#r/coronavirus

[madamephantom]

Permabanned from r/coronavirus for mentioning a chronic condition related to Long Covid 🙄

[bootleg-nessie]

Pro tip: if you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. Bacteria only materialize when you look at them through a microscope, then immediately vanish again the moment you stop looking

[puspincarolartarchives]

Well, I had a Fever.

Back in the Year 2020, Eevee, Okiyama, Pikachu, and Petal visiting the grave of Gilbert Luis R. Centina III https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Luis_R._Centina_III who died of COVID-19 in León Spain and the text says “ R.I.P Gilbert Luis R. Centina III He died of Coronavirus Disease (1947 - 2020)”.

Too Dumb, I can play Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Pokémon Violet.

Pikachu and Eevee belongs to Game Freak.

[izzyslumber]

I’m the only one wearing a mask in this dentists’ office

[kachimera]

Man i rlly hate this website bc bitches wont let you point out how defensiveness over an animal species killing thousands worldwide (specially in regions they dont live in) seems odd without being accused of wanting them extinct and hating bugs and thinking animals must earn the right to exist. Yes i agree in the inherent worth of life in all species, even harmful or parasitic ones, but i also dislike seeing other people dying u kno

[simply-ivanka]

INVESTIGATE. INDICT. PROSECUTE. INCARCERATE.

Media manipulation should be illegal. Zuckerburg's statement is an admission and he should be prosecuted for election interference.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted Monday that the Biden administration pressured Facebook to censor COVID-19 content and acknowledged it was wrong to stifle The Post’s coverage of Hunter Biden’s infamous laptop.

In an explosive letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Zuckerberg wrote that “senior Biden administration officials, including the White House, repeatedly pressured” Meta to “censor” content related to the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. 

The content the Biden administration requested that Meta take down included “humor and satire,” according to the Facebook founder, and he said he regrets complying with certain demands.  

[beardedmrbean]

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to publicly testify Tuesday before Congress on his administration's nursing home policies during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hearing, before the Republican-led House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, will see Cuomo defend his decision to allow COVID-19-positive patients back into nursing homes and long-term care facilities while the pandemic was underway.

Cuomo previously testified before the subcommittee during a closed-door hearing in June. Transcripts from that interview, as well as with high-ranking officials during Cuomo's administration, will be released ahead of the public hearing.MORE: Andrew Cuomo subpoenaed by congressional subcommittee investigating COVID-era handling of nursing homes

"Andrew Cuomo owes answers to the 15,000 families who lost loved ones in New York's nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic," subcommittee Chairman Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, said in a statement last week. "On September 10, Americans will have the opportunity to hear directly from the former governor about New York's potentially fatal nursing home policies."

In March 2020, as COVID-19 cases were surging, Cuomo issued an order requiring nursing homes to readmit all residents who were "medically stable" and returning after being hospitalized for the virus.

"No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the [nursing home] solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19," the order read. It further stated that nursing homes were "prohibited from requiring a hospitalized resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission."

At the time, Cuomo explained that the order would help expand hospital capacity to meet the demands of caring for the sickest COVID-19 patients. After facing criticism from nursing home advocates, however, the governor amended the order in May 2020, prohibiting hospitals from discharging patients to nursing homes unless they first tested negative for COVID-19.

Cuomo fought back against criticism of his policies and, in July 2020, a report from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) stated that COVID-19 was introduced into nursing homes by infected staff, and that peak staff infections correlated with peak nursing home resident deaths. The report also found that "admissions policies were not a significant factor in nursing home fatalities."MORE: Andrew Cuomo testifies before House panel on COVID nursing home policy

However, in January 2021, New York Attorney General Letitia James released a report that found the NYSDOH had undercounted the number of nursing home residents who died of COVID-19 by as much as 50%, and failed to count in its official death tally nursing home residents who died of COVID-19 after being admitted to hospitals.

In 2022, Cuomo's representative said the Manhattan District Attorney's office would not file criminal charges in connection with the former governor's handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic.

Earlier this year, an independent investigation, commissioned by current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, found that although Cuomo's nursing home response policy was based on "the best available data at the time," communication to the public was poor and caused anxiety for family members of nursing home residents.

