#op is this intentional flagging

[photographicapparitions]

i was abt to say like. i think tumblr is being a shit again - idia

Reblogging this manually. Op doesn't want credit for fear of being terminated.

[whumpbby]

Thinking that because it seems that the Demonic Cultivation was mostly something that Jiang Cheng took care of - either as a way to unload his grief or as taking responsibility of his shixiong's mess - it's possible that the Jiang disciples were the ones that were the best versed in dealing with DC.

Now I am headcanoning that - because JC seems like a man that has shit in hand and runs a tight ship - there's a group within the Yunmeng Jiang trained and experienced specifically to deal with Demonic Cultivation specifically. Like their Spec Ops. They are prepared to come in fast and hot, deal with the issue asap and start the clean-up - armed with talismans made to deflect DC, tame the corpses and help send them on.

So, like, one day WWX hears that there's some Demonic Cultivator causing problems in the area he's hunting with the Lan juniors and goes to deal with it. It still pisses him off that his only lasting legacy is not about his genius or his heroics (or even his good looks), but it's this thing he invented out of horrific desperate need and that's now used to cause chaos and hurt people. So, he feels it's his duty to go there and talk some sense into the person in question.

Except, as soon as he arrives at the scene and ascertains that yeah, the issue is serious and maybe it's better for him to send the disciples back home and call in reinforcements (Lan Zhan), because he can take the DC down, but the clean-up will be immense - when suddenly a group of cultivators land in front of them with a swish of purple robes and gets to work.

The battle is almost sad. In no time at all the fierce corpses are tamed, the cultivator thrown down and bound with talismans, and the cultivators are dispersing across the area to set up burials for the corpses and arrays meant to send the ghosts onwards.

It's all precise and quick, sure steps and short commands. A well-oiled machine with soldier-discipline cleaning the area of resentment. So unlike the usual exuberance and free-style of the Jiang.

Wei Wuxian is kinda stumped. How are these people, and why are they getting in his way? He didn't even manage to get any fun! You, baby Lan disciple, explain!

"They're the Red Brigade", the disciple explains in a hushed voice. "Jiang-zonghzu's personal guard. They hunt Deminic Cultivators."

Red? Ah, their uniforms are adorned with a red ribbon on the shoulder. How sentimental of Jiang Cheng. His shidi really missed him! (or wanted him dead, there's also that option). But no time to contemplate that, because these guys are super efficient and if WWX wants to do any investigation of his own (translate: being his nosy self) he has to haul ass before they clean up everything!

So, he goes to the leader of the pack with an intention of comparing notes! The guy is respectful, but so cold! Eh, is he even a Jiang? So much like A-Cheng! Well, he knows how to deal with people like that - everyone will fold when bothered for long enough!

So, he keeps following the leader and talking bullshit, as his brain takes notes on everything he can see around. The talismans they use, the arrays, the spells - that's all pretty high level and super interesting. Huh, even their clothes are embroidered with talismans (a page out of the Lan book, maybe? Sneaky, Jiang Cheng, sneaky!) and their they use ghost flags...

But something is strange. He can see traces of his own work here and there - and he's used to seeing is tools ironically used across the cultivation world, but these are... kind of not? There are traces of his work, but the sigils are not his, the flags are not his, the talismans are not his. Like someone engineered his work backwards and created something that was similar, but entirely different.

As if someone wanted or needed tools to deal with Wei Wuxian's creations specifically, without the risk of being used against them in the heat of battle. One of the cultivators has a qinqin strapped across her back - the strings are made from metal, so it's not for musical cultivation (huh, so that's how Jiang Cheng came up with the idea of disrupting Su She's music in the Guanyin Temple, it wasn't coincidence.). They came in prepared to counter anything a Demonic Cultivator would throw at them.

Hell, he can admit that going through them on his own wouldn't be easy (because he was always helplessly optimistic about his own skills)...

Oh, Jiang Cheng did his homework.

"Wei-gongzi, can I help you with anything? Shouldn't you be taking the Lan juniors home?"

Uh-oh, he was getting on someone's nerves. Better retreat for now.

But he wasn't about to drop the matter.

The Jiang Sect had a SPECIAL OPS! how was he supposed to leave that be?

He was invested, he wanted to discuss! He needed to compare notes!

[transgenderpolls]

note from OP: Just to explain my intention, I want to see if there is a perception that people who use this flag are transphobic. I've noticed that lesbians who choose to use this flag rather than the other sunset flag are either in an older generation or they're TERFS but I want to know if that's just a personal thing I've seen or if it's a view point others have.

note from blogrunner: This was submitted to @gaypolls alongside an identical poll directed at lesbians, and I figured it belonged here instead, but I'll reblog it to the original blog.

[aro-absol]

[ID: A Queen of Diamonds card. Instead of the usual picture of a Queen, it shows a young woman with east Asian facial features and shoulder-length voluminous black hair. She is looking towards the viewer with a very determined facial expression. Her torso is covered with a gray metal armour. The armour has many big, dark green diamonds put on it. She also wears a black leather belt around her waist that has another big, green diamond on the buckle. Underneath the armour, she is wearing a light green dress or skirt with a white pattern on it. Around her shoulders, the woman is wearing a long cape that is light green on the top side and gray on the bottom side. On top of her shoulder that is closest to the viewer, she is wearing another piece of armour that has big, purple crystals on it. She has one arm stretched out towards the viewer. In her hand, she is holding a big bow that is entirely made of purple crystals. In her other hand, she is holding two arrows. Each arrow has an arrowhead made of a purple crystal. She is wearing armour around her arms and hands that has green crystals on her knuckles. The woman has shouldered a quiver with more arrows in it. / End ID]

Meet the Queen of Diamonds, the aromantic pride knight! ⚔️🌈

[catedunlapsgf]

— jackie x non binary partner coming out to her

this is just very self indulgent fluff tbh! had this in the drafts for a while (wc: 350)

you’re super nervous to come out to her, but once you finally do she showers you in kisses, reassuring you that you’re valid and she loves you so so much.

she’d get so excited and ask you about pronouns, identity, names, etc. and listen so intently <333

if someone ever misgendered or deadnamed you, jackie would verbally assault them until they cried. she’d make sure that no one ever harasses you again, and if they were stupid enough to still do it, she would not hesitate to go off on them. it’s landed her in the principal’s office a few times. like she can get SCARY.

if you cut your hair, she’s eager to help, and she actually does an amazing job. you were a bit nervous she’d fuck it up.

she always loves playing with your hair no matter the length, but if it is short, she’s running her fingers through it all day, and massaging it.

when you’re on your period and have cramps, and might be feeling dysphoric, jackie will set up a little nest of blankets and pillows in front of the tv, and hold you in her arms while you both watch whatever you want. she’ll give you so many kisses and rub your stomach, aswell as making sure you had a heating pad.

she buys so much non binary flag merch for you oh my god. like she’ll go all out and she’ll surprise you with it <3

if you get top surgery, she’ll be there for you through it all, holding your hand. she helps with the drains and bandages in post op, and makes sure that you get the proper rest and relaxation you need, which of course includes all of the cuddles.

the day you get your bandages off, jackie comes with you, and once your new chest is revealed she looks at you so incredibly lovingly, wrapping you up in a hug. she runs her hands up and down it, which makes you blush. but she just pulls you closer, kissing you and telling you how much she loves you.

[black-arcana]

WITHIN TEMPTATION Shares Preview Of New Single 'A Fool's Parade'

On April 5, 2024, WITHIN TEMPTATION will release their brand-new song, "A Fool's Parade", which marks a collaboration with the talented Ukrainian producer Alex Yarmak. According to a press release from WITHIN TEMPTATION's publicist, "A Fool's Parade" "highlights Russia's pretense regarding the war, and condemns its lies, ongoing crimes and brutal intentions."

