#some people dont live in places with the privilege of good education or they have issues learning

[this-is-my-main-i-follow-from]

Deaf people

Speech impediments

Fun fact, you can retrain your mind to see the reasons behind things & appreciate that. Oh, you add in extra words because that's how it is in your language? That's so cool how you're basically making a pidgin of the two!

not only are there no bad languages there are also no bad or annoying dialects

[magnetothemagnificent]

how-come shabbos dinners feels like a dinner get together with relatives and most cristian churches feel like some holier than thou- we dont know you, we are a community but also mess up and be banished.

I mean, obviously that's an overgeneralization, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that Shabbat isn't just about prayer and worship, it's a package of prayer, community, food, and celebration, so people come to synagogue not just out of devout belief or because they were forced to, but for a variety of reasons, like socializing, eating, drinking, celebrating or commemorating a life cycle event, and connecting with G-d. Meanwhile, Church attendance overall has decreased significantly in the Western world, and because Churches have largely moved towards centering worship and only worship as a means of keeping whatever members they have left, those just looking for community or good times go elsewhere, and what's left is a feeling of disconnect and coldness.

I think one of the main reasons synagogues have persisted in their community function is because historically, Jews have been barred from other social life. While white Christians were able to seek out community in parks and recreation centers and theatres, those places weren't always accessible to Jews, so thus the synagogue remained the center of the community because it was the only place we were allowed to go. This is why synagogues are so multi-functional and churches overall seem not to be.

When I talk about churches though, I'm mainly talking about white churches, because Black churches and churches of other marginalized races and ethnicities seem to serve a similar versatile function as synagogues do. From my little exposure to Black churches, they seem to emphasize a lot more of community focused approach, with lively worship and frequent community meals and educational programs, in the same way many synagogues do. And again, I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that social life outside of church hasn't always been accessible to Black people, and thus the church has functioned and continues to function as both a worship center and a community center.

But white Christians had the privilege of seeking social opportunities outside of their Church, and thus all that's left now of so many white churches is a feeling of emptiness and like it only caters to one specific kind of person.

[gaybd1]

Hi, can you share your thoughts on 'immigrant' versus 'expat?'

okay sure so

these are just my thoughts so i dont know if im Wrong or Ignorant or anything, and im down to be corrected

but to me an expat is somebody who lives in another country for work, probably short-term (like, there is no permanent intent there)

and an immigrant is someone who moves to a new place permanently, usually with the intent to improve their life

a lot of times though people just call white people expats and people of color immigrants, which i think we should push back on. it seems kind of icky to me because it seems like it's almost trying to equate class to race and not ask any questions about it

full disclosure, im a white american. i left the US permanently five years ago because it was shitty and my life was shitty.

cost of living was astronomical and i couldnt even afford my own place, i had to live with my mom even though i worked full time at like double minimum wage. i experienced homelessness a couple times.

i was drowning in debt from student loans and THREE CREDIT CARDS i had to max out to help pay for school? i was a kid, and it's not like anyone explained to me how money and debt and interest and loans work until i was supposed to pay back $1000 a month

i had NO job opportunities as a trans teacher living in one of the most conservative parts of the country

so i got a job in china for about a year to help me get a foothold into taiwan, which is a much better life. in china back then they were just throwing jobs at white people, so they paid for my flight which was the only way i was able to get out of the us. I left with $200 to my name, most of that donated to get me started when i moved

here, i have a great job with a great salary and a good life. im not paying on any of the debt i owe in america lol and there is universal healthcare here. i dont have to worry about homophobia or transphobia nearly as much, i dont have to worry about getting shot when i go to work in a school.

and i never plan to leave here. this is my home. does taiwan still have its issues? yeah, all countries do. but my life is better here.

the american dream is bullshit and i will never go back there. i consider myself an immigrant because i moved to a new country permanently to improve my life. some people might even consider me a refugee, but i think that's a more complicated situation.

i lastly gotta say i understand exactly how privileged i am to be able to be here- i am only able to be here because of my university degree, and honestly, because im white. full stop. there's a lot of racism in the education industry in asia. and im very grateful for the chance to be here because not to be dramatic but i don't know if id be alive if i still lived in the us...

[vtori73]

There is this thing/thoughts I wish I could articulate well enough to make into a post but basically the main gist it I think it's rather odd the "privileged creative," is still such a rampant belief despite the fact that there are many, many MANY artists who are poor, who are not well off who are taken advantage of because of their passions and love for what they do. Sure, there are those who are privileged I'm even willing to say there a bit more privileged people going in the field than most when it comes to the arts but I'm curious as to why this sentiment doesn't ever seem to be applied equally to literally any other field especially those that really do require a lot of privilege and resources than most others? Isn't anyone who is able to freely pursue what they want that requires education, skill and training, specifically like getting a college degree, privileged? You don't even need a degree to be an artist, unlike a lot of other jobs. And while some might counter this by saying they are more privileged than those working manual labor jobs, those working at fast food places, retail, etc i counter that with... you do know those could be the same people right? Many artists are not just artists, they can't afford to be, sure some work more cushy jobs but I'm pretty sure a good chunk dont.

Like I said, I can't really get into it as well as I would like but it is hard for me to stomach the continued belief of the "privilege artist" just because they are able to pursue arts and be artists to begin with even though I've seen so many artists who just are trying to get by who are literally poor due to various factors out of their control and is really their main or only source of income or the many who are screwed over by their employees who get rich off their hard work while they either scrape by or end up living in poverty.

