#nobody is obligated to tell you who they vote for

[breaking-everything]

Not Charlie Kirk Caillou looking headass crying about women voting Kamala Harris without telling their husbands.

He's ignoring the articles of his self-wussified conservative males getting irrationally violent when things don't go their way. Or maybe he wants people beaten and killed. A guy decapitated his father for Trump.

I once read that people obsessed with controlling others are people that don't have their shit together and can't control their own lives.

Something whiny little shits trying to control their wives and harassing poll workers like the Trumpie that slapped women on video for not letting his big baby ass wear his stupid fucking Trump fanoldfart hat, should think about and reflect on.

[morniealantiemornieutulie]

One day some shippers in this fandom will understand the difference between privacy and secrecy. That wanting to be with your partners, travel with them, have dates with them, enjoy concerts, plays, hotels or Soho houses doesn't negate that privacy. You're not invited to their homes, you're not invited to their talks, you're not invited to their moments even in a public space. And that if someone dated someone before being famous and it didn't get out, the reason is quite obvious: they were simply not famous enough and why would they mention someone and some relationships that don't exist any longer? One day they will understand these are real people, not characters. That Luke is not Colin and Nicola not Penelope. One day they will understand that nobody is playing games with them for promoting a show and to take things said about the characters as the characters, not the actors. There is nothing fake in doing clear, obvious PR for a show. One day they will understand they are not owed anything. That Nicola and Luke do not need to make some official public declaration that they are dating their partners, it's their lives, you're the ones who decided to want to be snooping around, so don't come with your frustration for actions that they have no obligation to take, specially when any sane person looks at their lives and see the answers. Nobody is playing games for dating their partners and wanting to be with them. Their partners are not playing games for being with them and doing what any normal partner does, showing to be with their bf and gf. One day they will understand that when Nicola says Luke is her friend, her pal, it means he is her friend. And that friends who experience an unique situation together, that makes a particular relationship different from any other, to have a unique relationship and it doesn't mean it's anything other than what she said: friendship. And there is love in friendships. No, she doesn't need to say just friends, why should she? Nor he does. I don't need to tell anyone my friends are just my friends when i call them friends or introduce them as my friends. One day they will understand that if you decide to read into things, distort and lie ( like saying she untags things romantically linking her to Jake when she doesnt; like saying Luke and Antonia broke up when people filming in rome for his movie followed her back and she's following them and she was in Italy with him, Like saying Nicola mentioned Luke without being asked when in the interview, for the ones that actually read and not just a quote, she was clearly asked, and even so, she said FRIEND), nobody is fooling you, you're fooling and playing yourself and getting angry for the situation you created. Then you lash out and get disappointed by your own narrative. One day you'll understand, unless you are malicious and sexist, that both Nicola and Luke are dating people in their 20s, Antonia is 23 and Jake is 24, and they are both in their 30s, so do not try to pretend one is different than the other. And if you don't want to date someone of 23 and of 24, you do you, but you don't get to try to tell how adults live their lives. They can vote, they can drive, pay taxes, go to jail, get married, be professionals responsible for people's health and safety but somehow you question decision making for dating. One day you'll understand that Nicola and Luke are individuals, that if you are in this fandom it's because at some point they gave you happiness, so if you can't be sane enough to be happy for them with their loved ones, give it back supporting or at least respecting. Leave then, if you can't do it. For all the moments of happiness these people gave you, give them consideration to just stop talking about them. Or be mature enough to not reduce these people to whom they date, it's only a part of whole complex individuals. One day...

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - December 8 - Week 49

Thank you so much for voting last week! You’ve got a tiny bit of time before the poll closes, so if you haven’t had a chance to yet, go ahead and do so! I’m excited about the new year and what we’re gonna be doing. 

Ok, here’s this week’s recs. 

~ 

The Boyfriend by FestiveFerret

Tony has been using The Boyfriend to get out of work obligations for a year now, but there's one fairly significant problem:

The Boyfriend doesn't exist.

Trust Fall by Sineala

Tony needs someone who cares about him, bandages, a jacket, ibuprofen, dinner, a lasting romantic relationship, a nice time in bed, and assistance committing federal crimes. He gets them. In that order.

lead up the garden path by gottalovev 

They cannot live openly, but Sheriff Steve Rogers has found love with Tony Stark, Timely's blacksmith and inventor. He thought everything was going well, until their friend Carol Danvers comes back from Washington with her sister Jessica and everything changes.

we've a lot of starving faithful by dizzydreamer

It’s not a particularly good line, and yet- Steve’s whole body flushes. He can smell the aftershave Tony uses, bergamot and leather; His breath catches on the shell of Steve's ear, and the low rumble of Tony's voice warms his belly.

Steve looks around, feeling caught out, but nobody’s paying attention to them. He thinks someone should be noticing this- that if people were looking, that would mean something was really happening.

‘I love you,’ Steve wants to say, ‘I’m sorry.’

(Everyone thinks Steve and Tony are in love. They are, of course- if only they could just tell each other)

Mechanical Heart by Albuss 

Steve didn't run away to be found, but he was.

[the-sky-the-stars-the-sea]

So as many of you’se prolly know, today is the Kentucky Derby. Me an’ me grandfadda are bettin’ on horses together. I tells him I got a hot tip on the fourth, Catching Freedom. What do youse think?

For all youse who vote, I’m much obliged. I will reblog this here post when I gets an answer.