A preview of "A Fool's Parade" is available below.

The song, released as a harbinger of the much-anticipated "Bleed Out 2024 Tour", is a powerful expression of what the press release calls "WITHIN TEMPTATION's commitment to continue shedding light on the ongoing existential struggle that Ukraine is facing against Russia's cruel invasion."

For the recording of the accompanying music video for "A Fool's Parade", Sharon den Adel — the frontwoman of WITHIN TEMPTATION — traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine. The music video is being directed by renowned Ukrainian video director Indy Hait.

With involvement in initiatives such as the Ukraine Aid OPS foundation, WITHIN TEMPTATION aims to keep drawing attention to Europe's much-needed support for Ukraine's defense.

In a June 2023 interview with James Wilson-Taylor of Rock Sound, Den Adel spoke about the lyrical inspiration for WITHIN TEMPTATION's "Wireless" single: "When the war started in the Ukraine, we were in the studio writing songs, And it's one of the songs that we wrote. And it is about war, of course. It's about a soldier going to war and thinking he's going to liberate people, do good stuff and be a hero and everything, but then he finds out that he's been lied to by media but also government. And then he finds that he can't go back because he's already in his army gear, for instance. You can't go forward, you can't go backward because you have your buddies next to you and you'll all die in the field. And in front of you, you have a mission impossible almost."

The Dutch singer continued: "So that's what we try to do — maybe also shine a light on certain situations within the war. It's just we're storytellers — it's like amplifying a certain kind of emotion that people could feel in this situation."

Asked how she and her bandmates decided to use Russia's invasion of Ukraine as inspiration for one of their songs, Sharon said: "Well, from my point of view, it's not just their war. I really believe what some people are saying — it's really our war as well. Because it's next to us. They already said, they're not gonna stop at Ukraine; they're gonna go further. And a couple of hours flying from my home, it's already Kyiv. So it's also our war. I think we should be aware of the fact that this is a danger for all of us. They won't stop. And hopefully — we wanna keep this a little bit alive in our own small way by writing about it and talking about it and waving a flag on stage about it."

In March 2022, WITHIN TEMPTATION was one of the artists who took part in a telethon concert in support of Ukraine. "Save Ukraine - #StopWar" united more than 20 countries and bring together more than 50 participants. The marathon was broadcast from Warsaw on the Polish TV channel TVP. In addition, broadcasters from many countries around the world, including Estonia (EBR),Lithuania (LTR),the Czech Republic (ČT2),Georgia (GPB / First),Albania (RTSH 2),Montenegro, Slovenia, Latvia (LTV),Croatia (HRT),Slovakia (RTVS),Austria (Puls 4),Cyprus, Canada (OMNI) and others, rebroadcasted the marathon on their local channels.

In an interview with Greece's Rock Overdose, Den Adel stated about her band's participation in the event: "For us, it was an honor to be asked for it. I think as a band and as people, we really value freedom of speech and freedom and democracy. I think as a band, people sometimes say, 'Don't be so political,' people say, 'Don't be so expressive and don't take a side on things.' But as a musician, I think it's important to represent who you are, not just in music but really stand for what you make and what you are saying in your lyrics in a way. And things that are happening in the world inspire us to write music, and then you also have to take a stance and what side you are. I think when it's so obvious where there's an aggressor and where there is a country being violated, invaded, you should take a stance and then it makes it much easier even to be very clear about where you stand in this whole conflict. Of course, it's something that we are keeping ourselves updated with every day because we find it very sad to see that a country that wants to be a democracy is invaded this way. So we are very honored to be asked also to play for this event, this marathon, and happy to do it."

Released last October, WITHIN TEMPTATION's latest album, "Bleed Out", signifies a bold leap forward for the band. From contemporary, hard-hitting, and djenty riffs to soaring melodies displaying their symphonic roots, WITHIN TEMPTATION has created a sonic journey that fuses diverse musical styles and thought-provoking themes. This is an album that is as epic as it is unflinchingly outspoken, and now more than ever, this is a band who isn't afraid to make a stand on issues the members care about.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, WITHIN TEMPTATION have shifted their focus from writing about personal emotions and societal subjects to tackling global injustices and reflecting the tumultuous state of the world in a way that other artists seem unable or unwilling to do.

While songs such as "Wireless" and "We Go To War" examine the authoritarian aggression on display in Ukraine and other warzones, the title track itself addresses the plight of women fighting for their rights in Iran after the murder of Mahsa Amini.

The album also grapples with the complex issues around a woman's right to choose in recent single "Don't Pray For Me" and throughout, this impassioned and political focus is reflected in the intensity and heaviness of the music. Embracing a new era of musical exploration and lyrical depth, WITHIN TEMPTATION have pushed boundaries and showcased their artistic evolution, delivering a fist-in-the-air proclamation of both their moral convictions and their fearless approach to music.

[levi-libido]

Escaping Karma

{ A post-rumbling Levi Fanfic concept }

Read time: 25-30mins

Captain Levi, Commander Armin, Mikasa, Jean, and Connie meet Lieutenant Karma and her special ops soldiers; Torrent, Echo, Atlas, and Pyre, who’s already waiting for them atop a high cliff overlooking the Great Forest of the Republic of Eldis. The scene is calm and tranquil, with a soft breeze quietly rustling through the trees. Both members of this new formed alliance approach each other, an air of anticipation permeating the gathering.

"You guys made it!!" Pyre exclaims excitedly, his short spiked orange hair moves with his energy. "Who's gonna be on your team?"

"Teams?" Mikasa responds, puzzled.

He nods, "Yeah! We said our Red Team will be me, Atlas, and Torrent. So now you guys gotta choose your three!"

Jean interjects skeptically, "Wait, so we’re playing some kind of sport here?" Him and Connie exchange suspicious glances. Captain Levi remains silent, leaning against a tree, his gaze intently fixed on Lt Karma.

Echo chimes in, "Well, I'm not playing tonight so I’ll just explain the rules and look pretty doing the countdown." She flips her golden, blonde hair and sashays to the cliff's edge, pointing out, "Now listen up. Each team will jump from here and race through the forest." Her voice echoes slightly as she slowly traces her finger through the night air. "The first to grab their team’s flag from those trees," she points to the small, red and blue triangle silhouettes in the distance, "… wins the game."

"Jump... from here?" Connie asks cautiously, peering down at the darkness below. "Down to that forest?"

Levi’s eyes remain locked on Karma as she subtly begins walking towards the back of both groups.

"Duh. Why do you think we told you to bring your ODM gear!?" Pyre grinned, revealing faint dimples.

Despite the reassurance, Connie’s anxiety only heightens. These soldiers appear utterly unfazed. Jean wraps an arm around Connie’s shoulder for comfort, "Well, we got two Ackermans over here, so obviously they should make up our team…" He then pulls Connie next to Mikasa and Levi. "… And you too, bro! You’re definitely the fastest of us all." he adds encouragingly. Connie begins to smile, slightly blushing as he rubs the back of his neck.

"No," Levi says bluntly from his corner. Both Connie and Jean turn to look at him, surprised by his response. "You serious, Captain?!”. Levi’s gaze shifts away, uninterested in elaborating. They began to form a huddle, leaving space for their Captain, who stares at them, confused and unmoving. "We never do this," he remarks, rolling his eyes with his arms crossed.

After a few moments, he sighs, finally giving in and reluctantly joining them. Commander Armin speaks up, with a determined look in his eye, "Hold on, Captain! I think this would actually be a smart strategy. It’s kind of a way to show how strong we are and everything we will contribute to this new alliance. Plus you guys can see what they can do from close range." Jean and Connie nod in agreement. "YEAH!"