And, something I just thought about was a sentiment I saw shared about how if everyone's needs were taken care of many more would pursue art and while I initially found myself believing it thinking on it some more now I honestly don't think that's true at all. Sure more would be able to go into art fields that require more resources, more connections, more funding and support, etc but at the end of the day not everyone wants to be creative or make art or will find out they dont. At the heart of this sentiment, it feels more like it means "if everyone could choose to do something like art they would over actual work," treating art more or as just a hobby than a legit profession that requires effort and hard work, it isn't effortless or easy to do and because of that is one reason WHY many people don't become artists it's not worth it to them. Sure, many would be able to dabble in art as a hobby, for fun, but that's vastly different from making art regularly that requires skills and effort and not to mention wouldn't be limited to art, tbh. I'm sure lots of people would pick up non-art related hobbies too if they couldn't before due to cost, time, resources, access, etc.

And it is hard for me not to see it this way because I see how much the average person, even other creatives who don't work or do that specific kind of art, are quick to devalue and debase art and artists for whatever reason they can come up with not even usually for legit reasons just petty callousness & entitlement.

...I should stop, this is becoming less and less coherent, I should have gone to sleep a looooong time ago but couldn't so then... THIS happened.

The main point I was trying to get at is the continued privileged artist belief only helps reinforce our society's continued attitude of art not being a serious endeavor and profession regardless of what art they do and instead only gets recognized when it is done by the most privileged out there. Which only helps the most privileged and rich out there who aren't (or were) artists make huge profits off exploiting these creatives and gives them more a reason or more correctly an easy excuse to continue the exploitation because "art is just something privileged people get to do." I mean, that's pretty close to literally what people who created generative ai said (if I'm remembering correctly) and some will argue that's just an excuse by them and while I don't disagree a lot of people legitimately believe in this excuse to some extent.

[batdorable]

REALLY LONG VENT AHEAD: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

realizing i placed school as like, the primary focus of my life without really trying to do anything with it beyond like, just the raw experience of learning and trying to get good grades has not placed me into a favorable position with everything else. i didnt do any internships or try for graduate school because even during my final semesters, i just didnt know what i wanted. and now two years out i still dont know what i want so thats great.

i just feel like my life has, in general, lacked direction and in general im bad when confronted with choice, so i end up doing nothing instead of making a choice unless there are dramatic outcomes that are soon to pass. part of this definitely has to do with the fact that i really didnt start to build a conscious identity for myself that had any real substance until 2016-ish, and even then, i still dont know very much about myself and what i actually want. i went into history because it was what i was into at the time i started college and is a general interest of mine, but its hard to find work without trying to find a job in education (which id classify as being high-stress and low-pay) or law (which id classify as high-stress and high-pay), which also requires me to take more or extra schooling. the only other clear path is academia and i dont really feel like id like academia either. so i really dont know where to go and while its easy to convince literally any random person the merits of my major in almost any context, i rarely see job listings that look for things i feel like i qualify in.

it also doesnt help that i, even against my better understanding, cant help but look to my friends and get a little jealous that it seems like in certain ways they have their lives more figured out than i do. and i know this is a paranoid thought that has very little basis in reality, but i also feel like a lot of people just know their way in the world a lot better than i do, but i dont know how to ask for help in a way that is more substantive than just asking for advice. my parents are a dead end because neither of them seem to understand how the world seems to work anymore (something both of them have admitted), so what usually ends up is that theyll send some well meaning advice my way that really doesnt solve the problem but does seem like it might.

and i hate to admit it but i feel like such a fuck-up whenever i have to say ive never had a job and cant (and really dont want to!) drive. i know ive lived a relatively charmed life but i feel like i have no idea where im going and eventually im going to run straight off a cliff and die, all without ever knowing what i actually want to do with my life and how to be a person. my indecisiveness when approaching a job search really belies that i dont want to do it, and when i do i get suicidally depressed and just want to run off somewhere. im very keenly aware of the fact that that in and of itself is a privilege i have, that i never had to work to support my family or myself, but it wears on me every day i dont do something about it

[fenris-ranger]

ah yes, the “there’s no way i can learn any of this in the next six hours but i feel like i need to at least pretend to try” all nighter before an exam, punctuated by such gems as 

who goddamned cares what shape the virus is, is that going to get little johnny’s mother out of my ER without the unnecessary antibiotic script she’s demanding?  no?  then let’s move on

oh cool there were three whole diseases in that high-yield review chapter i have literally never heard mentioned in lecture that bodes fantastically

"proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9" that's like a fuckin doctor who planet or some shit, get this the fuck out of my textbook

and everyone’s favorite

i know my test is in six hours but is it too early to start drinking?

[hightro2]

ppl on social media gotta learn how to inform people about serious topics without starting off with 'no ones talking about this'.......

