#protect all the people’s rights and freedoms

[dinosaurwithablog]

Malcolm X was brilliant!! His words are as true now as they were then. That makes me very sad. I thought that we had become more accepting and inclusive as a people. I still believe that if we all work together, we can find a way to treat all people with love and respect and do the right thing. It's, definitely, worth achieving these goals. Let's get rid of this insane and hateful regime and take our country back!! Let's protect all of the people here and open our eyes, and see who's the real problem. I'll give you a hint... it's not the people who are being persecuted...

Love is the answer... it always has been... let's come from a place of love, not hate... 🙏🏼💜💜💜

[miajooz]

hello my loves! i’d like to talk about something important going on in america because it’s not okay AT ALL. as of recently, ICE (immigration and customs enforcement) has been raiding LA in a horrific way. children are being taken, families are being separated, friends are disappearing, it’s absolutely fucking disgusting what is happening. there’s no defense for this at all, arresting people without a warrant IS AGAINST THE LAW. IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. this is the exact thing kamala and the harris administration warned us about, i am ashamed of all the people in my life who have voted for this sick, inhumane treatment being inflicted upon fellow people in this country. In no way is such lack of empathy and coldness against HUMAN BEINGS okay. the children, the families, it’s SICK.

recently, ICE has been targeting hard working families and innocent people. trump claims to be targeting violent criminals which is BULLSHIT. was that pregnant woman a violent criminal? what about the children being separated from their families? what about the hard working immigrants who literally helped america be what it is in the first place. if you open a history book or did research you would know that. you can’t claim to be getting rid of violent criminals WHEN YOU ARE A FELON. TRUMP WASNT PROVEN INNOCENT, HE IS A CONVICTED FELON. how can you support this shit but vote for a criminal to run our country? YOU CANNOT BE ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND. EVERYONE IN AMERICA IS AN IMMIGRANT BESIDES THE NATIVES. this country was stolen, and anyone who says otherwise is ignorant.

ICE has been raiding and sent to places that are densely populated with immigrants, JUST TO ARREST THEM. rounding people up who have legal documents, who are US citizens, who were born here. rounding people up because of the color of their skin is inhumane and absolutely repulsive. criminals aren’t being targeted, and have you seen the prison in el salvador? it’s HORRIFIC.

in LA, there have been a lot of protests, most of which were peaceful. california’s OWN officers were went to keep things peaceful which was partly successful. protesting is a first amendment right, but the freedom of speech has been violated ever since trump has went into office. tear gas, rubber bullets, flash bang grenades, all of that have been used on protesters. and without consulting any california law enforcement members, trump deployed 2000 state national guard members to the streets of LA. that is also ILLEGAL. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. and to the troops who were deployed, YOU SWORE AN OATH TO SERVE THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION. NOT A FACIST FELON WHO IS CAUSING A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS. deploying troops without the consent of the state is federal aggression, and shouldn’t be tolerated. you guys are bitching about immigrants and saying they’re violent criminals? look at all the shit trump is doing! many veterans are absolutely devastated and it’s so sad to see. sending troops to attack american citizens is absolutely disgusting. this is the most obvious violation of the first amendment.

america’s democracy is at risk. donald trump doesn’t want a constitution, he’s a man child who bitches and uses violence when people don’t agree with him or oppose him. social media is being censored, he is targeting education, he is filtering everything—he literally DEFUNDED THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. education is the most dangerous weapon against dictators, so that checks out. if this isn’t a start to a dictatorship i don’t know what is, it’s here. these 4 years could be absolutely horrific, not to mention how he wants to ignore the precedent and “run again.” WHO WANTS THAT?

to all the people who have been affected by this, i am so, so sorry. it is repulsive what is happening, and i am sending love to all the families and individuals who have been hurt. to all the protesters who have been hurt, and to everyone this country has literally failed. to the women being denied life saving treatment in emergency rooms, to the women in my state who can’t get an abortion, it’s just horrific. to all the people who have been hurt during protests in LA, you deserve to be recognized. thank you for being a voice, you are valid and you are amazing and you deserve to be heard.

despite all of this, DO NOT STAY SILENT. that’s what he wants, he doesn’t want opposers. you are free to speak, that is the first amendment and cannot be violated. talk about it, don’t be scared to talk about it. the people are what makes a country, we shouldn’t be separated and on the brink of a civil war. it’s not right, why are we looking at people in such a selfish, ignorant way? this isn’t about being red or blue, this is our DEMOCRACY and the fact we are in a human rights crisis. this is about the fact that people are scared, communities are traumatized. people should be joining together and helping each other, do not normalize apathy. people are meant to love and join together, nobody should have this kind of power and influence on human lives in such a horrible way.

we are all people, you are all valid people. keep protesting, keep using your voice because it is POWERFUL. i love you all so unbelievably much, please, please don’t be ignorant.