The huddle now looks at him with pleading eyes. It’s clear he would rather not participate in the game, but since his team begged him to, he has no choice. Mikasa smiles slightly, being a team player as she joins Connie and Levi in gearing up. They notice this new gear, a gift from the Republic, is much easier. It allows the user to snap the chest and leg buckles together much faster with one click.

Levi’s expression remains stoic as he adjusts his gear, still sneaking glances at Karma, standing by herself, observing them all silently from the distance. She’s too quiet… He joins Mikasa and Connie to wait for the countdown.

Echo repeats the teams as she points for them to line up side by side, standing between them. "Okay, so now we officially have Team Red: Atlas, Torrent, and Pyre," she announces, then turns to face the other. "And Team Blue: Captain Levi, Mikasa, and Connie."

They all line up on their respective sides a few feet behind her as she calls out the names of each team. Levi stands in the center of their team, his gaze forward. Connie stands to one side of him, and Mikasa on the other, all geared up and ready.

"Oh yeah! There’s one teeny, tiny, thing I forgot to mention... DO NOT let Lt catch you... or you’re OUT!" Echo spins forward and raises her black and white flag in the air above her. Atlas and Pyre quietly laugh mischievously. Mikasa and Connie both look at Levi, confused. Something’s not right here…

The mention of Lieutenant Karma quickly grabs the attention of the Blue Team. Levi specifically notices the Red team’s unspoken cues as they look back at her, who is stretching a few meters away without any gear, smirking at him. The moment he sees her smile, his brows furrow as his interest deepens. She’s clearly enjoying his attention.

Connie finally speaks up, pointing back, “Wait, guys she’s not wearing any-”

"GOOOOO!!!" At her signal, the Red Team, already primed for action, bolts with exaggerated terror. Echo's voice isn't just loud—it's unnaturally piercing. The Blue Team all wince at her sound, using their hands to protect the eardrums.

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!" Pyre yells, laughing as he takes off and disappears off the cliff with Atlas and Torrent beside him. Levi, Mikasa, and Connie, are momentarily stunned by the ringing in their ears. Damn. They all shake their heads to quickly recover. Spurred by the sudden rush, they too utilize the running start and launch off the cliff after the Red Team with the ODM gear whirring through the night air, down, down into the abyss of the forest.

Armin and Jean watch from above with excitement and concern, covering their numb ears still feeling the effects of Echo’s signal. They peer down observing both teams get swallowed up into the night.

After giving them a brief head start, Lieutenant Karma runs and jumps off the cliff with a graceful flip and speed, her long, silver hair flowing behind her. Levi turns back to watch her dive until something snatches her into the darkness of the trees above him. Huh?

Caught off guard after losing sight of her, Levi now faces the unexpected scene unfolding in front of him. The forest ahead turns into a sporadic blur as they watch the Red Team descend into mania.

Pyre, the youngest and most exuberant of the Red Team, is the first to reveal his secret. Retracting both steel wires, he releases the triggers, balls his hands into steaming fists, and bursts ahead with his lower body lighting up into a bright, sudden flare, “Woooooohooooo!!” He leaves a trail of sparks and embers, startling Connie, who yelps in surprise, "What the—!" Levi and Mikasa are too stunned to speak as they try to focus on dodging more trees.

"DID THAT KID JUST SHOOT FIRE OUT OF HIS ARMS, MIKASA?!" Connie points ahead at the zooming fireball as he trails behind them.

The mute soldier Atlas, at least quiet until now, slams into the forest floor and proceeds by foot. Using his massive arms and shoulders, as if powered by monstrous strength, Atlas barrels through the denser parts of the forest like a rampaging train. Creeek-BOOM! Creeek-BOOM! He forcefully knocks aside large trees, grunting with the effort. The trunks crack and topple with booming crashes, each one clears his path further, allowing him to gain even more momentum.

Their attention then turns to Torrent, whose wires shoot him above the treetops and into the sky. With a disturbing contortion, his arms grotesquely elongate and morph into giant, feathered limbs. The transformation allows him to soar and dive through the air with predatory ferocity, cutting through the wind as he gains rapid speed, flying ahead of the others.

The chaos unfolds, and the Blue Team is dumbfounded. Flying tree branches and swirling leaves from the destruction create new obstacles, pelting them from ahead. "AGH-WHAT THE HELL?! THESE GUYS ARE FREAKS, MAN!!" Connie begins to slow down as it becomes more difficult to dodge the aftermath.

“CAPTAIN, ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!" Connie shouts, searching for Levi’s reaction. "I have eyes, Connie!" Levi yells over the loud rampage, his tone sounds more annoyed than anything.

Creeeek-BOOM!

As his team slows, gawking at the Red Team, he swoops past them to grab their attention. "Keep moving!" Captain Levi orders. His voice is sharp and authoritative, but there's a hint of nervousness hidden underneath the surface.

"But- But-" Connie studders.

Mikasa picks up the pace, "Come on, Connie!" The moment of urgency is enough to jolt Connie out of his daze, and they quickly follow Levi’s lead straight into the mayhem.

Realizing he was distracted, Levi looks up just in time to see Lieutenant Karma soar right past them. In a moment that seems to unfold in slow motion, she swings close to him…their eyes locking in a fleeting, intense gaze…before she accelerates again, hurtling towards the Red Team.

As they near the flags, Karma's full capabilities are revealed. It’s her hair. It’s behaving like a living entity, shooting out and extending, much like ODM gear, but with a life of its own. It twists and swings her body through the trees with astonishing precision and fluidity. Her movements are seamless, her body moving with unnatural grace and speed.

“Look at her…” Mikasa whispers to herself, her expression a mix of awe and fear as she sees how effectively Karma moves through the trees. Levi remains silent as he observes her in action, his mouth slightly parted, studying the movement of her hair as she approaches the Red Team members, determined to take them down. His composed demeanor has now completely vanished; his body tenses up.

"HOW THE HELL IS SHE DOING THAT?!" Connie yells from behind, his voice laced with shock and disbelief.

"I don't think they're going to hurt us! It's still a game, remember!" Mikasa replies, trying to calm her team amidst the confusion.

Levi blinks at the sound of her voice, his gaze now focused on his team. He looks back at her and nods, acknowledging her point. Connie, still struggling to keep up, watches Karma in shock, unable to hide his astonishment.

"They don't seem like a threat for now, so just focus on the objective!" Captain Levi’s tone now commands with unwavering confidence and his eyes narrow, "Get that flag!"

The Blue Team presses on, trying to overtake the now faltering Red Team. "HEY, COME ON! NO FAIR, LT!" Pyre protests as he attempts to steer away from her, realizing that he is her first target. His fiery arms suddenly sizzle out when her hair whips around him, binding them tightly behind his back. With precise and swift motion, she swings him into a bush, where he lands with a loud crash. Without missing a beat, she swings down to the ground to tap him into elimination. Once she detaches from him, she propels herself back into the trees. He’s out.

A section of her hair whips above the treetops, swiftly grabbing Torrent by his ankle and yanking him down. His back slams against a tree trunk with a bone-jarring thud. Karma doesn't hesitate; she quickly wraps layers of her hair around the tree and his entire body, immobilizing him from his shoulders down. Torrent grunts from the impact, completely captured by the constricting strands. Karma swings up to the tree with grace and taps his exposed shoulder. He’s out.

Creeeek-BOOM!!

Down below, Atlas still bombards through the forest trees. Karma's two high ponytails extend like additional limbs, wrapping around her forearms to enhance her strength. She uses this amplified power to get a grip on his legs and abdomen tightly. She clenches her teeth as she pulls him back with immense force, struggling to slow him down. Determined, she shoots out additional strands of hair to tangle between his legs, finally exploiting the moment to trip him. Caught off guard, Atlas stumbles and crashes to the ground with a thunderous impact. Breathing heavy from the effort, Karma swings by and taps his back. He’s out.