"Even the most well-intentioned policy had unforeseen consequences in [New York state] nursing homes," the report read.

[2bpoliticallycurious]

Republicans celebrate their successful deception of voters

“The idea that I’m biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me, given my own personal background.”

--Christopher Wray, FBI Director

"Good for [FBI Director Christopher Wray]. But here’s what’s especially insane, absurd and ludicrous: No matter how many refutations Wray and others provide, Republicans are persuading people to believe their lies — and they are proud of the deception."

--Dana Milbank, opinion columnist for The Washington Post

Dana Milbank knocks it out of the ballpark in describing how House Republicans are convincing many people that the FBI is targeting "conservatives," despite refutations by people like lifelong Republican FBI Director Christopher Wray. This is an important summary of all the conspiracy theories that the GOP flung at Wray during their "inquisition" of him. Consequently, the above link is a gift link 🎁so you can read the entire column, even if you do not subscribe to The Washington Post.

After looking at the Wray interrogation, Milbank also discusses the GOP clown show that was a hearing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. 

In addition, Milbank goes on to talk about how Gal Luft, the "star 'whistleblower' behind the allegations of corruption against President Biden and his family, was indicted on a charge of acting as an illegal arms broker and an unregistered agent for China."

Finally, Milbank talks about all the conspiratorially based amendments the GOP have added to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Below are some excerpts from his column:

An honest man visited the House of lies this week. He did not like what he found there. “Insane.” “Absurd.” “Ludicrous.” Those are the actual words FBI Director Christopher Wray used to describe House Republicans’ crackpot conspiracy theories. “The American people fully understand,” Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) informed Wray at Wednesday’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, “… that you have personally worked to weaponize the FBI against conservatives.” Right. Hageman, the election denier who ousted Liz Cheney in a primary, would have you believe that Wray — senior political appointee in the George W. Bush Justice Department, clerk to a noted conservative judge, contributor to the Federalist Society, Donald Trump-appointed head of the FBI — is part of a conspiracy to persecute conservatives. “The idea that I’m biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me, given my own personal background,” he replied. [...] Good for him. But here’s what’s especially insane, absurd and ludicrous: No matter how many refutations Wray and others provide, Republicans are persuading people to believe their lies — and they are proud of the deception. Johnson, the leadoff questioner at Wednesday’s hearing, told Wray about a recent NBC News poll, in which “only 37 percent of registered voters now view the FBI positively,” down from 52 percent in 2018. “That’s a serious decline in the people’s faith, and it’s on your watch,” he told Wray.

[pandemic-info]

Why Experts Say You Shouldn’t Run With COVID-19:

While it’s often fine to exercise with a cold, experts say you should avoid intense activity when it comes to the coronavirus

Runner's World article.

Excerpts for accessibility:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/172464l/comment/k3u9d5g/

https://twitter.com/Dakota%5C_150/status/1710140660605391314

in May 2023, researchers published a literature review in Frontiers in Physiology to determine if high-intensity activity could be dangerous for someone with COVID infection. While intense exercise does come with benefits—such as improved cardiovascular function and metabolic health—they concluded that during and after a COVID infection, intense exercise influences the levels of stress hormones (adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine), which may make COVID symptoms more severe. [...] “We see systemic inflammation with COVID, which we do not see with a cold or flu,” Christian Sandrock, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, Davis, tells Runner’s World. “Also, we don’t see damage to the heart and lungs from the flu the way we do with COVID.” [...] Sandrock mentions a 2021 JAMA Cardiology study of more than 1,500 well-trained college athletes who had a COVID infection. This is a group of people who didn’t have heart inflammation and now, after COVID, they do. “It’s most concerning,” says Sandrock.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

Whenever you hear someone trying to blame kid's poor test scores "post pandemic" on "lockdowns," show them this.

By Dr. Sushama R. Chaphalkar, PhD.

New research shows that mild COVID-19 alters brain structure and connectivity in key areas responsible for memory and cognition, emphasizing the lasting effects on young people’s brain health.