Speech from Governor Newsom this addresses california!

[jaqobis]

man so i've been rereading tdr and i've been really noticing here that the reason egwene has such a hard time with nynaeve is because she keeps being reminded of renna

and egwene doesn't even fully realize this! nynaeve doesn't even know she's doing it!

but egwene spends this whole book on HIGH ALERT, because the last time she trusted anyone, she got carried off to the seanchan!! siuan's directive about the black ajah only feeds into her own paranoia after being deceived by liandrin...who, you know, was black ajah. it's not undeserved fear!! but egwene has a hard time looking at anyone she doesn't know (or doesn't know well) as anything but a potential threat. she spends the whole first meeting with aviendha and bain and chiad thinking about ways to protect herself or defuse the situation, when in actuality everyone's wondering why she seems so on edge and ready to attack. aviendha literally catches her embracing the source and hastily goes I WOULD NEVER HURT AN AES SEDAI BTW, FOR NO REASON, JUST FYI,

but coming back to nynaeve...the thing is, renna — and this is really emphasized in the book, where most of the torment is off-screened and told to us later in absolutely horrifying anecdotes — really abused egwene in the way of alternating punishment with "kind" and "humane" treatment. she acted like the owner of a recalcitrant animal she really cares about, or...wait for it...a particularly abusive older sister. renna is the one with the knowledge, the right answers, and egwene was her foolish damane who was learning the ropes. who, when she was punished, was hurt because she'd brought it on herself.

nynaeve, village wisdom, also acts like the older sister with the knowledge, and with the right answers. she also favors egwene with the affections of an authority figure. it's totally different, of course, because nynaeve actually loves egwene and respects her deeply. nynaeve would never hurt her. but we see moments like nynaeve giving egwene's hair a playful tug after egwene compliments her...which completely sours egwene's mood....and is also reminiscent of renna patting her hair when she "does well." both nynaeve and renna position themselves as teachers who have taught egwene lessons, which they ask her to recall! and though their behavior and treatment of her are wildly different, egwene is unable to separate her reactions to nynaeve and feelings about nynaeve with her visceral disgust at her time as a damane.

egwene doesn't WANT to be a "good girl," because with the seanchan she was forced to be a "good girl," a pliable damane, or she'd be hurt until she became compliant. but she is free now, and she's determined to keep her freedom forever, so she CANNOT be the foolish girl who trusted an adult and got captured and tortured. she CANNOT be the valuable damane who had no recourse but to learn her lessons and attempt the smallest resistances allowed to her. she won't agree with an authority figure just because they're an authority, and she won't enjoy their kindness when they agree with her!! all of these experiences have been completely poisoned for her. and, importantly, nynaeve is safe to act out with. egwene couldn't react this way at the white tower, because they have the power to withhold her education, her future as an aes sedai (which she conflates with safety because she will have power), and because they too are willing to apply physical punishment. nynaeve, at worst, will get frustrated or say something sour, but she would never meaningfully hurt egwene. and there's the part of egwene that knows that, even with all of the trauma informing every choice she makes.

tl;dr as usual rj wrote some really compelling trauma material in the wake of egwene's horrific experiences with the seanchan. i love his commitment to depicting the messier, uglier trauma responses people can have and the sympathy with which he does it

[unsolicited-opinions]

It's always hilarious when I see the dates on your posts because in NZ we go day/month/year.

So when I see your posts, for example one I saw just now dated 5/9/25, I'm like "oh cool post from the future". Then my brain catches up and goes "oh wait no that's not right, time travel doesn't exist. Amercian date duh"

(Please never change your date system, I enjoy the moment of confusion)

Can we talk about how weird the US is?

Most of the world uses DD/MM/YYYY, but the US uses MM/DD/YYYY

Most of the world uses Celsius, the US uses Fahrenheit.

Most of the world is metric, but the US won't let go of Imperial units.