They watch in disbelief and amazement as she takes down each member of the Red Team, each eliminated one after the other. As soon as the last Red Team member is out, she flips upside down in midair, facing the Blue Team, who are now approaching the flags. Her expression is smirking, radiating arrogance. She’s already won, embodying the confidence of someone who knew the outcome from the start.

"Holy shit, holy shittt! WE'RE NEXT!" Connie yells, watching as she swings towards him at high speed. Despite his panic, he manages to evade her initial attack by ducking behind a tree. However, another whip of her hair quickly encircles him from behind, creating a barrier he can't escape. She taps him and moves on.

Mikasa gasps at the loss of Connie. She and Captain Levi are the last standing from the Blue Team. He looks at her when she reaches beside him. They exchange a brief, unspoken nod and accelerate, moving with perfect synchronization. They’ve survived way worse. The Ackermans put up their strongest fight yet, utilizing their gear and gas to the fullest. They manage to dodge and weave through her attempts giving her some competition.

Karma smiles at the challenge, her eyes sparking with excitement. Despite the threat from her hair, she fails to capture them. She constantly swipes through the air, just inches from their agile forms. Hm, they’re good.

As they approach the blue flag, Levi feels a sneaky, sliver of hair slowly coil around the ankle of his boot while he glides through the air. He’s caught. His momentum slows down as the grip tightens, causing him to tumble onto the forrest ground, kicking up a cloud of dirt. He coughs from the dust, and looks ahead to see Mikasa get tugged back by the straps of her harness. She’s swiftly dragged upwards and left hanging from a tree.

"MIKASA!" Levi shouts, extending his arms instinctively in a split-second reaction. "JUMP!" He reaches out both hands, forming a platform.

Without hesitation, Mikasa unclicks her gear by the chest and legs, falling to the ground before Karma can reach her. She sprints towards him, her movements become a blur. With a fluid motion, she leaps off the palms of Levi's outstretched hands as he shoots her into the air. Both her hands are outstretched above her, reaching desperately towards the glistening blue flag.

Levi watches the scene in slow motion. Mikasa's outstretched hands are just inches away from victory. Suddenly, he feels a small tap on his shoulder— he’s out. A mighty gust of wind rushes past him as Karma soars towards Mikasa. With a quick whip, her hair wraps around Mikasa’s outstretched wrists and yanks her backward, pinning her to a tree. With one single swoop, she taps her, swings up to grab the flags, and flips up onto the tree, holding both of them triumphantly above her head.

Levi's jaw is still parted as he watches Karma relish her victory from above. He hears the sound of someone landing behind him—it's Armin and Jean. The looks on their faces show they are just as stunned as he is. "You good, Captain?" Jean asks, his concern evident as his eyes dart between Levi and Lt Karma. “We tailed you guys the whole time. We saw everything…”

Armin kneels down and examines the material wrapped around Levi's boot. The thick, layered, silver hair strands seem more transparent up close. He taps on it with his knuckles. Clink-clink. "This definitely isn't human hair..." his voice trails off, hinting at a deeper realization. Levi looked down to see the hardened, crystal-like material attached to his boot.

Suddenly, the "hair" around Levi's ankle began to dissipate, evaporating into the air in a mist of smoky steam. Jean reached down, helping him to his feet. "I knew it," Levi murmured, his gaze dropping to the ground with frustration. Armin watched, his throat tightening as he saw the anger building up in Captain Levi.

The three of them began to make their way towards the base of the tree where Karma was still perched. All Red Team members stood there, defeated. Echo was with them as well. Mikasa and Connie were also waiting, but they kept their distance from the Red Team. They’re obviously wary after witnessing everything that just happened during the race.

Levi, Jean, and Armin approached them, their expressions mixed with concern. The air was tense. "Are you hurt?" He immediately questions them. They both shook their heads, surprised that no one was injured. Connie dusts the dirt off his pants and mutters, “A little dirty but..”

As Lieutenant Karma finally jumps to the ground, Captain Levi wastes no time. He flew towards her in a blur, slamming her into the tree by the throat forcefully. The flags tumble into the dirt.

"Hey!" Pyre feels himself heating up as makes two fists, he begins to step towards them, the rest of her unit quick to move as well. Lt Karma raises one hand to calm her soldiers before they can intervene. With her other hand, she grips Levi's wrist, still pressed against her throat. She gazes down at him unflinching, with her back pinned in the air, shoved against the tree trunk.

"What do you think this is, huh? Some kind of sick joke?" Levi demands, the edge in his voice cutting through the night air. His voice is deep, filled with a fury that makes his voice nearly unrecognizable.

The sudden reactions from her freak of nature soldiers only fuels the frustration behind his anger, unafraid of whatever they might do to him. He’ll kill them all if necessary. Meanwhile, their leader’s demeanor despite the intense situation is unexpected, her confidence almost intimidating in a way, even as she reaches her second hand to secure her grip around his wrist.

The silence is deafening. Nobody moves. Connie and Jean’s eyes widen. Mikasa and Armin aren’t surprised by the Captain’s reaction. Armin steps forward to defend him, "Steam from the skin… hardening material that resembles hair… the animal transformation, superhuman strength... What's going on here??" he asks aloud, finally vocalizing the pieces he's been putting together. Although he was a bystander, he carefully observed everything that went down during the race.

"Are you Titans?" Levi finally says aloud, clarifying Armin’s suspicions, "Is that what this is? Should we eliminate you right now? Talk!" He demands, pressing deeper into Karma's throat, his expression blazing with a mix of anger and desperation.

“Titans…” Mikasa's voice trails off. Her mind flooded with thoughts of Eren, her fallen lover and the one who was responsible for wiping out the majority of humanity. In the end, he was able to get rid of the titans completely, ultimately saving Paradis and preventing war.

Karma coughs slightly but remains eerily calm. Both her hands still grasp Levi's arm. Her eye contact doesn’t move—unafraid yet understanding. The tension is heavy; even the night seems to hold its breath. She’s not fighting back.

"NO!! Let her explain, damn it!" Pyre shouts, his youthful voice cracking under the strain. "You don’t understand, none of you do! We’re not what you think!"

Pyre's sudden outburst causes everyone to shift their attention over to him.

Levi’s gaze flickers between Karma’s calm expression and Pyre's desperate one. His grip loosens, but he doesn't step back. "I said, explain.”

Her unfazed composure remains. However, he doesn't budge either, upholding his grip and awaiting her response.

"No… We are not Titans. Not in the way you think anyways.” she began, her voice slightly struggles. “What you saw tonight... We were made this way. Experimented on, to be weapons—And not by our choice..." She pauses as her eyes darken with a mix of pain and resolve. “Our DNA was altered into a hybrid mutation using Titan genes. That way, we could possess their powerful abilities but we're still human, and still in control…” she looks up at the soldiers from Paradis. “We're not monsters.” The look in her eyes only validates the truth of her explanation.

With hesitation, Levi releases her completely, stepping back to process the information. His expression is unreadable, but the anger has subsided. His guard remains while his gaze falls to the forest floor. "Experiments," he repeats slowly, trying to make sense of it all.

Karma's boots catches herself on the ground, steadying as she leans back against the tree after she’s dropped. She clears her throat and takes a deep breath, her voice regaining strength. “Yes, experiments," she confirms. She tugs down at her pleated skirt and rubs her neck where Levi’s grip had been. Her soldiers rush over to her side, making sure she’s okay.

“After enlisting in the military special ops, we were chosen for our skills, ‘cause we were the strongest of our units.” Karma’s voice gains a more serious tone. “But none of us knew the full extent of what we were signing up for.” She’s not afraid of revealing the details of the past or the experiments done on her and her comrades. They’re our allies now, they deserve to know.