In a case-control study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive tests to examine brain structure, function, and cognition in adolescents and young adults with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared to healthy controls in a pandemic hotspot in Italy. They identified significant changes in brain regions related to olfaction and cognition, with decreased brain volume and reduced functional connectivity in areas like the left hippocampus and amygdala, which were linked to impaired spatial working memory. Notably, no significant differences were observed in whole-brain connectivity, suggesting that these changes were localized rather than widespread.

Background COVID-19, primarily known for respiratory symptoms, also affects the central nervous system, leading to neurological issues like headaches, anosmia, and cognitive changes. MRI-based studies reveal anatomical brain changes in COVID-19 patients, such as reduced gray matter and decreased volume in regions like the hippocampus and amygdala, often linked to cognitive deficits.

While research mostly focuses on severe cases and older adults, a majority of infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, occur in adolescents and young adults who also experience long-lasting cognitive symptoms.

This age group, undergoing key brain development, is impacted by changes in spatial working memory and brain structure, which are crucial for cognitive functions shaped by social interactions, significantly disrupted by the pandemic.

Given that this is the largest and most understudied population affected by COVID-19, understanding the brain and cognitive impacts in adolescents and young adults is vital.

Therefore, researchers in the present study compared anatomical, functional, and cognitive outcomes, utilizing a longitudinal design that allowed them to assess both pre- and post-infection differences, in COVID-19-positive and negative adolescents and young adults from Lombardy, Italy, a global hotspot during the pandemic.

About the study The present study involved participants from the Public Health Impact of Metal Exposure (PHIME) cohort, a longitudinal investigation of adolescents and young adults in northern Italy. Between 2016 and 2021, 207 participants, aged 13 to 25 years, were included in a sub-study with MRI scans and cognitive tests. After COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, 40 participants (13 COVID+ and 27 COVID−) participated in a follow-up study, which replicated the MRI and cognitive assessments.

The mean age of participants was 20.44 years and 65% were female. COVID+ status was confirmed through positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests within 12 months of follow-up. Neuropsychological assessments used the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to evaluate spatial working memory.

MRI and functional MRI data were acquired using a 3-Tesla scanner, processed, and analyzed for structural and local functional connectivity using eigenvector centrality mapping (ECM) and functional connectivity (FC) metrics. Whole-brain functional connectivity metrics showed no significant differences between COVID+ and control groups, indicating that the observed changes were specific to key brain regions rather than generalized across the entire brain.

Statistical analysis involved the use of pairwise Student's t-tests, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, linear regression, two-waves mediation analysis, negative binomial regression, and linear regression, all adjusted for covariates.

Results and discussion Significant differences were observed in the two groups regarding the time between assessments, COVID-19 symptoms, and vaccine status. The research identified five localized functional connectivity hubs with significant differences between the two groups, including the right intracalcarine cortex, right lingual gyrus, left frontal orbital cortex, left hippocampus and left amygdala, which is vital for cognitive functions. Only the left hippocampal volume showed a significant reduction in COVID+ participants (p = 0.034), while whole-brain connectivity remained unchanged, reinforcing the localized nature of the brain changes.

The left amygdala mediated the relationship between COVID-19 and spatial working memory "between errors" (p = 0.028), a critical finding that highlights the indirect effect of amygdala connectivity on cognitive function in COVID+ individuals. This mediation analysis underscores the role of specific brain regions in influencing cognitive deficits, as only the indirect effect was statistically significant for spatial working memory errors. The orbitofrontal cortex, involved in sensory integration and cognitive functions, also showed decreased connectivity in COVID+ individuals, supporting previous findings of structural and functional changes in this region during COVID-19.

The study is limited by small sample size, lack of diversity, potential confounding factors due to the long interval between MRI scans, treatment of certain subjects as COVID-negative based on antibody testing beyond the 12-month threshold, and the possibility of non-significant findings in mediation analysis due to these factors.

Conclusion In conclusion, the findings indicate persistent structural and functional alterations in specific brain regions of COVID-19-positive adolescents and young adults, including changes in gray matter volume and localized functional connectivity, which correlate with diminished cognitive function, particularly in working memory.

Further research is necessary to evaluate the longevity and potential reversibility of these brain and cognitive changes post-infection, enhancing our understanding of post-COVID outcomes and informing future interventions and treatments. The longitudinal design of this study, with pre- and post-COVID data, strengthens these findings by allowing direct comparisons over time, offering robust insights into the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent brain development.