The US is the only wealthy nation without universal healthcare.

Most of the world uses 220–240V electricity, the US uses 120-Volt

I read that only the US and New Zealand allow direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads.

The US is the only nation that ties many aspects of adult life (housing, employment, loans, insurance rates) to a secretive algorithm-driven credit score system.

Many countries vote on weekends or have national holidays for elections. The US votes on a Tuesday - and it's not even a federal holiday.

College sports are not an industry ($18-$20 billion per year!) anywhere but in the US.

The weirdest difference about Americans...is that they're largely unaware of how weird the US is among other nations.

It's funny. I was looking at the above and thought, I should make a list of things about the US I'm proud of! Some of the ways it is positively exceptional!

So I started making a list...and had to face the reality that Trump is attacking all of them.

1. Constitutionally Protected Free Speech

The US has some of the strongest legal protections for freedom of expression in the world - including unpopular, offensive, or political speech.

Unlike many democracies, "hate speech" laws don’t exist in the same form, and government censorship is much more restricted.

Trump hasn't dismantled free speech (yet), but he attacked the free press as "the enemy of the people," encouraged and filed lawsuits against journalists, and floated ideas like expanding libel laws to target critics. While not policy, this rhetoric chills speech and emboldens authoritarianism. His attempts to illegally de-fund public broadcasting are nakedly political, motivated by his distaste for the content of NPR and PBS, and in violation of the First Amendment.

2. Invention Culture

The U.S. is uniquely good at turning wild ideas into world-changing innovations: the airplane, the internet, the smartphone, GPS, social media, electric cars, AI, and yes, even the moon landing.

American culture prizes risk-taking and rewards failure as a learning process - rare in most countries.

Trump's immigration limits (like the H-1B visa crackdown) restricted access to top global talent, which could weaken innovation long-term. His attacks on institutions of higher education will dramatically slow technological innovation and destroy research programs. The brain drain to other nations of technical, scientific expertise has already started.

3. Higher Ed Research Powerhouse

The U.S. is home to nearly all of the top global research universities and attracts more international students than any other country.

American universities lead in medical, technological, and scientific breakthroughs.

Trump slashed funding for scientific research and gutted federal advisory panels.

Anti-intellectualism and attacks on elite universities (especially during COVID and around DEI issues) undermined trust in American academia and discouraged international students.

He also restricted foreign researchers, especially from China.

4. Peaceful Transfers of Power (Mostly)

The US had a long history of peaceful democratic transitions, without coups, assassinations, or military takeovers - uncommon for such a large and diverse nation...and then came Trump.

Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results, pressuring officials to overturn it, and inciting the January 6th insurrection are considered by legal scholars and bipartisan commissions as an unprecedented attack on American democracy.

5. National Parks System

The US pioneered the idea of preserving vast, stunning natural landscapes for public enjoyment - Yellowstone was the world's first national park.

The National Parks system is the gold standard for conservation tourism.

Trump opened millions of acres of protected lands to drilling, mining, and commercial use, including rolling back protections at Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante.

His administration also weakened the Endangered Species Act and gutted environmental regulations.

6. Civil Society Strength

The US has a thriving network of grassroots organizations, non-profits, advocacy groups, and independent media that hold institutions accountable and mobilize citizens.

Trump has attacked watchdog groups and frequently tried to delegitimize civil society institutions, especially those related to voting rights, environment, and racial justice.

His administration also attempted to weaponize the IRS and DOJ against political opponents.

7. Free & Open Internet

Despite pressures, the US has generally protected a free and open internet, with few restrictions on access or content compared to most other nations.

...until Trump’s FCC, under Ajit Pai, repealed net neutrality protections in 2017. Though the internet remained accessible, open access and fair competition were weakened.

9. Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

The US leads in startup creation, venture capital funding, and unicorn companies (startups worth $1B+).

It’s one of the few places where a person can come from nothing and build a global empire in their garage (literally - see Apple, Amazon, HP).

Trump's immigration restrictions hurt startups' access to talent and investment (e.g. STEM immigrants, startup visas).

Trade wars with China and uncertainty in international markets also created instability for small and medium-sized innovators.

10. Strong Judicial Review

The US Supreme Court and lower courts have real power to strike down laws and check the other branches - rare in many democracies.

Trump respected judicial review when it served him, but attacked judges who ruled against him, calling them "Obama judges" or "so-called judges."