Armin, ever the peacemaker, steps forward and gently places a hand on Levi’s shoulder, his presence calming. "Let's hear them out, Captain. There's more at stake here."

As the soldiers from the Republic of Eldis spoke, the soldiers from Paradis listened. They built a campfire and sat around it, allowing them to speak their truth.

Mikasa speaks up now, showing more concern and sorrow in her tone. “So... so you’re telling me that everything Eren did… that he died, for nothing? Why eliminate Titans from existence if people were just going to recreate weaponized, human versions of them anyway??” Her eyes were stuck on the flickering light from fire, searching for answers.

Karma attracts Mikasa’s gaze from across the fire, her expression softening. "Eren Jaeger gave us a path to follow, a purpose beyond being mere weapons," she says, her voice firm yet gentle. “When the Rumbling reached the Republic of Eldis, we saved lives—many lives because of our abilities. That day, we found meaning in our existence. We aren’t just mutants; we are still soldiers, here to protect people.”

Connie, sitting beside Mikasa, adds with his usual directness, "Yeah? Well what about creating more like you? Isn’t that something we need to worry about?" His question voices a concern that hangs heavy over the group.

“We were the only ones who survived the experiments,” Torrent cuts in, shaking his head. His voice was filled with thoughts of the traumatic past.

The flames cast a warm glow on their faces against the cool night. Echo adds on, "That’s because some kids couldn’t handle the trauma from the experiments and killed themselves.” She gently laid her hand on Atlas sitting beside her. “That’s when Atlas stopped talking… after the first trial when we had to be the single survivor in our different basic training squadrons..” Atlas lowered his eyes and looked away from the fire reliving the painful memories. “Even after some made it all the way to the medical trial for DNA merging. A lot of them couldn’t handle it…” her voice trailed off.

"What exactly do you guys mean by 'DNA merging'?”Armin questioned, seeking more specifics about the experiments.

“And how the hell did you guys even get the Titan DNA in the first place??” Jean added, looking around at the group. None of this makes sense.

Torrent nods, ready to explain. "Nobody knows how the Republic retrieved the DNA samples. But what we do know is how the doctors performed countless failed trials on recruited young soldiers until the DNA merging process was finally perfected. Eventually, they discovered five soldiers whose bodies could actually withstand these hybrid mutations." He paused and instinctively reached behind to touch the nape of his neck. "During these intense procedures, our spinal fluid was injected with extracted Titan genes. They discovered they can harness the powers without losing our humanity." He’s clearly the brains of their squad, similar to Armin.

He cleared his throat and stood up on his feet. "I received the Beast Titan's DNA, so I can morph my body parts into those of any animal I can think of, as long as I understand their anatomical structure well enough to transform accurately," He looks down at his hands as he tries to speak confidently.

Levi’s eyebrows furrow with disgust.

Torrent’s gaze falls upon Atlas and he speaks up for him. “Atlas here, was injected with the Armored Titan’s DNA.” He slowly stood up at the sound of his name, “With his strong, muscular build and super strength, he’s the most powerful of us all. He can even harden specific parts of his skin too.” Atlas nods quietly, confirming the truth in his comrade’s words.

Pyre shoots up to his feet pointing to his chest, “And iiii was the only soldier who could handle the heat from the Colossal Titan!” He pumps his fists in the air, sparring with an imaginary foe. “I can pretty much destroy all enemies with my fire. Pretty badass huh?” He flashes his charming grin, his dimples more obvious from the firelight glow. He’s trying to lighten the mood.

Echo stands up, brushing the dirt off her skirt. "By the way, I never apologized for kinda damaging your eardrums earlier, but I promise I tried to tone it down," she explains with a sheepish laugh. "They gave me the Female Titan's DNA, so the supersonic frequency of my scream is a bit.. overwhelming for the average human ear. Sorry about that." She shrugs, twirling a golden strand of her hair around her finger.

Lieutenant Karma is the last to stand. “I’m sure you all have made your assumptions by now, but just to be clear; my hair is made of the same material as the War Hammer Titan.” She grabs one of the ends of her silver ponytails and observes it in her hands. “I can use it for offense and defense, so to me, carrying weapons are unnecessary.”

Levi watches her closely. He could feel his expression soften as she casually explained her strength. She’s being more humble than she should be. Based on her performance in the race, he understands why her comrades hold her in such high regard—her skills speak for themselves. She crosses her arms as her and her unit gaze down upon the others still sitting around the fire.

“We soldiers chose not to end our lives because we believed we could still do good.” Karma added looking directly at Levi, her eyes steady. "That’s why we fight everyday. Not just to live, but to make sure our lives mean something. All we ask is for you to put your faith in us."

As the fire crackles, the group settles into an uneasy but necessary truce.

Mikasa stares into the flames, reflecting on Lt Karma's words, finding a bitter echo of Eren’s own struggles and beliefs in them. Jean and Connie exchange looks, their attitudes softened into a deep silence.

Commander Armin stands, and his crew do the same, “I’m sorry..” Everyone’s attention falls on him as he interrupts the silence. “I’m sorry you guys had to go through that… But this is definitely important intel. I get why, strategically, your General wouldn’t want to reveal this info to our alliance right away, but still…”

Torrent responds. “General Varrick has his reasons. But let’s be honest, I doubt your leadership would’ve even considered an alliance with the Republic if they knew about the ‘monstrous titan hybrid mutant soldiers’.” He waved his hands around as he emphasized this mocking title. He has a good point.

The campfire starts to die down, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Lt Karma speaks, although she’s shorter than the others, her commanding presence is undeniable, even in the dim light. "Atlas, Pyre, lead our guests to their barracks. It’s late." she says, her voice carrying the weight of authority. They nod firmly. “Yes Lieutenant.” Pyre responds respectfully.

“Follow me guys!” he urges the group. He and Atlas lead the way as the others begin to follow them. The mood shifts as Armin, Mikasa, Jean, and Connie all are slightly amused while listening to Pyre blabber on about how great the guest barracks are. However, they can’t help but be lost in their thoughts about everything they just learned. Echo and Torrent walk beside them, blending into the group.

Despite everything, the sense of unity has begun to form. They’re all one unit now.

Captain Levi slows his pace, taking in the sight of Lieutenant Karma ahead of him. Her flowing, silver hair reflects the moonlight shining down on her, giving it an ethereal glow. He looks away. Despite his usual guarded attitude, he struggles internally to show his remorse for the confrontation that happened earlier. He’s not the type to show vulnerability at all.

Sensing his hesitation behind the group, Karma slows down for him to catch up. She suddenly turns to face him, and steps closer, effectively invading his personal space. Her proximity is unexpected, and she looks up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her eye contact is unwavering and intentional.

"Next time you want to put your hands on me Captain... ask first," she teases, her tone light but pointed. "Maybe you won’t get rejected.” Her eyes slowly roam over him up and down, leaning in, causing him to feel a bit flustered. Taken aback by her boldness and humor, he could feel his face getting warm.

For a moment, he's at a loss for words, his usual quick responses dulled from being caught off guard. He looks to the side away from her. He replies with a hint of his usual snark and pride, "I regret nothing."

With a smirk, she spins, and confidently strides away leaving a lingering effect on Levi as he remains standing alone in the cool night air behind the group. Her smile and her teasing words still swirling in his head. Next time you want to put your hands on me Captain…

He blinks, and proceeds to catch up with them. With few people being able to truly unsettle him, he can't help but feel a slight fascination as he thinks back on what just happened, the hint of unexpected flirtation.

