#racialized borders

[raffaellopalandri]

Book of the Day – Border and Rule

Today’s Book of the Day is Border and Rule, written by Harsha Walia in 2021 and published by Haymarket Books. Harsha Walia is a Canadian activist and writer based in Vancouver. She is active in immigration politics, Indigenous rights, feminist, anti-racist, anti-statist, and anti-capitalist movements. Border & Rule, by Harsha Walia I have chosen this book because I often cite it in discussions…

[desianarchist]

I hate this country I hate this country I hate this country I hate this country I hate this country I hate this country

[sukibenders]

I laugh every time someone says Penelope is more of a feminist who understands women's rights more than Eloise simply because she's LW because, be so for real right now, that is such a lie. Like Eloise has her moments and her feminism is very yte and privileged, but at least she takes the time to actually consider from other's perspective, even if she's rude here and there, and appears to make attempts to grow as a character (when the narrative allows her to rather than picking favorites). Penelope exposing secrets and being feared by most of the Ton, especially the women and young girls, for the amount of power she has does not scream feminist to me but go off.

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

WTF!

[tomorrowusa]

One word I didn't expect to hear describing Joe Biden's State of the Union speech was "energetic" – but there it was bigtime. 😎

Dark Brandon was in the House and wasn't taking any prisoners. His fervent advocacy for progressive and pro-democracy policies left no one in doubt that he is The Anti-MAGA.

President Biden sounded like an older version of Harry Truman though without swear words. And much of the speech was aimed directly at the Republicans and at the GOP Supreme Court – calling them out right to their faces.

Biden wasn't just energetic, he absolutely taunted Republicans on an issue they've shot themselves in both feet on – immigration reform.

Biden’s Border Taunts Clearly Hit a Republican Nerve

Finally, he arrived at the topic that he knew Republicans couldn’t resist, because it represents that party’s most embarrassing recent failure. He reminded the country that at Donald Trump’s direction, Republicans had killed the strongest immigration bill in years, one that would reduce the flood of asylum seekers and bolster security at the southern border. And immediately the boos poured in from the red side of the chamber. “What are you against?” he asked, finally laughing at the opportunity to expose a bit of rampant hypocrisy. “Oh, you don’t like that bill?” It would save lives and bring order to the chaos at the border, he said, reducing fentanyl smuggling and giving every president the ability to shut down crossings when the surge of migrants became too great. [ ... ] Biden’s provocation on this issue may have been the most successful moment of the evening, one that will be replayed many times in the months to come on the campaign trail. And the power of it could be seen in the downcast face behind him of Speaker Mike Johnson, who wouldn’t bring the border bill to the House floor. All he could do was shake his head and hope Biden changed the subject.

Democrats have reason to feel good about this speech and it showed. His departure from the chamber was delayed by enthusiastic Democratic House members who were asking for selfies and getting autographs from Biden while chatting with him. If they had thought the speech was a dud they would have fled immediately.

On a somewhat funny note, the extended post-speech coverage of Biden's socializing on the House floor delayed the start of the GOP reply by the rather wooden Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama. Many viewers may have tuned out before her speech finally started a little before 11 PM Eastern Time.

[sangfielle]

the way dragon age handles ferelden is. so. something.

[aeriondripflame]

i am aware that it is fiction and it’s not that serious but god can you tell when someone doesn’t know the difference between nationality and ethnicity when they talk about criston being dornish

[zip-toonz]

OMG THERES A FUCKING HONDURAN FLAG EMOJI 🇭🇳 !!!!!

[shannaraisles]

Apparently this needs to be said again.

The experience of oppression/racism in the United States of America is not the only experience of oppression/racism in the world. There are nuances in other countries that you cannot grasp, just as I cannot fully grasp the experiences you are having.

No one owes you the full recounting of their own experience to justify an artistic choice. If you don't like something, that does not give you the right to make a public comment drawing attention to it in such a way as will draw the ire of those "fans" who like to go looking for people to pile in on.

People are flawed, and surprisingly enough, that means that their fictional creations are also flawed. If the character you are reading isn't absolutely perfect in every way, that's a good thing.

But the main thing, my lovelies, is that your experience is not the universal experience, and your reaction to a piece of art is not the universal reaction to it. Please stop trying to tell artists of all mediums to conform to your narrow world view.