(P.S. would love ta hear opinions of fellow gamblers on which horses youse think are gon’ win in da comments)

[syrips]

cw: politics

for those stressed out,

for those stressed out about voting, feeling guilt tripped, or overwhelmed by it all.

as bad as it sounds, you are not legally obligated to vote. sure, the media, a political party, or even your social group may peer pressure you and make it feel like the responsibility of innocents and political actions are all in your hands,

but, at the end of the day, none of these bad actions that led to these situations are your fault. these are the faults of others, who are trying to project that responsibility all onto you. this is the result of decades, if not centuries, of systems exploiting everyone, including you, into making voting and doing the morally good thing, as hard work. they made it an obstacle for people like you to put in the energy and strain just to get change to happen.

it is not your fault systems are corrupted like this. it is not your fault if you feel too overwhelmed, sick, stressed, confused, to vote.

do not blame yourself, please.

i personally am going to vote, but i am constantly reminding myself that i am not obligated to. that, at the very last moment, i can just turn around and leave. i am telling myself that it is not something i am forced to do, but something that i want to do, even through the discomfort of it all.

but, i have the control and option to vote, or not vote. i wont guilt myself if it becomes overwhelming at the last moment, or if i have an anxiety attack at the polls. i can step out and leave.

i tell myself, i am not required to vote, i will, but i am not required to vote. i have the control to enter, and leave, at any time. i have the control to vote early, or vote on the day. but i have this control, nobody else.

this is your power and your control. give yourself the rest, comfort, and affirmations you deserve. you do not have to vote. you are not a bad person if you do or dont vote. the voting system is intentionally draining, and your feelings are valid.

be proud of yourself for being brave, for going through this ugly, stressful situation. i am proud of you. thank you for caring enough to where this makes it such an overwhelming feeling, but please, voting should be fun, exciting, or at the very least, feel good.

make sure it feels good to you in some way. you deserve it!

and, be gentle and kind to yourself, please. you deserve it.

[tobiasdrake]

Part of the reason I love Ken's journey is just. Like. As a conservative-raised AMAB with gender stuff and something something aroace spectrum, I get it. I've been where Ken's been.

I come from very conservative roots. My family voted for Bush twice and was proud of it. My family believes the Iraq War was a national badge of honor. My dad married his best friend's daughter as soon as she graduated from high school. My mom voted for Trump because she was mad that the Mexican family down the road had a nicer truck than hers and wanted retaliation.

This is the environment I grew up in. This is where I come from.

And I remember being a 16-year-old boy living in my grandparents' basement. That's where I lived through high school because me and my dad's wife (three years older than me) didn't get along. So my grandparents' home became my home, and the basement became my room. I had the entire basement to myself.

It was nice. My friends were over constantly, and that was how I lived. I just had my own space where me and my friends could play video games and watch movies and hang out and be happy. I loved every minute of it. I was so happy in that basement. It was all I really wanted out of life.

But it wasn't enough. Because I also had all of these pressures. This can't last forever. You're at that age. You have to start making some changes to your life. And these weren't external pressures; Nobody was telling me things. They were just. Like. Things that I knew were right, because that's what I'd been taught. There's a roadmap from childhood to adulthood.

Can't watch Sailor Moon anymore. That's for girls.

Can't play Tomb Raider. What are you, gay? That's for girls.

Can't stay in this basement with your friends. You gotta get a girlfriend. You need to get married some day. Doesn't matter who. Find a girl.

That was the big one. That one had haunted me for most of my childhood. Find a girl. Doesn't matter what girl. Just find one. If you can't find one then you are a failure as a man. Back when I was in kindergarten, I was already trying to convince the girls to be my girlfriend. I didn't even know why I wanted one. I just knew that it was what you're supposed to do. You're a failure if you can't.

It should come as no surprise that girls didn't like me much in school. After all, I treated them like Romance Prospects, not like people. And that, in turn, made me not like them very much either. Made me rather hostile to them, in fact. I was angry. I was hurt.

"Why are you DENYING me my validation as a human being!?"

I could easily have fallen down a Manosphere rabbit hole, just like Ken did. It wouldn't have made me happy. It didn't make Ken happy. It doesn't make any of those Manosphere bros happy; They've just accepted a cultist ideology to justify why they're so unhappy.

I'm 36 now.

Do you know where I am?

I live in a two-bedroom apartment with friends that I love. We have our own little social group that comes in and out of here, as well as our own little corner of the world that's just for us. A space where we can play video games and watch movies and just hang out, with no further expectations or obligations or social requirements.

And I am very, very happy.

It took a lot of looking inward, a lot of self-improvement, and a lot of personal growth. But I found my horses. I hope Ken finds his some day.

[convertgrapeling]

Why you should consider not voting - UK general election 2024

Overall, voting has limited power. You cannot vote to end capitalism or dismantle white supremacy. Nobody capable of enacting serious change will ever be given the chance to do so by party political systems.

Even within the limited scope of parliamentary politics, your vote has a limited ability to influence anything. This is partly because of the first past the post system and partly because MPs are generally compelled to vote with their party in the Commons. It's also because the options in British politics range from "centrist weirdos" to "openly fascist." There is no genuine choice here.

You should not feel compelled to vote for something you don't want out of a sense of obligation. You have every right to opt out of party politics, especially if you would rather channel your attention to more useful action like protest or direct action. Imagine if everyone who went out canvassing or posting leaflets instead decided to organise for Palestine or the NHS - these are far more useful things to do with your time.

The idea that you cannot do harm by voting is incorrect. A comfortable majority for any party is a bad thing. Labour will win this election but we shouldn't help them get a landslide.

Some people argue that if you can't choose a party you want to vote for, you should turn up anyway and spoil the ballot. Personally, I don't think there's any real difference between spoiling the ballot and simply not voting. Both are valid.

The argument about how people "fought and died for our right to vote" is irrelevant because those people wanted your vote to be meaningful. Under a capitalist system where media owners and right-wing business interests dominate the agenda, your vote is largely meaningless. Pretending otherwise only distracts us from more important actions we could be taking.

If you insist on voting, my recommendation is to vote based on whichever local independent candidate is calling for a ceasefire. It is completely legitimate to treat the genocide in Gaza as the main political issue in this election, because people who cannot be depended on to oppose a genocide cannot be trusted on anything.

"It's privileged people who are telling you not to vote." This is nonsense. Tactical voting is a behaviour predominantly associated with middle class voters, and the most marginalised people in this country are more likely to abstain from voting.

"You clearly don't care about people who will be killed by the collapsing NHS, benefit cuts, transphobic legislation, etc." I do care and that's why I don't wait for an opportunity to vote before taking action on these things. In my experience, people who are most self-righteous about voting are people who don't make an effort the rest of the time. If you feel an obligation to take action, don't wait for an election.

Voting Labour is no different from voting Tory nowadays. They have Rachel Reeves telling us she will be harsher on benefit claimants than the Tories. They have Wes Streeting telling us that he was wrong to say "trans women are women" in the past. They have Keir Starmer telling us that black people in the UK have nothing to fear from the police. Labour have turned down chances to oppose the Tories on so many major issues. They have openly said they will not reverse austerity. They have told us who they are and we should listen.