[diaryofanangryasianguy]

You know what's so fucking frustrating? Asians are the only race that gets flack for being traditionally well-educated??? as so many ppl have mentioned, a suburbian ivy-league upbringing is hardly the average asian experience but i swear we have more guilt put on us about (some of us) being economically privileged more than old WASPs do. ppl hate accomplished asians in a way thats so bizarre to me. like we literally cannot achieve anything w/out ppl bringing up "asian priviledge" lmao

i find it so fucking weird how asian accomplishments are looked down upon as if by virtue of being asian we can bypass even white ppl thru educational institutions. most asians- yes, even the suburban college-educated kind- dont have wasp-level generational wealth to bribe kids into school. like the avg ivy league suburban asian kid did not privilege their way into school more than any other suburban college-educated-parents kid did but ppl are hellbent on demonising asians in a v specific way

You brought up some good points and I agree lol

Most Asian folks that are even able to get into Ivy League or private schools have to do it on their own. It’s not like they have generational wealth, knowledge, and connections that help get them there, it’s usually because they/their parents spent most of their lives prepping for it.

And like you said, I really hate how Asian folks are demonized for achieving things in general. Like we’re always made to feel as if we’re “taking a spot” from someone. But tbh nobody is owed a spot for anything. If a place you really wanna work at has 5 open spots and there’s 20 applicants, it’s a battle royale until 5 people are left (good movie btw). So those 5 spots aren’t owed to anybody nor do they belong to anyone until that battle royale is over. You can’t get mad just because it so happens that an Asian person made it to the end. I hate to say it like that but that’s just how it is in this country right now until shit changes, which it probably won’t anytime soon.

Not to mention that for many Asian folks that do achieve things, they could be the first in their families to do so because I know I was. My mom was pregnant with me at 14 so she sacrificed her whole damn life to raise me when she was just a baby herself. So why the fuck would I not go to college and all that shit right? I’m not gonna feel bad for graduating college or whatever it is. And I wish we had some “Asian privilege” then we could at least be getting justice for the elders and women in our communities that have been getting attacked. Sadly not though

Angry Asian Guy

[thechangeling]

The Box

Tiberius Blackthorn had gotten quite good at compartmentalizing. Pretending that things weren't happening, that they didn't effect him. Pretending that he didn't feel. It was almost like flicking a switch. If things got too painful or too real he just turned it off. Closed his eyes and told himself over and over.

This isn't real. This isn't really happening. This doesn't matter. I don't care.

She isn't really dead. I don't miss him. I don't love him. Over and over until the pain stopped. Ty could usually make it last for awhile. Until something brought up an unpleasant memory or feeling and then he had to start all over again.

Being around Kit again was certainly making this worse.

Kit, in true Herondale fashion was in deep trouble with multiple people. As it turned out, he was the first heir and now a bunch of people were trying to either kill or kidnap him. So now a bunch of shadowhunters and downworlders had banded together to help him defeat his enemies and keep him safe. Ty had made a huge fuss to Drusilla about being forced to help. But secretly they both knew that he would rather die then let anything happen to Kit.

So now Kit was here, back in the Los angeles institute and currently sitting at the breakfast table with that vampire friend of his and Dru. She seemed to be very adamantly telling a story and Kit was laughing hysterically. Ty felt his heart turning over in his chest at the sound. He had to fight the urge to smile.

It isn't real. I don't love him. This isn't real.

Having him this close was torture. Hearing him laugh, watching him train, watching him flirt, watching him try not to cry in front of the others. There were so many times that Ty wanted to just reach out and touch him. Run his fingers through Kit's hair, trace the curve of his cupid's bow, hold him in his arms. It was a burning, suffocating ache.

Ty leaned back against his perch up on the windowsill. He had asked Livvy to give him some space to be alone. He was doing a decent job of blending into the background with his black clothing and dark hair. Or maybe they were just ignoring him. Ty pushed away that thought.

Suddenly he felt the weight of someone hopping up beside him. They made no noise or attempts to get his attention. Ty could hear the faint sound of Under Pressure coming out of headphones.

Alyssa.

Alyssa Reyes was the werewolf from Maia's pack who had been assigned to essentially be the scholomance's liaison to the downworld and help educate future centurions about downworlder affairs. She hadn't exactly been happy about this situation and had been pretty hostile towards most of them for awhile. But she and Ty had bonded over both being autistic, and also being queer. He could honestly say that meeting Alyssa had changed his life.

He turned to face her. She was staring up at the sky, mouthing along to the words of the song. Her black wireless headphones were slud over her ears and her dark waves were tied up into a low bun. She was excitedly fiddling with the straps of her white crop top which contrasted nicely against her golden brown skin. He stared at her for awhile, just basking in her presence.

He was sad that she was going back to New York in a week. He was really going to miss her.

Eventually she turned her gaze on him, sliding her headphones down. "You have all the best hiding spots" she confessed with a smile. 'Also I figured it was time to come interrupt your lurking because it was just getting a little sad." Ty rolled his eyes at her.

"I wasn't lurking! I'm literally just sitting here!" He protested worrying instantly that they were speaking too loudly. But everyone else was deeply preoccupied with their conversations and also they were several feet away. He stole a quick glance at Kit again and practically felt Alyssa disapproval radiating off of her. Ty turned back to face her displeased expression.

When Ty had first met Alyssa she was scared and standoffish but had quickly warmed up to him. He often described her as having pure magic in her warm brown eyes, so much excitement and life practicing buzzing out of her. But now her eyes were cold and dark. She seemed angry.

"I have just about had enough of this Ty" she announced. It's clear to me how much you want him, how much you love him, so why don't you just go talk to him already?"