Journal reference: COVID-19 related cognitive, structural and functional brain changes among Italian adolescents and young adults: a multimodal longitudinal case-control study. Invernizzi, A. et al., Translational Psychiatry, 14, 402 (2024), DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-03108-2, www.nature.com/articles/s41398-024-03108-2

[yuzukahibiscus]

Maisora Hitomi Retirement Press Conference

She has always been shining ever since she joined the revue, and in the blink of an eye, Maisora has been aiming for a higher level. After being in Flower Troupe, she became the Star Troupe Top Musumeyaku in 2019. She challenged the role of the heroine the many grand works, and she always coloured every performance with her grace and lovely stage presence, yet she announced her retirement in December. On April 8, she held the press conference in Takarazuka Revue.

Maisora's speech

To everyone whom I have met, who have guided me and raised me up, and also to all the fans who have been supporting me, I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. Until the last day, I wish to remember Kobayashi Ichizou's words of "Pure, Proper, and Beautiful and Bright" by heart, and continue to hone myself as a Takarazuka musumeyaku every day.

Extract of the Q&A

What was the moment you decided your retirement?

Since I became a Top Musumeyaku, I've always been thinking when I would be retiring. I was admitted into the Takarazuka Music School in the 100th anniversary of Takarazuka Revue. Now, I am still a current sienne in the 110th anniversary of Takarazuka. And at this year I call my turning point, I had played the role of Sally from "ME AND MY GIRL" that I admire so much, and I feel so satisfied, and that was when I thought of retiring.

When did you tell your partner Rei (Makoto)?

I told her during the rehearsals for "RRR x TAKA"R"AZUKA -√Bheem- / Violetopia". I'm not good at expressing my thoughts in words, but Rei-san has always been so understanding, and she knows who I really am... She slowly heard my words and said, "If that is what Naco-chan (Maisora) decides, I will support you fully", and said such warm words to me.

What is/are your memorable role(s)?

The first role I got with a name was during Flower Troupe times when I played Hanna in "Hanna's Florist" and it's still a very dear role to me even now. When I came to Star Troupe, I played Juliette in "Romeo & Juliette", and it was a time when I wanted to do my best and confront the challenges ahead, the teachers and everyone from Star Troupe helped me a lot and I felt that I was able to open a new door for myself. Also, I was able to perform in a musical written by Shibata Yukihiro "Valencian Passion", which is a dream come true for me and thus unforgettable.

What's the greatest hurdle you've faced?

When I transferred to another troupe, it was a great change in my Takarazuka life. There were so many hurdles to overcome, but Rei-san who was the closest to me and encouraged me, "It's okay if you can't do it. Just enjoy yourself the most on stage" and I was able to progress forward. Whenever the time, Star Troupe members never let go of my hand and guided me warmly, so my encounter with them is a great fortune, and I wanted to convey my gratitude for each and every one of them.

A message to the fans.

I'm truly thankful for all the fans that found me and cherished me. Even in the midst of the coronavirus that we couldn't meet each other in a close distance, it's because everyone was always supporting me and never left my side that I was able to continue walking on my path. Until the last day, I will convey my appreciation on stage and do my very best. Please continue to support me.

[bunnywip]

𝘼-𝙕 𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝘿𝙄𝙎𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙀𝙎/𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙎𝙀𝙎 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝘾𝙆𝙁𝙄𝘾/𝙒𝙃𝙐𝙈𝙋

— A

Anemia.

Adenomyosis.

Asthma.

Arterial thrombosis.

Allergies.

Anxiety.

Angel toxicosis ( fictional ).

Acne.

Anorexia nervosa.

Anthrax.

Atma virus ( fictional ).

ADHD.

Agoraphobia.

Astrocytoma.

AIDS.

— B

Breast cancer.

Bunions.

Borderline personality disorder.

Botulism.

Barrett's esophagus.

Bowel polyps.

Brucellosis.

Bipolar disorder.

Bronchitis.

Bacterial vaginosis.

Binge eating disorder.

— C

Crohn's disease.

Conjunctivitis.

Coronavirus disease.