Over 230,000 people in the UK died from COVID-19 and no politician cares because the media has moved on. That should tell you all you need to know about this system: these people despise you.

Many people are still voting on the same basis they voted on decades ago, whereby they don't like Labour but they think Labour is still preferable to the Tories. This is outdated thinking. Voting for Labour now means rewarding them for their dramatic lurch to the right, ensuring that the country as a whole continues sliding to the right.

In addition to this, Labour have repeatedly said that they don't want leftists voting for them, so that's fine with me. Again: they despise you.

British politics is not going to be pushed to the left. We tried this from 2015 to 2019 and it only resulted in our political centre moving further to the right, with horrible consequences. Stop putting your energy and time into this system.

I am not participating in the pattern of continually getting absorbed in pointless discussions about which politicians are worse behaved, who is least trustworthy, what they are saying in debates, what's in the manifestos, etc. It's all irrelevant. This is all I'm saying on the issue of this election and I've already heard all the counter-arguments, so save your breath.

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

"Anon, I am not in the business of telling people what they should do"

Are you really under the impression that you don't tell people what to do here?

Here's some examples of you doing just that:

- saying nobody should ever talk to the Sun

- saying everyone in the UK should vote Labour

- saying Harry and Louis are racist employers and should have people of colour as their managers or songwriters, sharing profits

- saying the male members of H's band should all wear gender neutral garments, not suits

- saying the 1d guys are wasting their time tweeting charity or aid links

Oh there's so much to say to this anon. Starting with - I don't know where you got that quote from. I didn't say it this month.

My worldview is that it's very difficult to navigate this world - and people's circumstances and options vary hugely. Therefore I really disagree with a politics or mode of being that tells people how to live their life. The starting point always has to be that people are the best decision makers in their own life.

There are a couple of exceptions to this - times when I think it is OK to talk about what people should do when living their own life. The first is never cross a picket line (which includes observing boycotts, when they're called by people organising against their oppression). If people have collectively organised against their exploitation and have asked you to support their struggle by not doing a particular action - you have an absolute obligation not to do it. It doesn't matter what's going on in your life, it doesn't matter what hardship it will cause (the solution to hardship is to ask for help, rather than cross the picket line).

The second is political organising - I have no problem with the use of the imperative voice when it's 'Vote Yes to Repeal the 8th' or 'Come to a protest'. However, in these circumstances I would not talk about what people should do, which is a stronger way of framing it. There will always be reasons why people can't come to a protest - or to vote. The appropriate pitching here isn't 'you should...', but 'what do you need so that you can...'

The other part of all this is that I think it's really important to differentiate between when people are living their lives and when they are exercising power. I have absolutely no problem talking about what people should and shouldn't do when it comes to exercising power, although I think it's important to define that quite narrowly. I am basically thinking the power of employers and the power of the state. I think it's not just reasonable, but necessary to talk about what employers and the state should and shouldn't do. And I think it's perfectly reasonable to talk about should, when it comes to people who are asking the state or employers to exercise their power.

*********

I'll get to the specific examples in the minute. But the other part of this is boundaries. There is a really important difference between disagreeing with or criticising something, and explicitly saying that you think that your views mean that that thing should change. I think respecting the boundary between having opinions and expecting the whole world to pivot around them is very important. I'm pretty careful with my language and I don't say that

******

To get to your specific examples:

Yes, you're right, nobody should ever talk to the Sun, see point about respecting boycotts (but even then I think I mostly expressed it in terms of - Harry speaking to the Sun is a sign that he isn't showing solidarity with the people of Liverpool).

Obviously far more important than the question of telling people what to do is being really really clear that I said that people should vote Labour only in the 2017 and 2019 elections. It's unlikely to come up again. I explained why advocating for political action is not the same as telling people how to live their lives.

Harry and Louis are racist employers. And I want to make two points - saying 'Harry and Louis are racist employers' is not telling them what to do. In addition, I would have no problem with someone saying "Harry and Louis should stop discriminating against women and non-white people as employers". I'm sure I've said something like that - but I think I'm more likely to say things like 'if they wanted to stop discriminating, this is what they could do'.

I have definitely made no comments about what any members of Harry's band should wear. And I haven't said that people should wear gender neutral clothes. I have noted the fact that all evidence points to Harry's band being given a gendered dress code before 2022.

I don't think that 1D members are wasting their time posting charity links - and I haven't said that (what I think is much more complicated than that as I've made clear). But also saying that I think someone is wasting their time doing things - isn't telling them what to do (particularly said in a forum they're not even in).

It's really important to me, that people understand the difference between having an opinion and wanting to control the world around you. I've had a string of anons, including this one, which don't seem to understand.

[alarajrogers]

You're also looking at the problem the wrong way.

The US has treaties with Israel that obligate us to provide Israel military support. Any US President who isn't derelict in their duties has to follow our treaties and agreements. Trump, being derelict in his duties, was willing to abandon allies when it suited him, such as Ukraine, and that has hurt America's trustworthiness to other countries... but Trump is in favor of destroying the Palestinians completely. Trump thinks genocide is fun. Biden thinks it's awful but feels like his hands are tied.

In order to stop giving Israel military support, we have to either break or modify the treaty, but all treaties have to be ratified by Congress and as anyone paying attention to politics can tell, right now the House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, is a clown car that will refuse to do anything that might help any of Biden's agendas.

There is no such thing as a Democrat or third party candidate who can unilaterally refuse to support Israel without harming America's ability to negotiate any treaties (thus making it impossible for us to use our power to stop any other genocides or negotiate peace.) There is such a thing as candidates who can lie about it. But once they get into power, they are limited by political realities. (Which sound awful until you remember how much political realities constrained the horrible shit Trump wanted to do.)

What we need to do is pressure our entire government to renegotiate treaties with Israel (and, frankly, all our allies), to say "We will rescind all military support if you start indiscriminately murdering civilians via a military campaign." (Don't say genocide, people will argue with you about whether it counts as genocide or not. "Murdering civilians" is specific enough.) Why don't we have such clauses already? Among other reasons, the fact that nobody expects their friends to start killing innocent people.

