroasttheghostdogpontificates]

The "there's nothing wrong with Biden" camp really needs to quit asking me to source my disataste for the guy, because every time I do, I learn something else about him that I like even less.

I learned when it happened that Biden scapegoated southern migrants in his final State of the Union of his first term, despite previously and currently running against the guy who's entire campaign started with calling hispanic people criminals. Despite his entire electoral strategy being "I know I suck but I'm not this guy", his current plan of action is to be as much like that guy as he possibly can. That's bad enough. Calling mexican people (or, let's face it, every brown-skinned person in the US who doesn't look like any other racialized people, because they get the same shit even if they aren't mexican) "dangerous illegals" and promising to shut down the southern border if Congress lets him, after working on Trump's border wall for him is bad enough for the genocide guy. To know that there was a widow for a racially motivated attack, brought there to serve as a reminder for the increase in racialized violence against this community in the wake of the president who's entire major foci of racism was targeted to this community, present in the audience as he said this, is even worse. To then learn that he brushed it off when pressed with a "well he shouldn't have been here anyway" just pisses me off further.

I knew Biden didn't close thr migrant concentration camps. Bad enough. I was demanded a source. When I provided one from "russian- biased" Al Jazeera, and thus it couldn't be trusted by liberals, I found Reuters. Then I learned he sold them to private prisons, so that he could claim he was closing private prisons because he promised it on the campaign trail. Literally scrubbed the name, let the profiteers keep profiting, and labelled it closed. That is Trump filing off the serial numbers levels of bullshit and he did it.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-vowed-reform-immigration-detention-instead-private-prisons-benefited-2023-08-07/

As a trans-enby of color, I don't think it's acceptable to shelter a racist just because he gave a tepid shrug in regards to whether or not I should be consumed for protein. That isn't enough to justify the harm this man has explicitly sent the way of racialized peoples. Ues, for the sake of argument here, I am ignoring what his policing policies have done for black people and what his zionism has done for arab people. He's gonna flip on the LGBTQ community, I have zero doubt at this point. He did it to hispanic peoples, and he campaigned on standing up for them. Now he's campaigning on.. well he's camapigning on nothing really. But the queer community, and I suppose the asian community, is about all that's left for him to flip on now isn't it?

I am appalled that neoliberalism has shit the bed this badly and infuriated that then its adherents have the audacity to try and weaponize part of my identity to justify the bastard explicitly trying to kill another part of my identity as any way acceptable. And no, "other guy is gonna be worse" isn't an excuse anymore either. You chose this man. You didn't have to. But you were too cowardly to challenge the status quo and your perceived comfort, because you didn't realize how bad it truly was out here for the people whom neoliberalism has worked tirelessly to make invisible to you. You could've voted for someone else in the primaries. You could have given us someone else. You could have motivated your white friends to actually engage with the political process even a little bit and move them into voting for what they keep claiming to want (even if they don't vote that way). You chose not to. You chose instead, to bully people who have hard-line prinicples on human rights they won't cross just because some ancient white guy feels entitled to playing big boy power-broker. I said it when I voted for the bastard in 2020 that "it doesn't even feel like he wants thos position. It feels like he's campaiging because he expects to get it, like some office suckup wandering late onto a meeting because they figure the promotion is a lock for them." Political fatalism masquerading as "maturity".

Vote for this man or don't. I do not care at this point. If you do, I do not consider you an ally to be trusted. You're in a comfy enough position to feel that there's "no good reason" for marginalized peoples to reject this man, when other guy is "so much worse"? Go on babe enjoy your time, just know you're showing a true face you might not be aware of. Biden feels entitled to power even if he has to kill thousands of children and be a smug prick when called out on it to do so, and the liberals gave it to him, showing their ass the entire time. Revealing their actual contempt for progress and human-rights. Embarassing.

[ravenouswild]

A fountain - A Donald Ressler Imagine

Imagine an accidental meeting being not so accidental

Mishka sat on a bench in the middle of one of the many parks in D.C. As expected the temperature had dropped another few degrees and she was glad her current wear of: a tan sweater dress reaching mid thigh with extra material around the neck, thick knitted black leggings, knee high boots with equal height stockings, and an off white bean, kept her comfortable in the chilling environment.

She wasn't alone though, a poodle and collie sat in front of her, held in place by two leashes, secured around her wrist. They weren't hers, but a neighbor's that frequently traveled and was in desperate need of a sitter.

Though this wasn't the spur of the moment, wanting a walk to clear the mind, no. Mishka was waiting. For what? The right moment. She only had a one chance and it had to be timed perfectly.

Mishka watched people walk back and forth, heading to where they needed to go. She smiled to herself slightly, for no particular reason than thinking what it was like to be normal. That was a foreign word to the woman. But she didn't let the thought of normality get to her head. She excepted that her life was anything but normal. She embraced it.

The screeching of tires broke Mishka out of her thoughts and set her into motion. Like a machine with a mission, Mishka stood up from the bench, the dogs along with her, and started walking down the right path between the line of trees toward the street. Her pace was calm. She wanted people to see her and forget. She needed to seem like any other woman walking her dogs.

At the edge of the park was a fountain, easily twenty-five feet in diameter. That's where she need to be. Mishka continued walking, the dogs leading the way, following the routine they had been on for about a week now.

As planned, 30 seconds later the three reached the fountain, stopping at the edge. The dogs looked around while sniffing the air, seeming to be in their own little worlds, leaving Mishka to wait for her cue.