[tae-rambles]

OP ch 1124 SPOILERS

my reaction as i read:

first, disclaimer, i was spoiled that Kizaru cries this chapter and it's apparently very sad. honestly, unless it's revealed that Vegapunk told him he had a plan to die sometime during those two weeks before the incident, i don't think i'll feel much sympathy for Kizaru, but we'll see... i also wonder if that's what the title is referring to - the relationship between Kizaru and Vegapunk

the cover story is taking an interesting turn... will Yamato pursue the criminal? will he befriend the woman? maybe Yamato will gain a harem of female lovers like Oden? that would be fun

Morgans' reaction is v unsurprising; Vivi is a badass like always and the two sapphics in the background are still cute :D but sorry girls, Vivi's already taken (NamiVivi for life)

i mean... Wapol is kinda right but shut up

Vivi i love youuuu!!!!!! anyone who hates you is a red flag honestly

of course Morgans would pin it on Luffy - no surprises there

yay! Sentomaru got away! :D it seems like Kizaru let him? where will he go, i wonder... the closest safe place that we know of is Elbaf or one of the next islands the log pose points to? the net cover story will focus on him?

also impressive he didn't pass out from the haki blast! maybe it somehow knew Sentomaru was an ally? can a haki blast do that? i mean... it's a manifestation of it's user's will... but whose will? it was Joyboy's haki but Emet was the one to unleash it so which one of them decided whom to spare? however, Joyboy's dead so it must have been Emet who controlled it but is it possible to control another person's haki aka will? one can use observation haki to sense intent and emotion. could Joyboy implement that into the haki bomb to make sure it doesn't hurt friendly forces? i have so many thoughts...

hehe Akainu will not be happy

yep, the title refers to Kizaru and Vegapunk...

Vegapunk went straight to the point, huh? lol

wow, he shut Akainu up lol

but honestly, Kizaru did this to himself. he's strong enough to rebel but it's more comfortable to stay a cog in the machine... he chose comfort over his "best friend" - you can actually compare him to Vivi this chapter - it would be safer for her to stay silent yet she raises her voice against injustice while Kizaru is here crying and pitying himself while being physically completely safe. i understand it's hard for him and that if it wasn't Kizaru, it would be somebody else. but maybe if he had rebelled and used his strength to protect Vegapunk, there would be no "somebody else"... so what i'm saying is: he definitely did not "have to kill his best friend"

Luffy must be taking this hard... especially since he befriended Atlas... i feel so sad for him

Franky's right... but Zoro, c'mon... i know you're trying to play up the tough guy act to stay alert to keep everybody safe and expect the same from your captain but give him a breather

Lilith... :(

that's a good question, from whom did she hear about it? is maybe Edison still alive? maybe he just disconnected from the Punk Records to make it look like he's dead? i mean... i wouldn't be surprised, this is One Piece after all...

HUH??? ok, i have my theory about how the Vegapunks can still be technically alive - Punk Records is still functioning after all and the question of what it means for Vegapunk to die did come up a couple of times so it's not too out of left field but i'm gonna keep reading for now...

ah... so we're not getting the full explanation now... dammit

but now we can have the mandatory banquet at the end of the arc :D (i have a post that's a response to an ask in the works - that's already taking way too long sorry - that's gonna touch on this more so i'm not gonna dwell on it now)

and Robin's also feeling better :D

kampai! :D

"the fabled country of Elbaf" haha i see what you did there

and another mysterious silhouette to close the chapter...

it was a good chapter :D nothing groundbreaking but that's what's needed after all that craziness lol though i was hoping to see what's up w Stussy but oh well...

Egghead was the first arc a read weekly and it was a wonderful experience so i'm hyped to see what Elbaf will bring :D i already posted my thoughts and predictions here

[bioethicists]

Your post about unfollowing people who’re really combative online made me think about someone in particular. Apologies if this is out of nowhere so feel free to ignore.

If somebody (with thousands of followers) who isn’t a part of a specific marginalised group habitually seeks out bad takes regarding them to dunk on, isn’t that a little weird? I’m not talking about defending your friends when they’re facing discrimination or dunking on the main bigot character of the day, but regularly seeking out bad takes from small accounts that’d otherwise never seen the light of day.

It’s nobody on here I’m referencing. I feel a little crazy because this person gets heralded as a huge ally and has a lot of people in this marginalised group who’re really devoted to and defensive of them but it just really rubs me the wrong way because they seem really discourse-brained more than anything else.

yeah haha ironically i think some of the ppl on that post are seriously missing the point (which i probably could have made clearer) in terms of some of them are like. people who clearly think being told they're racist is the same as the type of behavior i'm talking about.

but also yes! this is more what i meant- people who are seeking out fights with those who would otherwise never get any attention! especially when it's takes that are NOT popular or the response is just totally disproportionate. or just building a social media brand off of over-exaggerated hatred/meanness towards people who "deserve it". it reminds me of all the cis people on here who constantly reblog shit about like... putting terfs in meat grinders but then never even lift a finger (or, more likely, are part of the mob) when trans women are sexually harassed or viciously bullied.

i don't think joking about harming bigots is some grand moral wrong, but it's often just gratuitous in a way where... are you actually expressing outrage or are you using the performance of outrage to get followers? what if that outrage is directly putting people in danger (e.g, if you find a terf with 45 followers + start sending her death threats, is that helping anyone or is it potentially provoking more violence, which you know full well you will NOT be the primary target of). i can see how this behavior can result in members of certain groups defending you, because if nobody has shown their willingness to defend you, isn't it refreshing to see someone who will? it's not so simple, either, cuz i do think ppl who do this do CARE, but i'm not sure the way that they care is sustainable or would hold up to a real, complex situation where allyship is needed.

it's so contextual + i'm not arrogant enough to pretend like i'm the one who can see the context right 100% of the time. this is a little sappy but i feel like the difference is whether the root of the anger is love/hope or if its fulfilling your own desire to lash out/release tension/look good. like "i'm pissed because i care about my trans siblings + it hurts me to see them treated this way + nobody else is saying shit for them so i'm stepping up" vs "raging online meets a need in me that i'm not willing to acknowledge + here's the perfect target". not exactly that simple but sometimes u can tell someone would be a kiwifarms bro if they didn't need social capital from a different crowd, ykwim (which btw we regularly learn that certain leftists will comb through + disseminate kiwifarms shit if it fits their vibe, which is an automatic red flag to me that you only care about drama, not morals)

it reminds me of how some "callouts" are clearly written with the intention of preventing harmful people from maintaining the power to do more harm (e.g x popular artist sexts underage fans) while many others are clearly written with glee about someone turning out to be Bad (e.g x popular artist has a private twitter that i, op, SCROUNGED to find, where they say horny things about genshin impact characters)

[azuremallone]

Azure's Corner

Or Why do I even fucking bother?

You'll note that on the leftist side of the news, there are articles blaring "Trump-ets" that Biden is changing the Constitution to add term limits and major sweeping changes to the Supreme Court.

Don't fucking buy into it.

It's a red flag psi-op. There's nothing being changed, and his calling for it doesn't mean it's going to happen, especially with what little time he has left in office. Nothing's going to happen. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Absolutely nothing.

Why?

To change the Constitution, you need to do the following:

Proposal:

By Congress: An amendment can be proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

By Constitutional Convention: Alternatively, two-thirds of state legislatures can call for a constitutional convention to propose amendments. This method has never been used.

Notification:

Once an amendment is proposed, the Archivist of the United States sends the proposed amendment to the governors of each state.

FAT CHANCE: There are 27 Republican Governors and 23 Democrat Governors.

Ratification:

The proposed amendment must be ratified by three-fourths (38 out of 50) of the state legislatures or by conventions in three-fourths of the states, as determined by Congress.

FAT CHANCE: There are 29 Republican Legislatures and 20 Democrat Legislatures. Of which, there are only TWO states where the Senate could be overridden by their Democrat Houses, which can still be vetoed by their Republican Governor.