Biden does not have the power to unilaterally say "Ok, Israel, you're on your own." Not without damaging America's ability to negotiate any treaties whatsoever. He has, however, flat out told Netanyahu "if you keep this up we are going to have to withdraw support", and Netanyahu sulked off and wouldn't talk to him. (This happened in January. It was news.) He is trying to pressure Israel into a ceasefire, but Netanyahu was just handed a pretext by Hamas to do what he has wanted to do for decades; he's not going to give up his dream of completely eradicating Palestinian presence in Gaza and taking it over for Israeli settlers easily. (I don't mind saying this, Netanyahu is a genocidal bastard and always has been.)

So no. You do not get to vote for a presidential candidate who will magically manage to get US involvement out of supporting Israel's attack on Palestinian civilians. That cannot happen. You can vote for a candidate who is continuing to support Israel because our treaties with them say he has to, but who has made it very clear to them that he does not approve, is trying to negotiate a cease fire, and if pushed far enough might break the treaty, or you can not vote, and thus tacitly approve a candidate who would probably approve using nukes on Palestine because he's just that stupid and bloodthirsty. Or you can vote for a third party candidate who's lying to you about what they can accomplish in office, which also basically supports Trump getting into power.

You know I used to think "tumblr's absolute refusal to actually engage with the Trolley Problem in favor of insisting that there must be a third, morally pure option that doesn't require them to make a hard decision and anyone who asks them to make a binary choice is just a short-sighted idiot is really fucking annoying, but I guess it's not actually doing any harm".

Anyway that was before we asked tumblr at large to decide between "guy aiding a genocide but making progress elsewhere" and "guy who would actively and enthusiastically participate in a genocide and would also make everything else much, much worse for everyone elsewhere" and the response was that there must be a third, morally pure option that doesn't require them to make a hard decision and that anyone who asks them to make a binary choice is a short-sighted idiot.

[anthonybialy]

Jerky Knee-Jerk Reactions

We’re close to seeing if liberals will pretend to care about debt.  The sole benefit of a potential very soft Trump reboot is seeing the resistance offer no such thing.  Surrendering their ideals is kind-of a principles.  A philosophy based on rejecting the claims of a loudmouth who hasn’t thought of the next word he’ll say is nearly as reactionary.

Nobody’s entitled to entitlements despite sworn foes agreeing they are Social Security is an awful mandatory obligation that leads to a pittance that bankrupts both individuals and the nation, but it’s a sweet deal otherwise.  The alleged greatest businessman can’t sniff out the worst possible investment.  I wonder if it’s part of a trend.

The math is rather imprecise.  Trump is an ’80s movie villain with a ‘30s-style devotion to telling you what you’re not allowed to buy.  That equals a 100 percent devotion to tariffs.  Being able to buy anything from around the world is one of the most basic rights with the most obvious positives, and it’s naturally despised as an America-punching swindle in the silliest time.

There’s nothing free about these markets.  Yet the tax limiting choice not involving pre-empting a baby’s life is despised by liberals who wave their copies of Atlas Shrugged while demanding the right to open commerce.  If Trump is a trick to fooling enemies of the economy into embracing selling, I apologize.

Lack of creativity in every sense is a common trait.  Those who view politics as a cult of personality will inform you of your RINO status without a care for pathetic replies featuring evidence.  A dedication to negativity comes naturally.  It’s much easier to say everyone else sucks than to figure how to remove suckiness.

Condemning both sides is too easy, so let’s do that.  Being above it all is easy when these are the factions below.  Suckers so committed to Trump that they’ll stick with him even after his term still genuflect to the embodiment of crude nastiness while he reaffirms his commitment to spending trillions we don’t have on junk we don’t want.  Meanwhile, point out to Democrats who adores redistributing money that hasn’t even been confiscated yet so they start believing in free markets.

The party that believes in America’s promise no longer trying anything wild like inspiring people to create.  The erstwhile loose gathering of individuals turned communal in every aspect, which is the sort of bipartisan agreement that should horrify the wise and decent.

Residing in a hive is popular amongst fans of the state who need to be ordered around to feel whole.  We could get liberals to stop believing in coerced cooperation by gesturing to Trump crowds and pointing out they’re just Obama fans who can’t conceal seething.

Investing everything in someone who’s lost it all is about trust.  Who could know more about the downfall of finances?  Only Nixon could go to China just like only someone who lost money operating roulette wheels could lead us into more debt.  A frequent declarer of bankruptcy is not the sort of expert needed right now.  Democrats may as well have the notion in their platform, and they may get exactly the leader they demand in the funniest way possible.

Faith in a person leads to thinking same individual will repair society.  Now, that sounds like both parties.  At least one should dissent just for variety.  A pitiful imitation won’t fool voters who want genuine grifting.  Co-opting Democratic notions won’t convince their minions to switch votes to what they hate most.  But at least doing so leads to ghastly results if Republicans are able to sneak into office by virtue of being marginally less awful.  Donald Trump is what would’ve happened if Bill Clinton pretended to care about business.

There’s nothing tricky like finding someone who both wants to be president and doesn’t want attention.  But a Republican should want to let others live as they wish, unlike the ironic RINO who showed how far life can get away from intentions.  Removing barriers so people can fix the economy through trade and crime through self-defense would barely involve the president at all.  Does that sound like Trump?  It’s a rhetorical question in the opposite way his rather committed devotees think.

Life will remain miserable, so there’s good news of those who fear change.  Discarding that irksome desire for autonomy will continue no matter which president from any party claims they’ll make you rich by decree.  Not just believing whatever one particular person claims is the great thing about having principles.  Worshiping at a cult of personality doesn’t count.

We’ve been through this before.  The only thing worse than inevitable pain is the avoidable kind.  The country walked right into the ceiling fan.  Living through a presidency so regrettable that it allowed Joe Biden to become one himself wasn’t lesson enough.

Negativity feels nice for about three seconds, which is why addicts can’t stop indulging in it.  The sole purpose of dissenters remains ticking off the libs.  That may not get the economy purring.  True aggravation of Democrats would take the form of achieving policy goals they loathe.  But there’s zero chance the ghastly handouts intrinsic to keeping subjects hooked on government will cease.