Coeliac disease.

Chronic migranes.

Coup.

Cushing syndrome.

Cystic fibrosis.

Cellulitis.

Coma.

Cooties  ( fictional ).

COPD.

Chickenpox.

Cholera.

Cerebral palsy.

Chlamydia.

Constipation.

Cancer.

Common cold.

Chronic pain.

— D

Diabetes.

Dyslexia.

Dissociative identify disorder.

Dengue fever.

Delirium.

Deep vein thrombosis.

Dementia.

Dysthimia.

Diphtheria.

Diarrhoea.

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.

Dyspraxia.

Dehydration.

— E

Ebola.

Endometriosis.

Epilepsy.

E-coli.

Ectopic pregnancy.

Enuresis.

Erectile dysfunction.

Exzema.

— F

Fusobacterium infection.

Filariasis.

Fibromyalgia.

Fascioliasis.

Fever.

Food poisoning.

Fatal familial insomnia.

— G

Gonorrhoea.

Ganser syndrome.

Gas gangrene.

Giardiasis.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Gall stones.

Glandular fever.

Greyscale ( fictional ).

Glanders.

— H

Hookworm infection.

Hand, foot and mouth disease.

Hypoglycaemia.

Herpes.

Headache.

Hanahaki disease ( fictional ).

Hyperhidrosis.

Heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion.

Heart failure.

High blood pressure.

Human papillomavirus infection.

Hypersomnia.

HIV.

Heart failure.

Hay fever.

Hepatitis.

Hemorrhoids.

— I

Influenza.

Iron deficiency anemia.

Indigestion.

Inflammatory bowel disease.

Insomnia.

Irritable bowel syndrome.

Intercranial hypertension.

Impetigo.

— K

Keratitis.

Kidney stones.

Kidney infection.

Kawasaki disease.

Kaposi's sarcoma.

— L

Lyme disease.

Lassa fever.

Low blood pressure.

Lupus.

Lactose intolerance.

Lymphatic filariasis.

Leprosy.

— M

Measles.

Mad cow disease.

Mumps.

Major depressive disorder.

Malaria.

Malnutrition.

Motor neurone disease.

Mutism.

Mouth ulcer.

Monkeypox.

Multiple sclerosis.

Meningitis.

Menopause.

Mycetoma.

— N

Norovirus.

Nipah virus infection.

Narcolepsy.

Nosebleed.

Nocardiosis.

— O

Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Osteoporosis.

Ovarian cyst.

Overactive thyroid.

Oral thrush.

Otitis externa.

— P

Pancreatic cancer.

Pneumonia.

Pelvic inflammatory disease.

PICA.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Psoriasis.

Parkinson's disease.

Panic disorder.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Plague.

Postpartum depression.

Pediculosis capitis.

Psychosis.

Post-traumatic stress disorder.

— Q

Q fever.

Quintan fever.

— R

Rubella.

Rabbit fever.

Rotavirus infection.

Ringworm.

Restless legs syndrome.

Rhinovirus infection.

Rosacea.

Relapsing fever.

Rheumatoid arthritis.

Rabies.

— S

Shingles.

Sore throat.

Stutter.

Separation anxiety disorder.

Smallpox.

Scoliosis.

Septic shock.

Shigellosis.

Sepsis.

Social anxiety disorder.

Stroke.

Scarlet fever.

Schizophrenia.

Sleep apnea.

Sun burn.

Syphilis.

Sickle cell disease.

Scabies.

Selective mutism.

Salmonella.

Sensory processing disorder.

— T

Thyroid cancer.

Tuberculosis.

Thirst.

Trichuriasis.

Tinea pedis.

Tourette's syndrome.

Trachoma.

Tetanus.

Toxic shock syndrome.

Tinnitus.

Thyroid disease.

Typhus fever.

Tonsillitis.

Thrush.

— U

Urinary tract infection.

Underactive thyroid.

— V

Valley fever.

Vertigo.

Vomiting.

— W

White piedra.

Withdrawal.

Whooping cough.

West nile fever.

— X

Xerophthalmia.

— Y

Yersiniosis.

Yellow fever.

— Z

Zygomycosis.

Zika fever.