Certification:

Once the necessary number of states ratify the amendment, the Archivist certifies it as part of the Constitution.

This means the Left is running a distraction to get everyone's eyes and minds focused elsewhere, off the important news and topics like:

Turkey threatening to attack Israel

The Bullshit Olympics (Kamala Harris's Federal violation of Election Campaign Contributions [A FEDERAL FELONY!])

Kamala's VP pick backing out and saying, "Nope."

Epstein's Client List

The Palestinian Sympathizers who stormed the Capitol building and held Senators hostage not being called an attempted coup or rebellion, an uprising, or even anything close to what they called January 6th

The silent editing on old news stories to change the wording they used then around what they called January 6th to sound more like a protest...

The attempted assassination of President Trump

The capture and identification of Palestinian Terrorists crossing the border illegally

The hundreds of thousands of migrants about to attempt to invade the United States illegally

The intentional Hezbollah murder of 12 children at a soccer game in Israel

Need I go on?

Don't be fooled or GET SCHOOLED!

[perfectlyvalid49]

Ok, hot take: I actually think it's ok for a person of generally European decent to play a role of another person of generally European decent, even if they're different ethnicities. Part of acting is putting yourself in someone else's shoes, after all. I also think that saying, "Only Jewish people can play Jewish people," could lead to, "Jewish people can ONLY play Jewish people," which would also be a problem.

Having said that, it only works if the production is sensitive to the ethnic differences present. Having an Irish person play a Latina is a little more questionable. Making sure that the story is told by a non-Jewish team instead of a Jewish person who is actively interested in telling the story is A LOT more questionable.

Putting on a fake nose to look like a a stereotype isn't actually questionable - I have no questions at that point. I know that if that's happening, whatever the end product is, it won't be good. It won't be respectful, and it won't tell Leonard Bernstein's story. It may tell a story about him, but it won't be his. Hard pass.

so um….looks like Bradley Cooper (goy) has been cast to play Leonard Bernstein, a Jewish man, in his upcoming film Maestro (a biopic about a real Jewish composer). rather than hiring a Jewish actor to tell a story about a Jewish man, they cast a goy…who will be wearing a prosthetic nose.

and if that weren’t enough - they cast Carrie Mulligan, an Irish woman, to play Leonard’s wife…who was a Latina. and Maya Hawke, a white woman who is neither Latina nor Jewish, has been cast to play their daughter.

AND don’t forget that Bradley Cooper grabbed the rights to Bernstein’s music before Jake Gyllenhaal, A JEWISH MAN WHO WAS GOING TO MAKE A BIOPIC ABOUT BERNSTEIN, was able to. we could have had a respectful biopic about a Jewish man, told by Jews. instead we get this.

i…don’t have words to explain how insidious this is. the absolute goydacity to keep a Jewish man from telling this story, whitewash the other people in a true story, and to cast a goy instead of a Jewish person to tell a true story about a Jewish man, and have that goy wear a prosthetic nose. they would rather Jew-ify a goy than cast an actual Jew. i’m disgusted.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

mike luckovich :: [@mluckovichajc]

* * * *

"America last."

February 8, 2024

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

On Wednesday, the dysfunction of congressional Republicans plumbed new depths: Senate Republicans blocked a procedural vote to advance funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Supporting each of those nations is in America’s vital interest. Failing to do so undermines global order and brings America closer to active confrontation with Russia, China, and Iran, at least.

The defeat was expected because Donald Trump wants to continue the crisis at America’s southern border to advance his partisan political interest. But the move also advanced the partisan interests of another politician—Vladimir Putin. Like Trump, Putin is temporizing, biding time in the hope that the clock will run out on Ukraine’s resources to resist Russia’s invasion. In Donald Trump's world, the hierarchy of interests is Trump first, Putin second, and America last.

The notion that Trump has re-ordered the national interests to put America last is not mine. It belongs to Thomas L. Friedman, who wrote an op-ed in the NYTimes, The G.O.P. Bumper Sticker: Trump First. Putin Second. America Third. (Accessible to all.)

Friedman writes,

There are hinges in history, and this [aid bill] is one of them. What Washington does — or does not do — this year to support its allies and secure our border will say so much about our approach to security and stability in this new post-post-Cold War era. Will America carry the red, white and blue flag into the future or just a white flag? Given the pessimistic talk coming out of the Capitol, it is looking more and more like the white flag, autographed by Donald Trump. “Trump First” means that a bill that would strengthen America and its allies must be set aside so that America can continue to boil in polarization [and] Vladimir Putin can triumph in Ukraine . . . .

A meme is developing that asserts that the GOP has surrendered to Trump. While that may be true, the deeper truth is that Trump has delivered the GOP into the hands of Vladimir Putin. The GOP is no longer serving the interests of the Americans who elect Republicans to Congress but instead acts as a skulk of useful idiots who unwittingly advance Putin’s interests.

Just ask Tucker Carlson, the poster boy for MAGA’s Putin Caucus. He traveled to Moscow to interview Putin because Carlson believes that major media outlets have not reported the truth about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Tucker Carlson believes that Putin will “tell the truth” about Russia’s invasion.

Remember that time when Putin assured the world he had no intention of invading Ukraine? See CBS News (2/24/22), Putin attacked Ukraine after insisting for months there was no plan to do so. Shortly after issuing those denials, Putin brutally attacked the civilian populations and infrastructure in Ukraine and kidnapped hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children. The International Court of Claims has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for the war crime of unlawful transportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.

It is that Vladimir Putin—the fugitive war criminal and inveterate liar--that Tucker Carlson is preparing to lionize in an interview that will be lapped up by useful idiots who skitter at the mere arching of an eyebrow by Trump. As Trump prolongs a crisis at the US border and delays aid to Ukraine, he is serving Vladimir Putin’s interests first. Commentators are right in asserting that a megalomaniac has engineered a hostile takeover of the GOP—but it is not Trump. It is Putin.

How should we react? Should we despair? Should we shrink from another story that seems to turn the world on its head? No. We need only recognize that the rot in the GOP is beyond repair and that electing Joe Biden is a necessary condition to preserving democracy.

There is no gray area in the 2024 election. A vote for Trump is a vote for Putin. A vote for RFK Jr. is a vote for Putin. A vote for No Labels is a vote for Putin. Staying home is a vote for Putin. A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Democracy. It’s that simple.

Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter

[hang-on-lil-tomato]

Op Ed from Rex Huppke - USA TODAY

Every.Single.Word

Op Ed from Rex Huppke - USA TODAY

I never want to hear the words “America is better than this” again. I never want to be told about America’s better angels. I want honesty. I want an admission of exactly who we are as a country, and let’s be damn clear about that definition: We are a country that just elected – that just willfully chose – one of the most cruel, unscrupulous and transparently self-serving political figures in modern history to be president again.

We just elected a convicted felon who has normalized bullying, spread hate like an industrial sprinkler and shown us over and over and over again he sees laws as irrelevant and self-enrichment as sacrosanct. Faced with a billowing ocean of red flags – from indictments for trying to overturn the 2020 election to the coddling of dictators who rule enemy nations – a majority of Americans cast their vote for the man who is a totem of the worst in all of us.

So spare me the wails of “This isn’t who we are!” I’ve got bad news for the sane and decent among us: This is exactly who we are.

We’re a country that supports the mass deportation of immigrants, a promise Donald Trump made and will undoubtedly keep. When families are pulled apart, cities and towns are raided by federal law enforcement and the people who once worked in communities and made homes there – some for decades – are penned in detention camps, it is the voting public that approved such a thing.

If legal citizens get swept up in the chaos, so be it. It was the voters’ choice.