Trump may be a trick to get Democrats to oppose Democratic policies.  All it took was a soft reboot of a hardheaded aspiring strongman.  If Republicans were that clever, they wouldn’t have nominated Trump.

The republic’s best hope is turning liberals into Thomas Sowell enthusiasts because the Republican spends like Barack Obama on a bender.  Political performers couldn’t list their philosophy unless it means adulating or despising Trump.  To summer camp color war participants, that’s all enmity takes.  Having nothing but hating what those you hate like embodies childishness, which is why the country’s not growing up.

[noctomania]

Nobody benefits from you withholding your vote. Make your voice heard in all elections.

Election interference is ramping up again. Here are the rules of voting:

Everyone has one vote.

You must be registered to vote ahead of time. How to ensure that is the case: here.

Voting is PRIVATE. You are not obligated to tell anyone who you vote for. (I may discourage advertising it due to it turning people into a target for election interference)

Votes cannot be bought.

There is a significant portion of the population that has their vote denied for various reasons. Use your privilege. Voting should be a right, and though it is advertised as such, it clearly is treated as a privilege. Do not take that for granted.

I spent many years not voting. It did nothing. As doing nothing tends to result in nothing getting done, go figure. Before I was even of the age to vote I knew how much politicians will lie and obfuscate things because they are just trying to get people on their side. It is less about what they say and more about what they do.

When you are in a labor union, you pay dues and vote on what those dues are, how they are used, who is in charge of those dues, etc. This is very much like how we pay taxes and vote for who is in charge of those taxes. It makes no sense to be paying taxes and then forego your voice in who directs those taxes.

Change doesn't happen by refusing to act. It happens when you make your voice heard BEYOND elections. If you tell a politician you aren't going to vote for them, they won't give a damn what you have to say because you aren't invested. Take your seat at the table.

Vote.

Also FYI there is an option to report election interference so if you see it please do so. We don't need foreign influence in our elections.

[rauthschild]

Black Federal citizens have no Natural and Unalienable Rights afforded to them. This is as true for U.S. Citizens as it is for citizens of the United States. They have no protection provided by the Constitutions. They have no right to free speech, to own land, or much of anything else.

They are modern day slaves, indentured servants, or both.

The slaves have "equal civil rights" until one of the Masters takes their civil rights away, as Donald Trump did in 2020 with the stroke of a pen.

The indentured servants have "human rights" until they are redefined as "transhumans" and "GMO patentable commodities" after receiving undisclosed injections of patented mRNA.

Both citizenries are obligated to live under the limits and constraints of their respective Constitutions, but have no constitutional guarantees.

The Constitutions are the Civil Rights Negroes, Black Judges and Black Lawyers' meal tickets and service contracts, which is why they hold the Constitutions in such veneration. This is why they talk about the Constitution day and night and also why they seek ways to avoid their obligations and duties under it.

These men and women "acting as" public employees have been in a state of rebellion and insurrection since the so-called Civil War, but nobody noticed that they were, steadily, year after year, secretly undermining the Autochthonous American Government, illegally accessing American credit, and evading their duties.

Hardly anyone noticed their stealthy misdirection and malfeasance and coercion, but it has been there nonetheless.

So when you hear about election fraud impacting their elections and nobody seems to do anything about it, and you see that their "Supreme Court" is taking away their "right" to free speech (because civil rights have been suspended by DJT or because they lost their standing as "humans" and their human rights once they took the mRNA shots) and their CONGRESS votes to sign treaties giving away their right to control their own bodies to another nameless faceless corporation calling itself the World Health Organization ---- realize what is going on, realize who this impacts and why.

Make sure that you are standing on the land and soil of your own Autochthonous country and are recorded as being in your proper political status when the curtain comes down. Make sure you can defend your position as an Autochthonous American, so that all this wrong-doing and evil cannot be misapplied to you.

And for God's sake, share this information, so that Autochthonous Black and Brown Americans can stop calling themselves "citizens" of these foreign entities, and Black Public Employees can grasp the importance of what I am telling them, too. All the lies and deceits from the Civil War until now are all coming home to roost.

If you have to quit your job to retain your rights, quit your job. If you have to move back home to Bellevue, move. Whatever you have to do to assert, re-establish, and maintain your identity as a plain old Autochthonous American --- do so. It's more important and more precious than you know.

[daddyd0nt]

Not everyone can give financial support, that doesn’t mean they support the cause any less. I’m a disabled person on SSI. I don’t get to vote with my dollar. I don’t get to choose to bring my own lunch to save money because I wasn’t eating out in the first place. My $5 does a lot more good to my homeless disabled friends who need a hot drink and a granola bar from the 7/11 to get through the 3 hour bus ride to the food pantry and back than it does to a fundraiser that needs tens of thousands of dollars.

“Why are the people closest to the genocide the ones sacrificing the most?” Literally because you have a responsibility first to your own community? You need water in your own cup before you can pour it into anybody else’s. My very limited resources are of course going to go first to my loved ones living in poverty with me and while they still need more than I can help them with I’m not going to further stretch my resources for a stranger.

Telling people to prove their loyalty to a cause by giving money is classist af, you are creating a system where the people with the most resources get to be considered the most dedicated and offering no practical way for somebody without money to spare to participate meaningfully in the cause. $5 might not sound like a lot to you, that’s almost double what my food stamps give me to buy groceries for an entire day. There are plenty of people in America who can spare $100. There are people who can spare $1000000. If they give $5 when they could give more is their contribution more noble than the involvement of somebody with literally no money to spare?

Like I said some of us are not privileged enough to have dollars to vote with. I’m absolutely sick of this attitude I’m seeing more and more on the left where poor people are literally being priced out of activism. Your $5 would do a lot better going to your local unhoused mentally ill drug addict standing outside the gas station that you try not to make eye contact every day than it would toward trying to reach a goal of tens of thousands. If you have money to donate to both then do it but the idea that you have more of an obligation to strangers on the other side of the planet than to vulnerable people in your own immediate community is straight up bourgeois nonsense. If you are giving to these kind of fundraisers and not doing as much or more for the vulnerable in your own community you don’t actually want to help people, you want to buy your way onto a trendy bandwagon and make yourself feel better about something in the news that upset you.