Ty sighed, avoiding her gaze. "I can't."

She flailed her hands haphazardly. "What do you mean you can't Ty? You can. You just won't! I'm so sick of this!" She shouted.

Ty spared a panicked glance back at the kitchen table, but they hadn't looked their way. Still Ty hopped down from the ledge.

"Here, follow me" he said to Alyssa, pulling her off the ledge. She didn't protest. She allowed him to lead her out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

"Look" he began, "I don't want to talk to Kit alright? I'm still mad at him. I'm not just going to let that go." He explained. Alyssa just stared back at him.

There was a long drawn out pause where neither of them spoke. Ty wasn't that concerned. Long drawn out pauses were kind of their thing.

"Ok" she said slowly. "I need to tell you something that you might not be ready to hear. In fact it's probably going to make you really angry. But I need you to listen."

Ty had no idea what to say to that. But Aylssa kept on talking.

"Ty you need to get over yourself" she stated simply.

Ty bristled instantly. Rage flooded through his entire being. Who the fuck did she think she was? And to hear this from Alyssa of all people. Didnt she understand why he was so hurt? Why he was so angry?

Alyssa kept going before he could yell at her, stepping towards him slightly. "Listen to me Tiberius Blackthorn. I understand your pain, better than anyone else most likely. I understand your anger. I feel it to. I feel it everyday. The way the world treats us it's like little jagged cuts everyday, slowly whittling us down into nothing." Her voice broke. Her eyes were brimmed with tears.

"But I need you to ask yourself something" she continued shakely. "I need you to ask yourself, did Kit Herondale really do this? All of this? Is all of this really his fault? Something that we talk about a lot in therapy is putting the blame where it belongs. Recognize what was caused by which person and how much fault really lies with the person you're mad at. I know you don't want to forgive him because you're hurting and your also so fucking stubborn love" she laughed despite the fact that her eyes were filled with tears.

"You refuse to move. And I know why you do that because you think if you move, you will be admitting defeat. Admitting weakness. But you aren't Ty. You are saving yourself" She reached for him but shot backwards, shaking his head. He couldn't believe her. Maybe somewhere deep down he knew that she was probably right but he didn't care. He didnt care about what he knew anymore. All he could think about was the pain he felt.

"Please" she whispered "It isn't healthy to hold a grudge for this long. It isn't good for you. It isn't good for your soul." Alyssa wiped her eyes and stood up straighter, hardening her voice. "I know you're fed up with everything, and the same things keep happening over and over again. But here's the thing. Kit isn't responsible for what Paige did to you or what your father did, or your uncle or anyone else." Ty instantly began to shake at the mention of Paige Ashdown. He could feel all if those instances coming back to him. All of those kid memories he had tried to repress.

Whenever Ty had something horrible and traumatic happen to him. Everytime someone laughed in his face, everytime someone whispered behind his back or called him a slur. Every time someone made him doubt if he was really loved. Every autistic hate crime, every murder, every debate over the concept of his soul and whether it really existed. Livvy's death. Everything that happened that day on the beach. What Kit had said to him. Kit leaving him. He took all of it, all the bad memories, all of the pain and heartbreak. He took it and shoved it into some deep place inside of him. He usually envisioned a box of some sort. He shoved it all inside of that box, shut the lid and buried it.

This isn't real. This didn't happen. This isn't happening.

Ty's entire body was vibrating now. Alyssa put her hand on his shoulder. "Listen to me. Kit Herondale is not your enemy. He isn't trying to drown you or ship you off to an institution or shove you into ABA. And I know what you're thinking, that's a pretty fucking low bar and I know!" She exclaimed. "I know! But we have to start somewhere Ty. We have to start somewhere or else we will never get anywhere. That kid is so fucking in love with you and yes he does not deserve a gold medal for doing so, but he is fighting like hell to win you back."

That much was true. Kit had been trying to talk to him all week, but Ty kept brushing him off. It wasn't enough, he always told himself. It wasnt enough. He wasnt actually sure if Kit really loved him. He just refused to believe it.

Ty shook his head at Alyssa, his fingers fluttering at his sides. He began to hit his hands against his thighs to ease some of the tention he was feeling. Alyssa squeezed his arm, taking a deep breath.

"I know you are sick and tired of explaining the same things over and over and answering stupid questions and always having to make adjustments and put in the effort when everyone else doesn't try. I am too! Believe me! But I think at a certain point you need to ask yourself if you can forgive him for not knowing?" She asked. "Can you forgive him for being ignorant and making a mistake and breaking your heart because you've hurt him too? Can you accept that he is not perfect?" She dropped her arm down and stared him directly in his eyes. "Because neither are you. Ty I know you dont wanna hear this, but you live in a very privileged bubble where most people let you get away with murder because you're a man and you're white, while those same people condemn me for being rude and intolerable." She said pointedly.

Ty bit his lip. He felt like he should argue with her but he knew she had a point. "You're a shadowhunter!" She glared at him. "You're a shadowhunter and your people have committed so many atrocities against mine. You and your family spent most of your time ignoring all of this and only focusing on helping your brother and sister. You joined an organization that has a history of doing terrible things to downworlders!" She shouted.