He also appointed record numbers of federal judges, many of whom were rated "not qualified," and explicitly chosen for ideological loyalty, raising long-term concerns about judicial independence.

11. Religious Pluralism

While religion is prominent in public life, the U.S. also guarantees freedom of religion and supports a wildly diverse religious landscape - everything from Orthodox Jews to Buddhists to Wiccans to atheists.

Trump has embraced Christian nationalism and banned entry from multiple Muslim-majority countries (the "Muslim Ban"), which was later struck down and modified...until he revived it in 2025.

Rhetoric and policies have consistently signaled preference for one religious identity, undermining pluralism.

12. Robust Refugee and Immigrant Absorption (Historically)

Though flawed, the US has welcomed more immigrants than any other country in history and granted millions paths to citizenship, jobs, and education.

Trump cut legal immigration by nearly 50%, reduced refugee admissions to historic lows, ended DACA protections, and dismantled the asylum process.

His administration separated families, created a climate of fear, and made it harder for immigrants to naturalize.

Don't get me started on his ICE raids.

13. Civil Rights Legacy

The US gave birth to one of the most influential civil rights movements of the 20th century — and inspired others around the world.

Figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and John Lewis are global symbols of peaceful resistance and justice.

Trump dismantled Obama-era civil rights protections, including for transgender individuals, voting rights enforcement, and police reform oversight.

He attacked movements like Black Lives Matter and used federal forces against peaceful protesters (Lafayette Square, 2020).

14. Strong Local Government

States and localities in the US have real, constitutionally protected autonomy, enabling political diversity and experimentation (think: marijuana legalization, universal basic income pilots, or charter school models).

Trump has repeatedly threatened "blue states" and tried to withhold federal funding from states or cities that disagreed with him politically (e.g., sanctuary cities, COVID policies).

Undermining federalism in this way weakened the traditional balance of state and federal power.

15. Disaster Response Innovation

FEMA and the U.S. military lead some of the fastest and best-coordinated global disaster responses - often being first on the ground for earthquakes, hurricanes, and humanitarian crises abroad.

Trump’s handling of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was widely condemned as negligent and racially biased.

His COVID-19 response lacked national coordination and downplayed science, weakening U.S. disaster response credibility.

His FEMA director was unaware there is a hurricane season.

So...most of the things about my country of which I was still proud...are being erased.

(But I'm glad our date formatting is entertaining.)

[possumcollege]

I love the way physical proximity and touch is used in Andor.

(the following contains spoilers)

Rebel characters are often so close together, familiar. They hug, they huddle, they touch. It's not unusual for them to be shoulder-to-shoulder when skulking around. Their locations are intimate, by nature of their need to hide, but most settings appear open, communal, familial. Their clothes are softer, weathered, textured, lived-in.

The Imperial world is much more strictly regimented, isolated, and physical separation highlights their hierarchy. Rank confers the right to breech that barrier but physical separation is the cultural norm. Officers have sterile secure office cells. Their uniforms are stiff, crisp. Their soldiers are armored.

The Imperial prison is an encapsulation of how the Empire sees people. They are acquired at the Empire's leisure, only allowed to gather in order to produce, then get stored in their little styrofoam packing blocks. Prisoners are conditioned to see eachother as competition, or as threats to their own eventual freedom. They are only rewarded with flavor in their feeding tubes. Attempts to gather, coordinate, escape, or move freely are brutally punished. Entire blocks of prisoners are disposable. Touch is purely incidental or punitive.

Rebel locations and places free of direct Imperial oversight are much different. Ferrix is built up and urban, but it has a very culturally fluid structure. People brush past eachother in the narrow streets, they work closely in the shipyards, they come and go from eachother's homes. The camp on Aldhani has no significant doors or walls. It fits the nomadic culture of they're trying to blend in with, but it also puts the team on the same plane. They may not all share 100% of the information, but they are all exposed to the same threats and depend on eachother. The same can be said of the base on Yavin. It's a sprawling complex, but the marshal yards, supply areas, living quarters are not enclosed. The only real separation is the chamber where leaders meet but we see many other characters have access to it. Cassian's place on Yavin has no doors or interior walls. The exterior walls aren't solid. It's more psychological shelter than secure position.