A stranger in another country won’t remember me or what I gave but my godkids will sure as fuck remember a Christmas with no presents (and presents this year for all the kids are coming from 5below we adults prolly won’t exchange anything I’m not saving up for Black Friday I’m trying to have a minimal participation in the customs of my culture to keep things feeling semi-normal for the kids). It’s kind of disgusting to try and guilt poor people into squeezing and going without even more than we already do when there are rich people who could give comfortably not doing it. Demand the money from millionaires and business/property owners and people with boats and summer houses who could support the entire campaign with no stress to their lifestyle instead of trying to guilt poor people into being more uncomfortable to add a negligible single drop to the bucket.

I want to help Palestine. I would LOVE for resources to let me know where I could donate my time. Nobody wants volunteers (I’ve asked. A LOT.) everywhere just wants money and tells you that is the only meaningful way you can help. I’m ABSOLUTE horrified by ethnic cleansing, but you can’t squeeze blood out of a brick, the resources to contribute financially literally do not exist. I shouldnt have to prove my moral position on genocide financially.

like i dont mean this in an aggressive way and i think it is an amazing and worthy cause and anybody who has a dime to donate after helping the vulnerable in their own community should 100% do so but where are the opportunities for activism by the poor? Protests, volunteer work, news articles to boost on social media, politicians to vote for, craft circles/supply collection drives to join and donate supplies, etc like im dead serious im not being rhetorical at all if you have any leads on anything that can be done to help without donating cash I want to see it I want so badly to help and be involved but like its actually causing me real distress to read posts like this and hear over and over again that as a poor person im not allowed to make a meaningful contribution to the effort. that because Im poor theres nothing I can do to stop or slow the horrors going on in any way. it really must feel beautiful to be able purchase your ethics, like how people must have felt buying indulgences from the catholic church

Not gonna lie, I'm a bit tired to see the constant argument that people on Tumblr do not have money to donate anymore . We're getting into the Christmas season, with people buying gifts and preparing for Black Friday yet no one can spare to give $5 to a fundraiser ?

I'm always thinking about what the team @/gazafunds posted on twitter, about how they started packing their own lunch and giving up on many things to be able to donate to fundraisers, on top of working endlessly to verify campaigns, making an managing their website etc. Why do the people most affected by the genocide are the one making the most sacrifices ? Even if you are not Arab and/or Palestinian, shouldn't you feel horrified all the same by an ethnic cleansing?

No one is asking for Tumblr users to stop their life and never buy anything ever again, but I find it very concerning to see Palestinian work to the bone to vet and support fundraisers while most people just don't care and reblog "free Palestine" posts without doing anything substantial.

It's not too late to help though. Many people would benefit from getting help, one of them being Shahed (@shahdhatem) for who donations are getting even more scarce. She's one of the kind souls who spent her time during the last year supporting other victims of genocide by treating injuries, distributing food and teaching children who couldn't go to school anymore. Please consider helping her and her family get through these horrors by donating .

Donate here | Commissions in exchange of donations | Vetted by @/nabulsi

Also please check out @/gazafunds site and sudanfunds.

[survivor-marieta-islands]

Episode 11: "we plan and G-d (the new schoolers inability to keep it together) laughs"—Jinx

Amy

not jinx saying they felt abandoned at merge (aka when I left for my roadtrip) and that they were hearing things I was saying (mostly hairie lol from what jinx relayed) but I'm also like huh what did I say lol like the only one who knows anything of worth is raffy tbh like I haven't been online enough to be too messy but I have now today learned that talking to people generally counts as leaking information? Idk but I think jinx's worry was when ppl were asking me who I was close to I wasn't saying jinx every time but also I wouldn't? I don't give complete info to ppl I just start talking to but it's actually so funny i was just saying huh I don't think I've lied in this game like sure left out info but I have been so busy it's hard to like sit down and speak to each person in the unique ways for each personality. But *flips hair* I'd love to hear what the people are saying about me.

Trinica

Hairie got an idol 😭 and here I am, once again holding info I feel obligated not to share. Raffy will probably want to vote for Hairie or Arvin next I could tell Hairie if it's him and get him to idol out Zo maybe? We'll see.

I'm lowkey hinting to Brandi and Raffy that Hairie COULD have something just so they're like not overly confident about voting him out. But now they want to pool money to buy merch and I don't necessarily want to give up my money to give Raffy an idol...but I gotta be a team player!

Raffy

I’m so bad at hunting in this idol hunt.

Brandi

JAY WHAT IS GOING ON

Raffy

Now, I’m just fearful that Hairie has an idol which probably means he’s gonna idol me out cause I called him out in the alliance chat. Ah well. You do it to yourself sometimes. My plan now is just to target Arvin and see where that gets me. I don’t have the confidence to flush something out at this moment.

Amy

jinx threw a vote when where ahahahahahaha

anyway earlier I was just messing with hairie 's mind for entertainment talking in circles asking "how do you define leaky 🤔"

entertain me y'all 😭

Brandi

I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT

Amy

I didn't do well on that challenge but I tried lol

Congratulations Brandi and your husband's film degree 👏

Anyhoozits wouldn't it be fun to just stir up some chaos and see if I can survive

Zo

Now that Clefford is gone it feels like mayhaps we shall be returning to old yellers vs new kids on the block. With the even split i’m worried nobody will be organized enough to try and shake things up in time for tribal and we’ll end up with a tie vote. Maybe i’ll go start some drama for fun 😘

Trinica

Fuuuuuuuuuh--

I am STUCK in the middle with YOU!!!! You being Hairie, Brandi, and Raffy. My F4 that splintered because Hairie leaked so much then lied to Raffy about it (allegedly).

As we speak, Raffy is telling me to approach Jinx about voting for Zo. BUT Zo is finally talking game with me pre-tribal and wants to save Hairie. Who, incidentally, just got a SECOND idol, only this one is a cursed one and will reveal all the votes at tribal council when played. So he'll probably play it tonight, because Zo told him his name is out there. Which means tonight, I will be EXPOSED if I don't play this so so carefully.