"Well so did you!" He shot back even though he knew it wasnt really the same thing. "And by the angel Ali if you really hate me that much then why are you even here?" Alyssa just shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. "Because I don't hate you genius. I could hold these things against you, but I don't. I forgave you for not knowing. As long as you acknowledge it and try to work on making things better, which you are, then I can let it go. Because like I said Ty, we have to start somewhere" she pleaded. "

"You have to be brave and let it go."

Instantly Ty sucked in a breath. He recognized the words she had used perfectly. They were from a song.

Their song.

Tears instantly gathered in his eyes. He let out a shakey exhale and she smiled sadly at him.

"Because right now all you're doing is hurting is yourself." Alyssa said with a shrug.

Ty squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "I know" he whispered. He opened his eyes again, she was staring at him sympathetically with those warm eyes. "I just dont know how to do this" he admitted. "I don't know how to deal with all if it. I don't think I can."

Alyssa looked confused "Deal with what exactly?"

Ty took a deep breath. "The box" he exhaled. Alyssa looked even more confused. It was a little funny.

So he decided to tell her. He told her about the coping mechanisms he had been using since he was a child. He told her about the box and how many things he had buried in it, and what they were. She cried and held him tightly to her chest. He let himself cry along with her.

He cried for that kid who had the door slammed in his face, that kid who had his interests mocked and spat on. That kid who had his heart broken over and over again long before Kit Herondale. That kid who never felt accepted or like he belonged, not even with his own twin. He cried for Livvy. He cried for that kid on the beach who lost everything. Who wanted to apologize to Kit and make everything right because he was so fucking naive and stupid, and Magnus Bane told him to go away.

So he did. But it hadn't solved anything.

He also cried for Kit. His Kit.

Ty pulled away from Alyssa, wiping at his eyes. "The worst part is it's not just my pain that's in there. I put all of the stuff with Kit in the box too" he confessed. "Like I mean the stuff that's happening right now. He's in a world of danger and I can't feel that because if I feel it then I'm afraid it'll break me."

Alyssa contemplated this for a while. "I know Ty, but you have to face it. All of it. You have to open the box or else you'll never get through it." She said sternly.

Ty leaned up against the wall if the institute. When he spoke, it sounded like it was coming from somewhere far away. "Every bad thing that happens to him feels like it's happening to me. Everything from when he was younger. When he was alone." Ty was making an effort not to cry again.

"I want him to know that he'll never be alone again. Not as long as I'm alive."

Alyssa looked at him incredulously. "Well then don't you think you should tell him that?"

Ty didn't answer her, just stared ahead. He still needed to think. Alyssa seemed to understand that because she spared him one final glance and then walked towards the kitchen.

"I'm gonna go eat" she announced. "Come join us when you're ready."

And then she left Ty alone in the hallway with his thoughts.

You have to open the box.

This is real. All of this is real.

You have to open the box.

@older-brother-kit @zafirafoxx @idontgetit-whydoihavetosaymyname @ti-bae-rius @anxiousbookenthusiast @emiikas @eutony-in-whisper

[narrowtriangle33-blog]

Please read this article, if you are ignorant about racism and a Non-Black person.

"Relating To Our Culture:

24. Where are you from?

25. Can you speak *insert African or Caribbean language here*

26. Sis.......

27. Issa husband *heart eyes*

28. Am I allowed to say the "n-word"?

29. But what if it's in a song?

30. Have you heard the new song by *insert mainstream rap artist here*"

"For #25, just like how it's weird to ask a white person if they can speak Italian or ask an Indian person if they can speak Gujarati, you really shouldn't ask me if I can speak Patwa if I'm Jamaican. Furthermore, Patwa isn't even a language, it's a dialect, so please educate yourself before you ask me stuff like that. For #24, my friend and I were just having a conversation about this. She's African American, which means her ancestors were literally shipped from West Africa, stripped of their culture, and put to work as slaves. The only culture they know is the "American (Europeanized) culture" that the slave masters whipped into them. So when you ask them where they're from they're like, "uhhh...." because... they literally just don't know. Stop being ignorant. #26 and #27... just stop, please. You're not my sis, and you wanna slander me for using African American Vernacular, yet you wanna say "issa" on twitter? You sound dumb, please sit down, and be humble. And I feel like I shouldn't even have to explain #28 and #29, yet people still think they can ask me if they're allowed to say it."

"Relating to Social Justice/Inequality:

35. Why is everyone kneeling now? It's not a trend to disrespect our country.

36. Don't you think affirmative action is unfair to everyone else?

37. Shouldn't you focus on black on black crime instead of police brutality?

38. The black men are in jail because they are guilty of their crimes

39. Black Lives Matter is pretty violent, don't you think?"

"I'm sorry, but if you're not black, don't talk to me about social justice issues unless you have thoroughly educated yourself. If you think I'm making this about race, I'm not. I have a lot of non-black friends who I talk to about social inequalities and we're on the same page. But if you're just saying opinions that your parents have drilled into you or that you hear Trump saying, without doing any research about it to find out truths behind this stuff, then don't talk to me."

"Don't tell me about the black men in jail, when most of them are doing life sentences for petty crimes. Don't tell me about disrespecting our country when this country has been disrespecting my people since they dragged us here on ships."

"The kneeling movement literally has nothing to do with disrespecting our armed forces or who's off at what war. We sit down during the National Anthem because it's a song that preaches this idea of "freedom" when blacks were promised their freedom after they served in the Revolutionary War, and still never got truly received freedom for another 100 years. Even then, they weren't really free. We're kneeling because of this country still doesn't treat black people like they are real citizens of this country."