We would all be so much poorer without the diversity of global culture and experience available to us, shown through the lens of that same diversity.

[peridot-tears]

You always have to give yourself the benefit of a doubt that society won't when it comes to stereotypes.

Like driving around as an Asian woman. That shit sucks, man. You fuck up a lil, or the other driver fucks up and they honk at you, and you know that they'll say some shit about "Asians can't drive" or "women can't drive."

I was driving in a traditionally white neighborhood that I swear was once a sundown town, and I stop to give this bitch their right of way, and they're sitting there glaring and honking at me, while I'm exasperatedly going, "Bitch, you gonna go or nah." And my Black passenger who I was dropping off home in that area goes, "Yeah, the old white folks here are always trying to make it a race thing about the Asians moving in, but the old guys are just shitty drivers."

And then I drive out of state with my NY license plates and everyone stays a gajillion miles away from me.

[tocitynews]

Video Shows Border Agents With Guns Drawn, Detain Family Returning From Mexico For A Family Funeral In Mistaken Identity Freak Out – Los Angeles California reporting

Durazo said the officers drew their weapons and told everyone to get out of the car, one by one, including two children and his 75-year-old aunt who had just laid her son to rest.

“It was terrible. The worst part is seeing the kids, you know, getting detained with guns drawn,” he said. “Honestly, I was really scared for my kids, you know. That's the hardest part.”

Customs and Border Protection has not responded to requests for information, including questions on protocol for these kinds of encounters as well as if the agency is investigating this incident.

[girl4music]

I love seeing characters on TV shows breaking the law to do good things. Helpful things. Justful things.

That sentence is so odd to say but sadly it’s the truth.

Because… as Xena taught me. There’s a big difference between what justice is and what the law is.

And we should never wait around for justice.

[ushypocrisy]

Texas passes law allowing police to arrest anyone suspected of crossing the border

December 23, 2023 Since taking office in 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been waging an unrelenting war on immigrants across the state. From the horrific Operation Lone Star, which saw thousands of National Guard troops deployed to the Texas-Mexico border and the installation of razor wire and buoys, to the forced bussing of migrants to Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, Governor Abbott has���

[truegoist]

NO WHAT MAKES YOU THINK ANH OF MY FAMILY COULD DO THAG 💀💀

Where would they go then 🤨 English is already hard on them as it’s not their first language and they have to start a career over and rebuilt everything- they have to learn a new language and learn to adapt in a society that completely new to them again

Come to my town

[communistkenobi]

stealing this screenshot from a post correcting people about what liminal spaces are, because I want to say something kind of unrelated and don’t want to bother the op - it’s funny this wiki article identifies airports as one of these non-places, and one of the “criteria” for a non-place is somewhere where you are able to remain anonymous, because (at least in north america, I can’t speak globally), one of the primary terrors of airports is its ability to render you a known quantity at basically any time, to bring you into public attention specifically by cops and security people identifying who you are. Airport security, bag inspections, police, surveillance cameras, etc do this security theatre routine at airports in a way that is more intense than other public spaces. Like I just don’t think this state of remaining anonymous in the airport applies to muslims or other religious and racial minorities the state deems to be a “high risk population” vis a vis border security, I think if you want to make the argument that these places allow anonymity, a fundamental part of this analysis has to include the fact that this anonymity is premised on visiting state violence, surveillance, and coercion on largely non-white and religious minorities, particularly and especially muslims, to “protect” and secure this space of (largely white) public anonymity 

[edwardteachswombtattoo]

Every time I look at this I lose my mind slightly. The map. The poetry. The little drawing of Ed. Just thinking about Stede carefully sketching this tiny little drawing of Ed, adding in details from memory.

Thinking about how Ed's face on the wanted poster is a racialized fiction meant to incite fear and paint him as a monster

while Stede's drawing is literally just what Ed looks like from Stede's POV.

It even has a border!! And the little hearts!! And just look at the way Stede draws Ed's hair!!

Every other drawing of Ed we've seen depicts him as some kind of monster, something just barely human. But here he's just...a guy??? Literally just a guy??? A pretty guy??? Not a vampire clown or a ghoul or a legend, just...a pretty guy.