Zeaspora.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

WaPo's Philip Bump: State-endorsed violence is triumphing over left-aligned protests

Philip Bump at Washington Post:

I was in Florida in May 2021 when I saw a white Mini Cooper with two seemingly incongruous bumper stickers. One said, “I WILL NOT COMPLY” — a then-vogue sentiment as governments sought to mandate vaccines to fight the coronavirus pandemic. In a rear window, though, the car displayed a monochromatic American flag with one of the stripes rendered in blue. This, of course, is the graphical representation of the “Blue Lives Matter” mantra, an expression of support for the police that emerged as law enforcement began facing new criticism about the killing of Black civilians a decade ago. I will not comply … but I support our men and women in law enforcement.

It’s easy to carve out a realm where these sentiments are not at odds. The driver won’t comply with vaccine mandates but stands with the police as they do the hard work of subduing the real criminals. Or, to define the space where the sentiments are not at odds more simply: The driver adheres to a right-wing worldview in which state power is properly deployed against the left. For the driver, the law protects but doesn’t bind, as the saying has it. That was three years ago. In the period since, state power has gained a lot of ground against its long-standing adversaries’ criticism and protest. Last week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) took the unusual-for-him step of pardoning a man who was convicted of murder in a shooting death in Austin. The shooter, Daniel Perry, was driving in the city in July 2020 when he came across a protest criticizing the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Garrett Foster was part of the crowd and was carrying a rifle, which is legal in the state. Perry claimed that Foster aimed the weapon at him and that he fired in self-defense.

Others in the crowd denied that Foster raised his weapon. A jury determined that the killing was not justified and sentenced Perry to prison. They did so without even seeing some of the most striking evidence: text messages from Perry in which he expressed racist views and talked about shooting people who engaged in looting in the wake of the Floyd protests. (Foster, like Perry, was White.) But Abbott decided a pardon was in order, arguing that the state’s stand-your-ground law “cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive district attorney.” Foster’s killing was rebuked by Texans but sanctioned by the state. In the wake of the protests in 2020 — an underrecognized challenge to state power from the left — other states attempted to build laws specifically to increase the costs of those protests. In Florida and Oklahoma, for example, the state legislatures passed and governors signed laws absolving drivers of some penalties if they struck protesters blocking roads.

[...] One of the widest partisan divides, meanwhile, was on “disrupting public events.” That divide was about as wide as the one on “establishing encampments.” Since the protests that unfolded in the summer of 2020, the largest widespread protest movement seen in the United States has been centered on the establishment of encampments on college campuses to protest Israel’s military incursion in Gaza. Most Americans expressed skepticism of those protests in polling released this month. In recent Fox News polling, though, a majority of Democrats expressed support for the protests while Republicans opposed them by more than a 5-1 margin. [...]

At many colleges, including New York's Columbia University, administrators agreed with the Republicans. Law enforcement was brought in to disrupt and remove encampments. That was true at Columbia, where the New York Police Department swept the campus more than once. The second and final sweep resulted in several students being hospitalized. Over the weekend, the NYPD again violently disrupted a protest. Officers were seen striking protesters participating in a pro-Palestinian event in Brooklyn, with police arguing that the response was needed because protesters were blocking the streets. The neighborhood’s City Council member told the New York Times that “from my vantage point, the response appeared preemptive, retaliatory and cumulatively aggressive.” [...]

The violent crackdown on the protests were sanctioned by the state. It is possible that the bumper sticker on that car I saw in Florida in 2021 was harrumphing not about an unwillingness to comply with the coronavirus vaccine but, instead, with the advent of a Democratic president. After all, the weeks after the 2020 election were awash in right-wing refusal to comply with the state power manifested in recognizing Joe Biden’s electoral victory. On Jan. 6, 2021, rioters supporting Donald Trump overwhelmed law enforcement and overtook the Capitol in a failed effort to redirect power back to the sitting president.