"Affirmative action is another thing I want to touch on in another Odyssey article, especially around the time of college acceptances. The things people have said to me and my friends about affirmative actions and how "unfair" it is, is really baffling. Educate yourselves."

"40. I don't see color and you shouldn't either

41. Not everything has to be about race

42. That's reverse racism!

43. Racism doesn't exist anymore.

Ridiculous. Nonsensical. I've said this many times, and I'll say it again:

There is no way for racially oppressed people to be labeled as racist."

"The definition of racism is oppressing a group of people because of their race and because the oppressing group thinks their own race is superior. How can I, a black girl who's been oppressed her whole life, be racist to white people, who have privilege in this country? How? There's such thing as PREJUDICE. Yes, prejudice does work both ways. Am I justifying it? Of course not. But there is no such thing as reverse racism."

"Also, news flash: If you're describing someone and you just say, "she's short, black, glasses", you're NOT BEING RACIST. You're just describing someone's appearance so the person you're talking to knows who the heck you're talking about. Now, if you said something derogatory about them being black, then that's racist. But I just wanted to clear that up, because people have the wrong perceptions about what it means to be racist."

"Moving on, please don't talk to me about how you don't see color when you know good and well that this country was based on race. A lot of the issues we have today are because of race. Part of me thinks that maybe we should be a "colorless" society because, in the end, we're all just people with souls and bones and organs. We all look the same on the inside. But then again, somehow some people will still find a way to oppress others. The other part of me thinks that race matters A LOT. If you're racially colorblind, that means you're not able to see the disadvantages around you because you are of the so-called "superior race"."

Relating to The Struggle:

"44. Why isn't there a white history month?"

"45. White privilege is a myth."

"46. I've listened to Jay-Z's newest album/took a race class/read the autobiography of Malcolm X/watched Roots... I totally understand your struggle."

"Stop right there. Again, please educate yourselves before you ask anybody certain things. With #46.... there's no way anyone who's not black can understand the struggle black people have gone and are still going through. You can definitely empathize with the struggle. You can definitely know about it. But if you have not actually been through it, physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially, then you are in no place to talk to me about you understanding this stuff. You never can and you never will."

[littlelethargicangel]

Am I Happy?

This may be a first bad first post and do people even still use tumblr?

It's two AM and all I am listening to Bo Burnham and Lemon Demons and I can't tell how I feel anymore. Not too long ago I constantly told myself "I am happy, you have to be happy," but lately I've recognized I don't think I actually I am. I feel numb at times and sometimes overwhelming anxiousness because I feel trapped and then I have a streak of really good days and I forget that I've ever felt anything else than happiness. If I were to zoom out on my life and ask overall was I happy the answer would be a definite: yes. How could it not be? I am currently living a very privileged and fortunate life. I have friends, two dogs, a beautiful fish tank, and I get to come home at night and skateboard and paint. That makes me happy. But something makes me feel off and uncomfortable. If I question my feelings and ask myself: what is making you so uneasy? The answer is usually I don't feel like I am doing enough.

I am currently in a gap year that I am unsure if I will let it in. I can't shake off my feelings of college being a scam and that I should continue to hold off on it. My mom and I will fight about where I should go and I always leave the conversation feeling more lost and trapped and spend the next few hours feeling really shitty and I'll watch sad videos and cry. That isn't the most productive use of time but it helps me feel comforted.

I should be happy. I just can't. I am not at a place where I should be happy. My friends all started college this past week and it has filled me with a lot more dread than I thought it would. I miss them. I work so much. I dont know what I should do. I think about being an art teacher sometimes but thats not what I want to do. I need to figure out something, right?

The only time I feel like i am doing the right thing is when I'm doing something creatively like art or making videos. I am learning music and that excites me. But... Is being an artist worth it? Its not realistic but whenever i look into anything I start getting panic-y and cry and then I can't see. I try to work through it but it makes it worse. Art makes me happy, i think. I hate working for dominos. But will I like working anywhere? I think I should suck it up and get into debt? Change is hard, everything is temporary, I am trying to be positive but crying feels good lately. I am scared of losing my friends and them moving without me and I am happy for them. I just need to move on too.

I am not sad. Relatively happy am I. Just terrified I'm not cut out to be an artist. Not too long ago I was naiively convinced that I could study abroad become a graphic design artist do that for a decade and magically make money by doing it and then dabble in politics a bit and help improve our outdated education system help people who have been through religious trauma and have been affected by homophobia and bigotry. But now I'm actually questioning if I matter. If i want to argue about religion and politics everyday. How do I fine balance. Would my voice make matter worse? Is the world too far gone anyway that it'd a pointless attempt to somehow make my life feel like it has some sort of meaning.

I can still feel the passion burning. I tugs at my chest and makes me restless. I want to help people I want to have an impact. I want to create something that leaves an impression on people. But I get distracted with extensional questions like: what is happiness? and

Am I Happy?

Are you happy?

How do you know?