It was the next series of gun shots that told Mishka that the plan was working. As soon as she saw a man run out of the building next to her and a set of agents run after him, she took a step forward to place herself in the needed position.

The next few seconds happened so fast no real person could process it, but for Mishka, she expected it. In those few seconds, the man that had run from the building ran into her, quickly grabbing the upper part of Mishka's arm, spinning her and pushing her into the man chasing him. The momentum the man had from running made him unable to stop, caused the two to crash to together, sending them both flying right into the three foot deep fountain.

Mishka felt the freezing water hit her skin as it soaked into her clothes. She found it hard to move her solid limbs to be able to resurface. In the blur of the water, Mishka saw a pair of arms reach in and pull her up and out of the water. Mishka gasped for a breath of air as water ran down her face.

Her eyes focused on a man just as soaked as she was, the man who ran into her. His usual blonde hair was now dark and sticking to his forehead. His suit was drenched from collar to socks. The man's brow frowned as he looked over the woman he had basically tackled into the freezing water.

"Are you alright, Ma'am?" The man's voice sounded soft but also authoritative as Mishka looked in to the man's eyes. It was definitely different from looking at a photo.

"Y-yeah." Mishka stuttered, genuinely starting to feel the effects of being soaked from head to toe. "N-normally I would've p-punched you for tackling m-me, but I-I don't think i can m-move my arms." The man released a small chuckle, making him look years younger. She couldn't help but smile too.

"Tell you what," Mishka hadn't noticed how close she had been standing to the man or how long she had been clutching onto his overcoat. "Let's get you looked at and warmed up and you can have a free shot. Deal?" She couldn't deny that this man was easy on the eyes or that he looked good with water droplets running downs his face, so she agreed, nodding her head already losing some feeling in her finger tips.

He was the first to move, pushing his legs through the freezing water as Mishka stiffly followed. He stepped over the concreted edge, both securing their arms to the other as he help the woman up, over and onto the path way.

He led Mishka over to a black suburban, opening the back door and pulling out a gray thermal blanket, only to wrap it around her shoulders. Mishka secured it around herself already starting to feel better, but then noticed the man close the door.

"What about you? You must be just as freezing as me?" He only glanced at her as he went around to the front pulling out a walkie.

"Keen, did you get Andrews?" There was a short buzzing noise, before a woman spoke from the other end denying his question. A sigh left the man as Mishka continued to watch him. He made a quick call before walking back to the woman. "I'll be fine. An ambulance is on their way. They're just gonna check you over, make sure you didn't get hurt from the fall."

"Thank you." Mishka smiled. "Even though you did just tackle me into a freezing cold fountain." The man chuckled, thinking he would probably never out live this once the team found out, but was brought back to the woman when she gasped.

"Shit." She cursed, running around the vehicle. The man frowned at her sudden changing following her.

"What's wrong?"

"My dogs. Well, my neighbor's dogs, but there gone." Mishka quickly spun around facing the agent. "They probably ran during the commotion. They could be miles away by now." The agent could see the distress in the womans eyes as she looked around. He couldn't help but feel the need to help her, even go searching for the k9s himself in his current state.

"I'll send word out to local shelter's. If they end up at any of them, I'll make sure you know the second they do." Mishka was surprised at his offer. She looked at him, his face held concern but also reassurance, causing Mishka to feel a sense of calmness.

It wasn't long after the an ambulance arrived. They were ordered by the man to check her first, as she was taken and seated in the back, but not before being given a shirt and sweat pants to change into. After a simple check over, the paramedics had told Mishka that she had taken a small hit to the head, which explained her forming headache. She was informed to stay warm for the rest of the day.

Mishka was just about done when she saw the agent walking towards her. He too was in a shirt, a pair of pants and his hair had almost completely dried, showing of his natural blonde. Mishka smile as he approached, still clutching the blanket he gave her.

"How are you feeling?" Mishka would like to think that he was asking that question because that's just something you do as a person. But coming from the man she had only just met, is sounded genuine.

"Warmer. They said the when you tackled me I must've hit me head on the bottom of the fountain. Nothing to major, though."

"If it makes you feel better this moment is probably gonna be over my head for a while. My team found it very amusing." Mishka smiled and so did the man.

"I never got you name or do you prefer 'man who tackled me into a fountain'?" He chuckled at the woman, slightly amused by her sense of humor.

"As nice as that sounds, I think I'll pass." He held out his hand. "Donald Ressler." She took it.

"Christina Levine, but people call me Chris." Donald found himself liking the name Christina a lot more, especially when he put it to her face. When they both came back to reality, they notice they were still holding each others hand. Mishka blushed as she looked down. "Well, I hope you find your guy. And when you do, punch him for me."

It was Donald who let out a chuckle. There was something about her that he like.

"Will do." He stood from leaning against the ambulance. They said their byes, even though it wouldn't be the last time they saw each other.

"Hey." Donald had only gotten a few yards before he turned back around, Mishka smiling at him. "I still own you that free shot to the face, Agent Ressler." Donald frowned, but still had a hit of amusement in his features.

"Who said anything about the face?"

"I promise it'll only hurt for a day or so." Don smiled, with a shake of his head, starting to walk backwards.

"I look forward to it." Mishka watched at he turned back around and walked away. She couldn't wipe the smile from her face and the EMTs finished up and allowed her to leave.

As an order by Donald, a officer escorted Mishka to her car a block way. She was quick to thank him as she got in and pulled into the line of traffic.