I truly don't know what I'm gonna do tonight. I'm trying to put the vote back on Hairie, because if Zo is willing to work together for a bit, that's a good thing. And if Hairie has a successful idol play, and I need to vote him out, it'll be all the easier to do so later once he has a(n even bigger) target on his back. Plus I'm not ready for him to go now that he's being honest with me again. Then I vote Hairie, he plays his idol, he takes out...idk, Adeline maybe? And we move on from there, with me not looking like I'm playing both sides.

I wasn't trying to play both sides! Why do my allies always turn on each other!

Hairie

Scene It Challenge

This was the challenge I knew I could not win because it's just a tough one for me personally. What I did want out of this was to be in the top half so I can get some coins. AND THAT I DID.

Post Clefford vote

He gave me his snow globe, 35 coins, and some heartfelt words. I was genuinely shocked with the goodies and even more with the final words. Clefford I know you're a good person and I hope we can reconnect post game about this. Love you Kuya <3

Idol hunting

I already managed to snag an idol from the festival stand. So all that's left to do was find the other idol that is not in the marketplace. Today (5th September) got on call with Trinica to catch up and that we were worried no names are out there yet. While doing idol hunting live, I took a risk and it was REWARDING because I FOUND AN IDOL on my 4th hunt attempt. Like woah !!

And right on queue even when Zo (we've both not talk game at this point) came to me and said she's heard my name and wanted to keep me and work together. She also told me she's heard Arvin's name and that her name was also circulating out there. I was shock about her name.

Raffy then told me they've also heard Arvin's, my name and Zo's.

Oh I also bought a festival merch from Raffy and gifted it to him to repair our trust.

Quoting Zo's word: "Adeline is the one who told me and sort of alluded that trinica said it but i don’t think that would be true? "

Quoting Adeline from a couple of rounds ago: "I honestly hairie just don’t know what’s going on, and i feel pretty much like i can’t play with you or trinica individually because you’ve made it clear that you are a strong duo regardless of the tension, and that things will be leaked in between y’all. It doesn’t make me wanna be honest with either of you, it doesn’t make me feel like a valued number at all. And i said the same to trinica but i feel like I’m floating on a boat rn lol"

I of course immediately exchange notes with Trinica. We've discussed about us not having any game talks with Zo but there was never a mention of pushing Zo's name. In fact other people were telling us to watch out for Zo. (I can't remember who I heard it from).

This round:

Jinx prefers Arvin but Arvin is a number for me and Trinica (we've made it known to people).

I think Colin going is better for my game and Trinica's. The problem with that is that nobody but Jinx is receptive to the idea (for this round). Plus I don't want to make Raffy mad at me or us.

Knowing this, it would be good to convince Jinx that keeping Arvin here would be beneficial for them too because Arvin will be a number to vote for Colin when Jinx wants to.

Adeline wants me gone and is very anti Hairie and Trinica - According to Raffy and what his POV is from convos with Adeline in DMs.

Zo has shown that she want me around and sharing this information.

The middleground that we all can meet at this point is to vote for Adeline. And I'm not oppose to the idea so I hope it works.

I have not heard from Amy, Colin, Brandi, Adeline or Arvin (3am 6th September SGT).

I have to catch a call with Zo and Jinx separately. Then a call with the host pets chat.

We're gonna get it, get it together, I know I'm gonna get it, get it together somehow

Raffy

Trinica and I have landed on an Adeline name because Adeline is throwing Trinica under the bus AND they are getting close with Zo and Colin, which has us concerned. We do not want a powerful trio to be able to topple our own. I think I got Amy on board and we are working on Jinx. We were gonna do Zo, but we decided against it since Jinx gave some push back. And next round we are just gonna do Arvin to appease people and get out a goat. We shall see how this all ends up.

Amy

Ugh raffy said a move on Adeline? 👀 Bc apparently Adeline is closer w zo and Colin and I'm like isn't that good? And I was chatting w zo and she was like Adeline said my name? And then I went to Trin like these are the names I've heard and they were like Adeline made up that they heard Zo's name from trinica? And can I be SO HONEST HERE there's a GLARING PATTERN of EVERYONE hearing things from trinica that are "made up" and then trinica just votes them out 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 it's giving creating your own villain character so others aim that way, the classic move. But anyway apparently trinica was talking with Brandi and raffy about the Adeline vote. Personally I'm fine with voting Arvin here take a number from Trinica. And tbh I'd also be fine voting hairie out with his nonsense of reporting directly and immediately to trinica who is openly trying to make me distrust him. Tbh I might just throw a vote on trinica here "rumors only grow" but like I'm glad I look clueless and out of the circle and out of the line of fire but y'all I guess we just have to wait and see until raffy and trinica fight it out??? bc at this point I feel like those are the puppet masters. I want Trinica OUT I'm scared to SPEAK to ANYONE and have them make me a villain for funsies. I want hairie reporting to ME not Trinica!! Like listen Arvin is a cool dude but he's clearly just a goat for Trin like at least I'm doing a little more while being raffy's goat.

But anyway I might step back and let this be an Adeline v trinica fight.

Jinx

we plan and G-d (the new schoolers inability to keep it together) laughs

Arvin

I really hope it's not me tonight, Its sucks to always be the back up vote just in case there would be an idol play, but I'm gonna give it my all that I'm not going to be voted out tonight.

Amy

AHHHHHHHHHHH

not a secret plan that can go very wrong!!!! Raffy killing me bc even if (when) this blows up it will be hilarious 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Anyway apparently hairie has an idol and zo, Colin, raffy, me, and an extra vote are blindsiding him. Like the extra vote just gets us to a revote??? Ahahaha anyway silly goofy fun fun times let's ROLL

very concerned jinx will just flip after this 😅 but hairie needed to go anyway and also zo mentioned trinica next maybe which yes 😀

Y'all???? How??? Are??? We??? Doing??? This??? Bye. (Also if it's me this is a hilarious last confessional you're welcome)

Colin

hEY THERES ONLY 10 MINS TO TRIBAL.

ORIGINALLY IT WAS GONNA BE ARVIN

THEN ADELINE WAS KINDA BIMBO AND BLEW UP HER GAME

SO PEOPLE WANNA VOTE ADELINE NOW

EXCEPT ME AND RAFFY HAVE BEEN DOING INVESTIGATING IN THE IDOL HUNT AND DEDUCED THAT HAIRIE HAS AN IDOL

SO NOW WE'RE BLINDSIDING HAIRIE

SHOULD BE FUN

Trinica

(mid-tribal confessional) You're all a bunch of dirty scheming liars!!!!!!