When an unhinged and unqualified billionaire like Elon Musk is put in charge of slashing the federal government to bits, that will be what America chose.

When the Department of Education is abolishedand our education system falls into the hands of right-wing ideologues and religious zealots, that’s the outcome of the choice U.S. voters made.

When Trump’s tariffs hit and drive up prices across the board for consumers, it won’t be the fault of the myriad economists who told us what would happen. It will be the thing a majority of Americans chose. It will be the economic pot they chose to be boiled in, even though the Biden-Harris administration has the economy rocking.

As The New York Times reported Oct. 30: "Consumers are spending. Inflation is cooling. And the U.S. economy looks as strong as ever."

When Trump does away with his own legal cases – trashing the rule of law his party once claimed to stand for – that will be what the people wanted. When he turns the U.S. Department of Justice on his so-called enemies, when he goes after Democrats and others with malicious intent and calls in the military to stifle any form of dissent, keep your mouth shut about that being un-American. It’s now 100% American, because it’s exactly what people in this country willfully chose.

I don’t want to hear a damn word – ever – about anyone not realizing just how bad things could get. I don’t want to hear about how grocery prices were too high so you figured voting for Trump couldn’t hurt. I don’t want to hear how you didn’t like either candidate so you sat the 2024 election out.

The stakes of this election could not have been more clear and could not have been broadcast any louder. Vice President Kamala Harris ran as smart a campaign as I’ve seen. She reached across the aisle and offered a big tent for people to seek shelter. She was qualified – as a former prosecutor, a former U.S. senator and a vice president – in ways Trump could never imagine.

But America chose the guy who cavalierly said he’d be a dictator for a day. Voters chose the guy who denounces our allies and cozies up to our enemies. Voters chose the guy who is an adjudicated rapist, a role model to none, an often-incoherent and always hate-fueled loon who has turned Americans against each other in ways I never thought possible.

Voters chose Trump. He won. Cruelty won. Bullying won. And that’s who America is right now. We are Trump, and we will own every bit of the shameful and painful and embarrassing things he does. We are not "better than this." We lost the right to make that claim the moment the presidential race was called.

[gaypolls]

note from OP: Just to explain my intention, I want to see if there is a perception that people who use this flag are transphobic. I've noticed that lesbians who choose to use this flag rather than the other sunset flag are either in an older generation or they're TERFS but I want to know if that's just a personal thing I've seen or if it's a view point others have.

[corbinite]

How do you establish a state that exists for one ethnicity in a region where another marginalized ethnicity was the majority without ethnic cleansing and ethnic dominance though? What does "a state of their own" mean for the people who already lived there and by definition will not be subjectified by that state? How do you establish and especially maintain an ethnic state whose territory overwhelmingly contained human beings of a different ethnicity? How is that achieved?

Every time I post something referencing the very real humanitarian crisis in Palestine, my "for you" page changes and becomes filled with recommended posts that contain the most vile antisemitic shit.

It makes me so sad, because it reminds me of what an awful job that a movement that was supposed to be about advocating for Palestinian lives has done with boundary maintenance. It is so compromised that social media algorithms don't appear able to differentiate between advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and antisemitic content. The crossover between the two has become enough that a user who engages with content of one kind is recommended content of another. People who are not educated on antisemitism and the covert symbolism it uses might not recognize it right away, so we are seeing an entire group of people, convinced that they are participating in a civil rights advocacy movement also being indoctrinated into a separate hate movement, under the impression that these two movements are the same.

With such poor boundaries being maintained between these two ideally separate movements, and such overlap growing, how long can I honestly maintain that these are two separate movements?

Meanwhile, innocent Palestinians are being bombed, children are starving, far-right governments on both sides of the conflict are gloating in the support they get from American conservatives and leftists respectively, and functionally, I hear nobody advocating for peace anymore, only the destruction of their enemies. Palestinians are being so incredibly demeaned, by both the people who want to destroy them and their sovereignty, and the people who claim to be supportive of them.

Sane, rational people who are advocating for peaceful solutions are disregarded and voices on the fringe are centered. People are witnessing what they interpret as a genocide unfolding and in response are advocating for a counter-genocide. Can they not see how this actively impedes the peace process? They give legitimacy to (false) far-right Israeli nationalist claims of Palestinian statehood as an inherent danger to the safety of the Jewish people, and demean the Palestinian people by suggesting that what they want is revenge and not to live their lives in peace. They've made questions about the legitimacy of Hamas, an evil terrorist organization, central to the movement, instead of what should be the priority, that innocent people are suffering and that this is unacceptable. They have redefined and reappropriated Jewish words to use as antisemitic slurs and convinced their audience that using these slurs is not antisemitism.

Meanwhile, capitalizing on the above mentioned antisemitism, those who want to harm the Palestinian people, deny them statehood, are using the words and actions of these activists as ideological ammunition to fire up their anti-Palestinian base. Donald Trump literally called Joe Biden a Palestinian at the presidential debate as a slur. Republicans are using the word "Palestinian" as a slur. Netanyahu (possibly one of the worst people involved in this entire situation), in his speech to congress, was able to point to the very real antisemitic actions of activists to further cement support for him personally. By the way, saying how antisemitic activists harm Palestinians shouldn't have to be the rhetorical point we resort to. The fact that antisemitism hurts Jewish people is enough to make it a bad thing and is enough to make us avoid doing it, right?

I'm tired of turning in one direction and saying "You should NEVER say something like that about Palestinians" and then turning in the other and saying "You should NEVER say something like that about Jews". It should not have to be said that condemning the very existence of one of two ethnic groups in their shared homeland is unacceptable, and yes, it is their shared homeland, because they both live there and are both from there. It should not have to be said that you should understand what a word means before using it to insult people. Here I am in fact talking about the word Zionist, because that is a family of various movements, some of which are worthy of condemnation, but frankly, the basic premise of Zionism does not demean or degrade Palestinians at all, because it simply is the belief that Jewish people have the right to return to and form communities in their homeland.

I'm kind of opening myself up to get a lot of criticism here, but I wanted to get these thoughts out, because I have been finding them enormously frustrating. My heart breaks for all the innocent Palestinians who are suffering and have a lackluster movement advocating on their behalf, and my heart breaks for all the Jewish people who have lost friends to antisemitic conspiracy. My heart breaks for the victims of 10/7 and their families, as well as the Jewish community who was interrupted in the mourning of their losses. My heart breaks for all of the Palestinians who have lost friends and family in the subsequent destruction in Gaza and the immense violence and famine we are seeing.

Please root your activism in peace and compassion, not hatred and destruction. Please think before you speak about entire groups of people. Learn about what words mean before you use them to condemn others. Learn about Jewish people, Palestinian people, their lives, their cultures, and why they both feel such a strong connection to the land. Make this about healing, love, and reconciliation, and not about being right.

[mithliya]

I’m pro Palestine but like to read and see what others are saying and follow up on it..

I saw this: https://www.tumblr.com/secular-jew/754302442117758976/muslims-dont-even-try-to-hide-their-nazi-love

Video and am trying to tell if it really does represent trying to do the nazi salute or if it is some other gesture that happens to look like it

if you don’t want to engage with this ask in any way that’s fine

Thank you

what does it have to do with palestine? i think this video is of the houthis, a radical yemeni group, and i don’t know if the intention is to do a nazi salute or if it holds another meaning. regardless of the intention they probably do know this is identical to the nazi salute and it’s quite jarring and disturbing to witness. their slogan as well has the line “curse upon the jews” so i think it’s safe to assume they’re antisemitic. regardless it’s always a red flag when someone uses an extremist group being extremists to justify mistreating & othering a religious group consisting of over a billion ppl, as op has done. and it’s even more disturbing to use a group from yemen to then justify mass-killing palestinians.