Conversely, The Empire's backbone is pure authority. The structure keeps the machine rolling and the pieces need to be kept apart to minimize friction, maximise compartmentalization, and make people easier to monitor or replace. The most memorable scenes of Imperial characters touching someone else are aggressive and disturbing. Closeness is an enemy of order. Depersonalization is almost a prerequisite for advancement.

This theme of closeness and separation is really highlighted when these modes change. When Rebel characters are alone, it's usually to protect the rest of the alliance, and when they isolate themselves, it's tragic. When Imperial characters are alone it's usually because they're being played as pawns or they've screwed up. When they make contact, it's almost always threatening.

The Rebels need to trust and have faith in eachother because their connections are their greatest strength. The highest ranking rebel leaders are not as insulated from direct threats as Imperial officers. Isolated rebel characters are removed from the very lifeblood of their cause, eachother. When they touch it usually reinforces their bonds. We are meant to see that the compartmentalization necessary for secrecy is extremely taxing for many of them. Closeness and intimacy are a sacrifice to the cause of freedom.

Even at their most amicable, Syril and Dedra's physical relationship is awkward. I get the impression that, thanks to their upbringing, and professional culture, neither of them understands how to perform affection. We can tell there is a desire for it but it isn't accessible to them. Because of this, their affectionate interactions still read like power plays or secret transgressions. It's shocking when we see Syril grip Dedra by the throat on Ghorman because it violates their personal relationship, their established dynamic, and every cultural norm Dedra is used to. This contact is the result of a breech between them, a collapse, and an outpouring of emotion between two people whose primary motivation is order. Syril's entire conception of the purpose of authority and his relationship implodes into a white-hot point of anger, leaving both feeling frightened and betrayed.

The fight between Syril and Cassian is an extension of this, with Syril pouring all of his grief and rage into an explosion of physical violence. For Syril, his relationship with this man is personal, intimate, and the systems that were supposed to resolve it have turned to ash. The law didn't share his sense of justice and dedication. The Empire (and as far as he knows, Dedra) exploited his sense of duty, using him as a tool to exterminate an entire population. His mother can't even treat him like a whole person. In that moment of crisis on Ghorman all he has is physical contact. He focuses all the rage of his isolation and insignificance on Cassian's face, only to learn that the one man who is responsible for the most important years of his life doesn't even know who he is. He devoted his life to causes that repeatedly reward him with total erasure.

When Krennic confronts Dedra in the interrogation room, his initial touch is more unsettling to her than anything he says. She expects to be grilled and raked over the coals, but she doesn't expect contact. In their world, contact is something that happens to other people. To be touched by the Empire is usually an act of subjugation, domination, and violence. For that to land literally on top of her head is terrifying. The initial contact is also incredibly demeaning and immediately tells her that she is no longer respected or safe. She is no longer on the distribution side of violence. A sentiment further ground in when he grabs her by the head. Her service to the Empire evaporates and she's reduced to nothing more than a violation of security protocols.

Luthen and Mon Mothma are great example of these themes because they must present acceptable fronts to the Empire in order to undermine it. Their physical and social spaces are simultaneously very open and controlled, intimate but largely performative. Their minds are their only truly personal spaces.

Mon's home is very spacious with few interior doors. The people inside move about and easily come into contact. Her clothes are orderly, intricate, and sculptural, but open backs and necklines portray a vulnerability and intentional exposure, unlike the high, stiff "protect your neck" style Imperial uniforms.

Luthen's shop is open, presumably, to the public but the objects on display that distract and attract also act as a subtle sort of barrier, like his public persona. Luthen uses his gregarious image to get closer to positions of power. All of his garish layers and lighthearted mannerisms make his priorities seem obvious and frivolous.

Luthen is nonthreatening to the Empire because he performs the distance of a dilletante, in service of himself. Mon maintains her position by participating in the arms-length business of public diplomacy. The Empire only suspects her as much as any other senator because they ultimately know the senate has no teeth to bare against them. She's one voice among thousands.

It's appropriate that each representative in that senate is isolated in their own little floating dog-bowl. They're all in the same room, but they are still physically isolated within that space. The space of each little pod can easily render a person very small and exposed in the face of the assembly looming over them.

It draws a lot of parallels to historic controls of proximity and touch to shape society, reinforce authority, breed privilege, and crush dissent. There are times when all we have is eachother. Depriving is of that is such an act of calculated cruelty. I really appreciate how well the show uses these themes to humanize the characters on both sides of the conflict and illustrate how fundamentally dehumanizing an authoritarian empire is.