[savnofilter]

no nuance november!

a/n: which is basically you have a bunch of opinions and dont explain any of em' and let your followers discuss them (much more suited for tiktok sjsnj). i'll be doing it since it compiles with many topics like fandom, racism, lgbtq+, politics and etc. i highly encourage people to do this simply because why not? feel free to send your own opinions n stuff, i wanna know what my followers think!!

disclaimer!! ⚠️ all of these are broad, not pin pointing certain people or situations. even though these are my opinions these were all in fun and have been collected over the years and will change as time goes on. nothing is sugar-coated so thread carefully. feel free to agree or disagree. :)

warning(s): mentions of racism, p*do micro aggression, fetishizing, toxicity, abuse, politics, labelling, mental health, cancelling, fandoms, ages.

key:

iswis = i said what i said, no explanation to that one.

whe = will happily explain.

stop sexualizing gay/m|m/yaoi relationships. it's not only demonizing to the males, it's also very fetishizing. (iswis)

most times /10 yall root for "feminine men" when you really mean white boys and fetishised asian men on social media. (whe)

bullying someone isnt educating. you either cant cope with the fact people have different opinions from you or you have a struggle with things either always never going your way or the opposite. (iswis)

straight people will never have a say in lgbtq+ issues. stop inserting yourself. (iswis)

white people will never have a say in poc issues. stop inserting yourself. (iswis)

poc will never have a say in black people issues. stop inserting yourself. (vice versa but im black and it happens more often to us lol) (iswis)

using the defense, "but black lives matter, right?" when one black person does something bad isnt facts, youre racist. (iswis)

fandom adults need to stop gatekeeping the target audience (demographics) to animes/shows. (iswis)

poc people can be racist. (whe)

even if a certain site was adult doesnt mean that every adult wants to see your porn. either keep it to yourself or tag properly. (iswis)

saying shit like, "im more xyz than you and im not even xyz" is not only disrespectful but disgusting. just because you believe in a popular opinion of a group does NOT suddenly make you a person in it, get over yourself. (iswis)

dont hate on people for the same things you have done at a young age. (ex: writing fanfic, seggs, etc) (iswis)

blaming a minor/someone mentally unstable for being abused is not only victim blaming, but it enables the notion that people who go those things that they wanted it. (iswis)

going off of that last point, if you do victim blame for situations and been in them yourself you either still havent coped with what you went through and still think it was your fault when it wasnt. (whe)

it's stupid people hate minors for being undeveloped when adults are the reason as to why people get traumas, abused and quite literally are destroying the world right now. (iswis)

gen z is white as fuck. (iswis)

early 2000s kids are equivalent to 90s kids who use to post, "only 90s kids under this" and post something that 2000-5 experienced. (iswis)

dear 2005+ kids, abusing harmful substances and having sex doesnt make you grown. stop it. (iswis)

adults, being able to post porn doesnt make you grown or mature, stop believing that it does. (iswis)

just because it's a coping mechanism doesnt mean it's healthy. (iswis)

avoiding conflict doesnt mean youre mature. if there is an active problem and you know ignoring it will only benefit you and not the actual problem at hand that is selfish. (iswis)

black women generate clout for everyone. when we're hated the person gets patted on the back, someone appreciates black girls they are praised, and people of many groups repeatedly steal from our culture. (iswis)

YES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN. (whe)

if youre black you do not have to be democrat OR republican, there are many other parties. (whe)

i do not trust either parties, no minority should. (whe)

this 2020 election was not a win for poc people no matter who won. (iswis)

we do not decide whether or not what to do on columbus day. it is up to the natives themselves. (whe)

pointing out other countries (current) faults is not racist. although the issue can be misconstrued, if proper research is done it safe to say it's an educated observation or opinion. (whe)

privilege heavily varies; ex, americans are seen as privileged, while the people who live in it experience a disadvantage because of the societal standards. within the country itself. (whe)

americans, stop saying that america is the worst country and there are other countries who are suffering much worse than we are. yes sometimes it sucks but do not label it as the worst. (iswis + whe)

white people are privileged and will always be until we break the racist issues deep rooted in EVERY community. (iswis)

9/10 when marginalized groups like (women, lgbt) are mostly focused on white people and never address the poc counter parts. using the excuse "well idk much about that" is not good enough and just promotes pseudo-white supremecy. (iswis + whe)

do not use aave. (iswis)

aave is not gen z language, stop calling it that. (iswis)

gay men (white especially) use black women and get praised for the things we do that are called ghetto. (iswis)

yes it is offensive if you touch a black persons hair with or without permission. we are not your pets nor zoo animals. (iswis)

and yes it is offensive if you see a black women with beautiful hair and assume it's fake or ask, "is it yours?" "is it real?" (iswis)

using jailbait as an excuse to lewd minors is just as disgusting. (iswis)

beauty standards for women is rooted from pedophilia. (iswis)

using other pedophilic relationships as an excuse to ship yours is disturbing and you shouldnt be near children at any capacity. (iswis)

everything doesnt need a label. (iswis)

the fact that gangs have been criminalized while mafias havent is racist and feeds the stereotypes that poc are criminals. (iswis)

people are more forgiving to white predators than to poc (neither are good but people let white off the hook more often). (iswis)

if youre okay with your friends being racists, creeps, abusers you are just as bad. (iswis)

although you can like what you like, making dark content shouldnt be as glorified as much as it is. (iswis)

some kinks do deserve to be kink shamed. (iswis)

adults need to be more held accountable when held in situations with minors. (iswis + whe)

everyone perceives the world differently, many people will see the same things you see differently. (iswis)

calling people crazy for questioning the things around them doesnt make them crazy, youre just asleep. (iswis)

the human body can function without a soul. (iswis)

stop disrespecting christianity. you wouldnt do the same with hinduism, islam and etc. (iswis)

the bible was altered by white men and the true meanings have been misconstrued. (iswis + whe)

bullying someone who you THINK is problematic is not excuse to be hateful. youre just scum and feel the need to justify your actions. (iswis)

not everyone has to like you and dont need a reason. (iswis)

just because you dont like someone doesnt mean you have to make a show of it. be mature and move along. (iswis)

yes callouts/cancelling has its place but it's never done right. (iswis)