The response from Trump’s allies and the broader right has been illuminating. There was an immediate effort to rationalize the violence by comparing it to the protests that unfolded the previous summer, like the one at which Garrett Foster was killed. Or like the one after which teenager Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed two men. (“Those who help, protect, and defend are the good guys,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote on social media once Rittenhouse was acquitted of murder. “Kyle is one of good ones.”) Over the longer term, though, the right’s Capitol riot narrative — led by people like Greene — focused more heavily on the purported injustices those rioters had faced. Those who are incarcerated have been presented as “political prisoners,” rather than as violent criminals and, often people who’ve pleaded guilty to their offenses. In the vernacular of that Mini Cooper, these were honorable people refusing to comply, not criminals engaged in an unacceptable denial of how much blue lives matter.

Washington Post’s Philp Bump wrote a solid article on why left-leaning protests (pro-Palestine, pro-Black Lives Matter, etc.) are more likely to face state-sanctioned violent crackdown responses than right-leaning protests (anti-COVID mitigation measures, etc.)

[ojiro-s-hellish-site]

Here is the transcript for those who use a text to speech reader:

Here we cut into the future where Neito Monoma is a person trying to stay sane during a global quarantine. He has a ton of free time and a rubik's cube that he finished seven times so far. He is bored out of his mind and have run out of things to do. But then he is reminded of something, the realization that today was the anniversary of his sexual abuse that happened when he was 2 and continued until he turned 16. He begins to break down in tears, then he starts screaming about how he hates himself for putting up with that person, all he could think about was the guilt he shouldered from staying in silence. He lays down in his bed, trying to distract himself when he suddenly feels the hand of the person on his legs again. He jumps from the fear, only to see that no one was there with him. He sits up, scared, trying to calm himself down when he hears a knock on the door. "Who longs to enter?" he asks nervously, a quiver in his voice."Just open the door, you fucking pussy," a male voice calls through the door. "Absolutely not" Neito Monoma replies. "Oh come on, I won't hurt you. You can trust me." Neito Monoma then hears footsteps walking away from the door, then silence. He breathes a sigh of relief. He hears the footsteps walking away again, and then a click on the door knob. He opens the door slowly, just enough for his eyes to see who's standing outside. He doesn't see anyone around, but he can here the person breathing heavily. Then, the person drags him from behind. He screams in terror, and the whole process takes just a few seconds. He then hears the door slam shut, and he collapses on the ground, sobbing. He lays there in pain, unable to move. He eventually manages to stop crying, but he can't get up. He begins to cry again, but then he hears the footsteps approaching him again. He is then grabbed by his throat and thrown onto a dirty mattress, he takes a look at his body and his surroundings; noticing that he is in his past home. This man, now strangling him from behind. He screams for help through gritted teeth, the fear of being killed overtaking his mind. "Shut the fuck up, you little faggot." He can hear the man's heavy breathing, feel his sweaty hands around his throat. He wants to die, and he wants it to end. He wants to just run away, far away from this place. He tries to kick at the man but his legs are too short to reach, "Oh god, this is my 6 year old body" Monoma thought to himself, " I'm relieving my past, someone make this stop please."The man stops for a moment, he has been listening to Monoma's childish and weak whimpering. The man begins to laugh, a deep guttural sound that shakes the walls. Monoma begins to cry again, tears run down his cheeks as he screams for help. The man pins Monoma down on the bed, and he whispers in his ear, " I'll get some fucking out you, little one" Monoma begins to beg for his parents but they don't come to his rescue. He looks up at the man, his eyes begging for mercy. The man begins to smile. He lifts Monoma up to his face and bites his neck, blood begins to pour down, he spits into Monoma's mouth, then aggressively forces his tongue into Monoma's mouth, tasting him. He begins to kiss him, the same way he kissed Monoma when he gave him his first blow job. He kisses him harder, forcing his tongue deeper into Monoma's mouth. He begins to hump the limp bulge in Monoma's pants,