[moldybonessmell]

I have many thoughts about Alexei in MCU and I shall share them with you.

I see discourse if he's bad person or not (just like with other Thunderbolts as it's the point of the movie lol) and I wanted to explain how I see his character.

I feel the need to say that I've watched Thunderbolts before Black Widow and my impressions are based on that. /SPOILERS for both of course.

Firstly, he's absolutely wrong for sending Natasha and Yelena to the Red Room. Hands down. Did he think he was doing the right thing so they protect themselves? Maybe. I'm not buying it tho lol. I don't think he cared about the girls at that time. They were just his job and he did his act. He did not care any further than needed.

But he definitely realises what he did was a horrible thing and stops defending himself and tries to apologise to Natasha in the Black Widow (she didn't actually hear it, but we as viewers know he's sorry).

He's very self-centered and at first it comes off as his ego acting up because he used to be Red Guardian and felt important.

But then he was locked up in prison for 20 years. He did not live all this time. The only things he could hold on were memories of his golden days when he was important and needed. No wonder he's so self-absorbed when the girls get him out. He basically doesn't have an identity, he's a shell of a person he used to be and his glory days is everything he has left. He doesn't have anyone.

But eventually he finds out that he does have people who care about him at least a little bit and they are his adoptive daughters (or just only one left after Endgame). In the beginning of Thunderbolts he's clearly awkward with Yelena as they are not close. Rebuilding familiar relationships is not easy. They went separate ways learning how to live on their own after gaining freedom and figuring out stuff for themselves (clearly unsuccessfully). But "it was real" for Yelena and she still sees him as her father figure. After they got their shit rocked by Sentry and Yelena has a breakdown, Alexei realises this as she says that she needed him, and he understands that he needs her too.

Coming back to Alexei making a mistake of sending the girls to the Red Room, I need people to understand that he's not the same person anymore. He's in his 50's now, and what happens to people as they age is that they grow softer. It is devastating to search closure and support from someone who was the reason for your abuse and trauma growing up. But unfortunately, this is how parents are.

As someone who vividly remembers the abuse I suffered as a child, seeing the same people act completely differently towards me as they reach 60 feels surreal. It feels wrong. Because you can't get closure from someone who's a different person now. I imagine this is how Yelena felt and how difficult it was to her to come back to him and accept his kindness and ask for support now. I unfortunately, don't have a positive experience in this and don't have the forgiveness in me to move on and have a close relationship with my parents as an adult, but that's beside the point lol.

Alexei at this time, tries to take care of Yelena, and at the same time figure out who he is as a person. The way the fandom portrays Thunderbolts dynamic, people don't really pay attention to how much this found family means for Alexei too.

He had no one, nowhere to belong, then for a brief period had daughters again. Then lost Natasha, then had no one again because of grief. Then got Yelena back again and a whole bunch of other teammates. And on top of that, his place in this world as a hero.

It is made to be a comedic gimmick how he's obsessed with bringing together a team, but what it really looks like is him being lonely and desperately trying to find friends and be a part of something. To be a part of a family, and to be a part of something bigger as saving the wolrd and finding self-worth again.

All in all, Alexei is a complex character, and is not inherently bad or good. He's as lonely as the rest of Thunderbolts and goes through the same struggle of proving his worth.

[our-trans-punk-experience]

UK punks, the Freedom Flotilla was sailing under the British Civilian Ensign, which means that under international law the UK Government has a responsibility to protect the boat and the people on board. You can find a template to email your MP about this from the humanti project at this link https://www.humantiproject.org/the-uk-has-a-legal-obligation-to-protect-the-freedom-flotilla/

RIGHT!

listen up punks and rebels, I'm back and covering this for you all best I can, I am so sorry I haven't been able to do an hour-to-hour update of this like I did for the election or the race riots in the UK last august

I have a collection of articles to share as well as the links for the videos the crew themselves posted.

The template above specifically refers to protections pre-interception so some of the wording is slightly outdated but can be easily updated to call on MP to advance protections for everyone on board, connect with the governments of everyone in the crew to emplore them to get their people released.