[thebombasticbooky]

Also I don’t know how many times I have to reiterate this but if you’re telling women/minorities they have to vote for a man with sexual misconduct and assault allegations and who helped usher in the 1994 crime bill or else anything Republicans do is their fault then you can kindly get fucked and die. Joe Biden is not just ‘not perfect’ there is a real legacy of harm he has caused and nobody is fucking obligated to vote for him

[dishtothedeath]

Hollaback Girl [CH 1 Verdict, 1/2]

“My, my, that took some time. The editors are going to have a right time with condensing it into something watchable,”

Skull-kun complains.

“Well, let’s see who you all deemed guilty, hm?”

The votes are in, the results lighting up your tablets:

FINAL COUNT: Riley - 9 Haruki - 1 Alfie - 1 Castella - 1

“You all seem confident that Riley is responsible. Not that I can blame you, given that he was kind enough to confess. This one was a real doozy.”

He lets out a weird robotic snort.

“Anyways… Let us take a closer look at what really happened, shall we?”

Robots shuffle in on cue, each bearing a silver serving tray and laying the covered dishes in front of each seated occupant of the table. As they do, a screen rolls down behind Skull-kun, the lights dim, and a video begins to play on each of your tablets. 

The video seems to have been stitched together from multiple cameras over multiple days, carefully edited so that the image of the culprit is entirely blacked out. 

It shows a silhouette drafting plans in the privacy of the supply closet. As soon as the motive is revealed, the culprit knows they have to act– especially after doing so poorly in the cooking challenge. The stress doesn’t take long to claim them, and in their plotting haze, they accidentally leave several eraser shavings on the ground.

The end of the week draws closer, and nobody else has bothered to die. The culprit panics. On their way to plan some more, they run into Ides. Unprepared to speak directly with a judge of the show, and therefore somebody who surely has something to do with this killing game, they stammer out an excuse to meet with Ides later—by asking them where the eggs are in the fridge. Ides happily agrees to meet the culprit in the kitchen in an hour to help out.

The culprit departs, and immediately begins planning their murder trap. The silhouette is shown peeling several bananas, leaving a careful display of banana peels by the studio kitchen entrance. They attempt to eat the peeled bananas, but after eating two, they realize they are not up for the task. They toss the remaining naked bananas in the trash, and in a panic, unroll several paper towels to cover the bananas.

After this, the culprit selects a cast iron skillet from the cupboards, setting it on a workstation for later use, just in case.

The footage jumps to an hour later, and Ides walks into the studio kitchen, politely stepping over the placed banana peels. The culprit attempts to improvise, and asks Ides to show them where the eggs are in the fridge. Ides happily obliges, and the culprit follows them to the refrigerator, stealthily grabbing the cast iron skillet.

As Ides opens the fridge and picks up a carton of eggs, the culprit slams the skillet over Ides’s head, causing him to collapse to the floor, dazed. The culprit, unsure if that would be enough to kill them, proceeds to run back to a random workstation, and grabs several knives. They return to Ides, leaving one deep stab wound in Ides’s heart with a boning knife. They stab Ides four more times with a steak knife in the general chest area just in case, leaving additional stab wounds.

The culprit then, seeing Ides on the ground, panics and moves some banana peels from the kitchen entrance to surround Ides’s body, in an attempt to make it look as though they slipped and fell. Despite the very obvious knife wounds and boning knife still embedded in their chest. Standing in a haze, the culprit looks around, shocked to see Skull-kun suddenly at the scene. Skull-kun proceeds to tell the culprit that, since Ides is a judge, and not a fellow contestant, this kill doesn’t actually count.

The culprit proceeds to tell Skull-kun to go to hell, but is interrupted by the sight of Sunny, who has entered the kitchen (also dodging the banana peels at the entrance).

The culprit looks down at the knives in their hands, then up at Sunny. Sunny quickly turns to run, slipping on a banana peel on his way out, leaving a goopy trail leading out of the kitchen and some goo on Sunny’s shoe. The culprit gives chase, throwing a steak knife at him in a panic. It lands, sticking out of his back, causing him to leave a bloody trail as he runs away. Sunny overturns as much equipment as he can in his wake, running through the studio floor and green room. While running, Sunny yells “KNIFE, LARGE KNIFE” because he could not clearly remember the culprit’s last name.

The culprit catches up to Sunny in the green room, tackling him to the ground and stabbing him in the back with a chef’s knife, leaving a blood splatter on the ground. Believing that Sunny is dead due to his back wounds, the culprit stares at a wall while trying to figure out what to do next. They attempt to find a bathroom to wash themselves off.

While the culprit is away, Sunny tries to stealthily drag his body away to the craft corner to hide, leaving a second blood trail. He attempts to hide under the buffet table, but pulls the tablecloth over himself, along with all of the food it holds. In a final effort to save his own life, he poorly attempts to staunch the bleeding in his back, but the napkins are non absorbent.

The culprit, having heard a crash, returns to the green room and panics because Sunny’s body is missing. They follow the second blood trail to the craft corner and find a disturbed tablecloth, fallen finger foods, and scattered cutlery on the floor. Sunny is buried. The culprit, already in a panicked state, proceeds to stab Sunny with the chef’s knife twice more, leaving two torso wounds that bleed heavily, quickly soaking a large blood puddle into the floor.

In an attempt to hide the evidence, the culprit sticks the chef’s knife under Sunny’s body. They also remove the steak knife from Sunny’s back, and place it under his body as well. They figure they may as well hide all the knives in one place, but while leaving to grab the boning knife from Ides’s chest, they accidentally step in the blood puddle and leave partial prints from the craft corner to the studio kitchen.

They remove the knife from Ides, and they return to the craft corner to stick the boning knife under Sunny’s chest as well. As one final precaution, they take Sunny’s finger and write “IDES” in his own blood, feigning a dying message. It is written upside-down from Sunny’s perspective, however.

After this, the culprit leaves to wash up, being sure to clean the blood off of their hands and shoes. Maybe a little too well. The silhouette begins to fade as the video pans up from the sink and onto the face of…

Riley Hanamura.