an unknown pleasure flowing through him, he never knew he could feel this way. He bites his lip and almost chokes on his own saliva, "Wow, what a feeling!" "Wait, why did I say that, what does that mean, why am I feeling like this?" Monoma thought again, just like when this happened for the first time. The man laughs, he lays on top of Monoma, kissing him again, but he wanted more, he wanted to finger Monoma in the anal cavity. So, the man slowly unbuttons Monoma's pants, pulling them down, then slides his hands slowly into Monoma's boxers as Neito tried to squirm away from his devilish grasp. The man grins, his face contorted with lust, "You like that, you little faggot? You like my fingers in your ass?" "No, get off of me, you disgust me" Monoma shrieked. The man laughs again, pulling his fingers out and sliding them back in, pushing his fingers in and out of him. Then, he stops and asks, "What's wrong?" "Get…off…me…" Monoma repeats. "What? Aren't you a little queer? I thought you like this?" "You're disgusting, get off of me, I want my mommy." Neito replied with tears in his eyes. "Oh, but I think you want this. Want to feel my fingers in your ass, want to feel my hard cock in your mouth, don't you?" "No!" "Oh, but you're going to like this, I'm going to make you like this." "No! Stop it! Stop it!" Monoma begs. The man grabs a pillow and smashes it over Monoma's head, smothering him.Feeling nothing but further panic; he kicks and flails, but the man holds him down, his body covered in sweat. The man laughs again, and then he stops, the laughter subsiding. "Why are you doing this to me?" Monoma asks. "Shut the fuck up." "Why are you doing this?" "I told you to shut the fuck up." "I want my mommy!" "What did I say about talking?" "Please…" "Shut the fuck up." "Tell me why you are doing this!!" "Shut the fuck up." "Tell me why!!" "Do NOT make me hurt you, you little bitch!!" "Why are you doing this to me!!!" "You're not a very smart faggot." "Please, let me go, let me go!!"

"I said no talking" "Let me go!!" "Do not make me hurt you, you little bitch!!" "Let me see my mom, she'll never let you touch me!" "Well, is she stopping me now?" Neito struggled in the man's hands, his face twisted with fear. The man smacked him hard across the face, leaving a red hand print. "Tell me where my mom is! NOW!" "She's downstairs listening to the TV, thinking that we are bonding like Uncle and Nephew, unaware of your sluttiness" Neito's eyes widened, his breath quickened. "What's the matter now, you can't enjoy somw fun with your old man?" "This is my uncle…" Monoma thought as the memory starts to get clearer. Neito feels his uncle slowly over him, laying on the other side of him while sliding his other hand onto Monoma's dick. "Momma, get him off of me, please!!" Monoma cries, as he begins to climax. "Shhh, be quiet, be quiet!" The man hisses. "Uncle, please, let me go, just let me go." Monoma whimpers. "Shut the fuck up" "Please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, let me go!!" "Shut the fuck up." "I'm sorry, please, let me go." "Shut the fuck up." "Please, I'm sorry, please, let me go!!!" "Wow, look at you..hitting a climax from your uncle, doesn't that make you feel disgusting you pig?" The uncle asked in a mocking manner. "No, you should be embarrassed, look at you, a grown man climaxing in front of a child, you're disgusting." "Oh wow, mister self-aware you must feel so proud" the uncle's says as him and Monoma slowly hit a crescendo of pleasure. "Please, let me go, let me go." Monoma begs, feeling his penis pulse and throb. "Oh, why do you want to leave this delightful situation?" "Please..let..me..go" "Are you afraid or do you know that your parents won't believe you if called this, 'Rape'?" "Please, let me go" "I can't let you go, I'm curious to see how far you can handle the pleasure." "I can't take anymore" "Why? Aren't you enjoying this?" "Uncle, please…" "Don't 'Uncle' me, sweetheart now, you won't 'Uncle' me until you can handle more than just your own climax"Monoma made an audible shriek, no one could tell if he was shrieking out of pleasure, pain or some third option. It didn't matter, as Monoma awaken on the floor of his present day home crying on the floor with no one but himself around. Here we are with a now re-traumatized Neito Monoma, a person who can't run away from their past. He has a lot of free time but he spends lot of it in his own head.

Another fan sent me a fanfic to rate so let's go!

Tw: SA, Child abuse, incest, Homophobia, dubious parenting, Flashbacks, Mental illness, Covid-19, Quarantine

I rate this fic a 9/10.

It does the topic respectfully and tastefully, the writing is hard hitting and it is structured in a way that is readable. Though I thought the ending was redundant.

Also, could you please put your fanfic on a Google doc next time so I can post onto Tumblr properly.

Transcript will be posted as a reblog since tumblr is acting up.