And while the UK has placed some sanctions on 2 Israeli Ministers, this is not enough, not when the UK continues to arm Israel. I will share any campaigns as they come up

[thatstormygeek]

This is where mainstream media coverage fails most catastrophically. By treating anti-trans campaigns as if they emerge from legitimate medical concerns, outlets like the New York Times provide cover for what is essentially an eliminationist political movement. They take groups that explicitly seek to erase transgender people from society and present their arguments as if they represent one reasonable side of a scientific debate.

"There is such a laser-focused mission that has a very well-oiled financial machine behind it, in politics, on the right, that is destined to eliminate trans care and basically trans rights and trans people from existence," Leibowitz explains. This isn't hyperbole or partisan rhetoric — it's an accurate description of what groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Heritage Foundation have openly stated as their goals. They want to create, in Leibowitz's words, "a society that has people with two sexes and that their gender is automatically what their sex is and that the role of that gender is predefined." ... This is why Leibowitz's quote is so important. Here's someone who tried to work within the system, who believed in good faith engagement, who thought better protocols and clearer research might build bridges with critics. And even he has concluded that the opposition isn't interested in improving care — they're interested in eliminating it entirely.

There it is, right there in the middle of a podcast that built around treating anti-trans political campaigns as legitimate medical concerns: the admission that this fight isn't about nuance at all. Leibowitz figured this out the hard way, after initially believing that better research and more careful protocols might satisfy critics. Instead, he learned what transgender advocates have been saying all along — that no amount of evidence will satisfy people who fundamentally reject the idea that transgender identities are valid. This revelation should be the basis of every story about transgender healthcare restrictions. It should be the framing that guides coverage of anti-trans legislation. Instead, it's treated as an aside, a single quote buried in hours of content that otherwise legitimizes the very "debate" Leibowitz correctly identifies as fundamentally dishonest. ... The doctor's evolution is telling. He initially believed, as many well-meaning professionals do, that the attacks on transgender care stemmed from legitimate medical concerns. If only researchers could produce better studies, if only clinicians could develop more rigorous protocols, if only the medical community could reach clearer consensus, then surely reasonable people would support evidence-based care for transgender youth. This is the same assumption that underlies much of the mainstream media's approach to covering these issues — the idea that we're witnessing a good-faith scientific debate rather than a coordinated political campaign. But Leibowitz learned what happens when you try to engage with this supposed scientific concern in good faith. No matter how careful his approach, no matter how thoroughly he explained the research, no matter how many safeguards were put in place, it wasn't enough. Because the goal was never to improve care or protect children — it was to eliminate transgender people from public life entirely.

[dinosaurwithablog]

She is right. Does anyone remember how this country started? We escaped a tyrannical government to protect our people, our rights, and our freedom. We fought against oppression to get liberty and justice for all. How did we end up back where we started? Why aren't people fighting for what's right? Our forefathers gave us this beautiful country and they gave us our freedom. What's going on is reprehensible. What's even more shocking and reprehensible is that those who we elected to represent us and take care of us are just sitting there doing nothing. Apathy makes them just as responsible and guilty of the crimes being committed on people, justice, and the Constitution. It's time to speak up and speak LOUDLY and take our country back NOW!! I want my country back, don't you? I want to uphold the Constitution, don't you? I want to restore democracy, don't you? Let's take action and do it NOW!!

Same.

[dykedvonte]

I think depictions of Anya being cruel to Curly or drawing out his suffering are artful and chilling but completely miss the point of the story and her character.

I'm not saying she doesn't deserve to have that "I told you so" moment with him but not in something callous or cold. Even if that is how it happened, she'd immediately feel guilty cause at that point she's not tormenting her tormenter or even the person truly at fault. She's doing something cathartic, similar to how Jimmy likely hits Curly to release rage he can't against the rest of the crew. She'd see herself as no different when she'd come back from the moment and see Curly cowering at her. She wants someone to take responsibility but how does being cruel to the defenseless help? Why would she want the power Jimmy has over her over Curly?

The idea of her extending someone else's pain is just so against the struggles she already faces and how she can't even bring herself to cause someone pain even to help them. Her very desire is to release herself from her own suffering and I doubt she'd even fine some sort of guilty release in being cruel to another.

[dinosaurwithablog]

Truth! 👊🏻👊🏼👊🏽👊🏾👊🏿 Power to the people!!

[meglyfer]

Again, chapter 4 spoilers under the cut

(tags added by @charafansmile)

No, no, acutally, you are so right and I agree with most of it

When I mentioned the overprotection I was referrencing how Toriel would put parent control over TV channels, hide away treats Kris isn't supposed to eat much of, walking to school by holding their hand. All of these attitudes are things you'd do with a child as they are young and need protection, protection from the scary or innapropriate channels, from eating too many treats and getting sick, from walking away on their own and getting lost or hurt

However, it is also true that Toriel seems to give Kris more freedom when they are with friends. Part of this is of course because it is mentioned that Kris doesn't have many friends, so Toriel wouldn't want to get in the middle and ruin this for them. But I also believe that she is okay with this because she thinks their friends will keep them safe in her place

I see Toriel as someone who has been overprotective of her children since they were young, but is trying to let go of this trait of hers, after all her eldest son is in college, and the one she's got at home is already a teenager. She wants to let Kris do their life, she wants to give them the freedom other people their age have, but she's still so worried of what could happen to them. Only when friends entered the picture has she allowed herself to relax, as they can take her place in protecting Kris, and maybe these interactions will also serve as a learning moment for both of them to figure out what is best for them

Chapter 4 spoilers under the cut because some people are pissing me the fuck off

Oh my fucking god, these people will literally see Asgore being emotionaly neglectful of his child, put on Kris the weight of trying to get back to Toriel, and on at least one occasion is shown to completely ignore Kris on the scene to focus only on Toriel and beg her to come back, and people will say that he's such a loving dad! He may have his flaws, but he's trying his best and that's what counts! Isn't he such a nice guy guys?

Toriel on the other hand, she gets a little drunk ONCE and is compared to ALCOHOLIC ABUSIVE PARENTS

Toriel forgets to check up on Kris at night because she's distracted ONCE and she is suddendly AN EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE AND NEGLECTFUL PARENT (never mind the fact that we see in the whole fucking game that her flaw is over protection)

Toriel decides to hang out with a friend and have a drink with him ONCE and be seen by Kris, and suddendly SHE'S TRAUMATISING THEM?????? (Yes, I've seen people say this)

So, when Asgore is depicted to be a bad parent in all four chapters, he's doing his best, but when Toriel is a bad parent in just one segment of a chapter, she's suddendly the fucking antichrist

God forbid an adult decides to get a little drunk in the safety of her home

God forbid a person is distracted and doesn't realise how late it was

God forbid a person decides to have a drink with a friend, and their child walks into the room and feels a bit uncomfortable

If y'all are reacting like this towards Toriel for things she's done just ONE TIME, then you should pick up the phone and start calling child support on so many people, because I assure you YOUR PARENTS have done this, YOUR FRIENDS' PARENTS have done this, YOUR AUNTS AND UNCLES, GRANDPARENTS, HECK, REPORT ON MY WHOLE FUCKING FAMILY, TORIEL IN THAT ONE SCENE IS MY EXTENDED FAMILY ON A CHRISTMAS PARTY

Call me crazy, but I think this is because of misogyny. A man is depicted multiple times being a bad father? No, it's okay actually, because he's doing his best. A woman is depicted being a bad mother once? No, disgusting, absolutely terrible, she should be killed actually

I want to clarify, I don't want this post to look like an attack on Asgore as, despite the flaws that I've already mention, people are right when they say that he's trying his best, and that he loves his children (these doesn't cancel out his wrongs thought). However, I had to mention him and show his bad doings because the same people who speak the worst of Toriel in this chapter will say these nice things of Asgore, but won't let Toriel have the same opportunity to be seen as someone who messed up but is trying her best

Also, if you're going to point out Toriel's flaws as a mother then talk about her over protection, like, it is RIGHT THERE, we've seen it since CHAPTER ONE, don't talk about things that happened ONCE and could happen to ANYONE

[vaguely-concerned]

bunter keeping peter from being swallowed up by an evil bog with the kind of hysterical strength otherwise only known by mothers deadlifting cars to save their tender babes is something that can actually be so personal

[off-color-darkrai]

Every single time I see some person in the Transformers Fandom trying to convince me "Well actually, both sides are equally as bad":

[dinosaurwithablog]

We, the people, should listen to Abe. Let's protect our Constitution... let's protect our country... let's protect our people... let's protect our rights... let's stand by our allies... let's do the right thing... let's get rid of those who pervert our Constitution... let's do it now, shall we?

[dinosaurwithablog]

FDR said it all... I couldn't have said it any better myself. Thank you all, and bless you all... ❤️🤍💙🙏🏼