"cancel culture" wasnt a thing till white people joined in. (iswis)

dont cancel someone for stuff they did years ago. bringing it up is important but not allowing them to understand, reflect, and apologize is not only bullying it defeats the purpose of bringing awareness. (iswis)

big writers need to stop complaining when one fic or a few dont do good. not only does it rub in small writers faces, it shows that if you need people's validation to write you probably shouldnt be writing. some works will be popular and some will flop, get over it. (iswis)

stop witch hunting & crucifying people for shit you have done or your friends have done and going "uwu sorry" when you get caught. (iswis)

90% people believe content creators with bigger audiences. (iswis)

people spontaneously posting, "uwu take care of your mental health" doesnt mean that they actually care. (iswis)

people are always quick to judge people with real mental health such as depression, anxiety, adhd, and etc are always the one to turn and pretend to be exactly what they just mocked. (iswis)

dont have kids if youre not going to take care of them. (iswis)

stop baiting baby otakus (people freshly getting into anime) into watching cp like yarichin bitch club or boku no pico. they are minors, it's not funny, stop it. (iswis)

stop being protective & toxic over anime characters. if they were real they probably wouldnt even like you. (iswis)

just because someone is your friend doesnt mean that they arent toxic or abusive. (iswis)

start believing when people show their true traits. (iswis)

trauma happens in different forms, stop saying something didnt happen because it didnt go the way that has commonly happened or the way it occurred to you. (iswis)

stop saying minors should "know" while also being the loudest to say that our brains arent even developed till 25. (iswis)

the adult age should be raised to 20 years old. (iswis + whe)

tos should be raised to 16 years old. (iswis + whe)

minors take "18+" & "minors dni" out of your bio. (iswis)

yelling at minors for finding the content you freely put out without any care is your fault not theirs. (iswis)

there are plenty of adult sites that are more confined for adults but you guys ignore them because youd rather get popular on writing erotica on a popular social media platform. (iswis)

trying to cancel someone over one mistake and or blowing said things out of proportion is toxic and stupid. (iswis)

if you take someone saying they need to distance themselves for mental health reasons personally and make them feel bad for it youre an actual shitty person. (iswis)

if someone disrespects you, you have the right to say whatever you want in response. (iswis + whe)

stop hypersexualizing everything (adults especially). (iswis)

the excuses of, "they look grown" "i mentally think xyz" "theyre fake" is creepy and weird and yall should come up with a better excuse. (iswis)

yes i do believe minors should be writing for minors only, but i will not give a shit if an adult does if said characters are aged up in every work sfw or not. (iswis)

stop saying teens cant go through traumatic things and cant experience mental illnesses. it just shows that you werent cared for as a child and never get the therapy for it. (iswis)

gen z has a very colonized idea of activism. (iswis)

feminism was never for all women until the rest of us forced ourselves in. and even now it's still an issue whether or not people realize it or not. (iswis)

poc solidarity doesnt exist as much as we try to make it happen. (iswis)

colorism is an issue, and no you will not tell me otherwise. (iswis)

the hot cheeto girl is offensive and demeans black & hispanic culture. (iswis)

stop bashing minors for breathing, just say youre mad youre not young anymore and move on. (iswis)

black men are the white people of black people. (iswis)

there is no reason as to why you anyone would refer to black people as "blacks". nor should you (non-black people) be arguing whether or not to say nigga even with the hard r. (iswis)

if you (pertains to white people) think white privilege doesnt exist but go on to make fun of or ignore minority problems you are the living and breathing example of what we are talking about. (iswis)

loli/shotas are fucking disgusting and people who like it deserve to be tortured for eternity. (iswis)

seriously, stop using theyre "fake" as an excuse. (iswis)

if youre comfortable with being hateful to someone but still consider yourself a nice person because you do the hate minimum to be a decent human, youre either a narcissist or have a god complex. (iswis)

coons have no say in black issues. (iswis)

people need to stop blaming the "home wrecker" for ruining the relationship when it was the s/o's fault as well. there is no home to enter without an owner. (iswis)

stop saying any asian man yo see reminds you of a haikyuu character and or any anime character. it's racist. (iswis)

stop saying any asian person looks like a kpop idol, it's racist. (iswis)

stop downplaying and invalidating when black women go through traumatic things. not only does it promote that we have to be strong and save everyone else's problems, it says that we dont have emotions and cant be a victim which is disgusting. (iswis)

if you say shit like "minors curate your own experience" then go and turn around to say you REFUSE TO TAG YOUR SHIT YOU ARE LITERALLY MAKING THE PROCESS OF CENSORING HARD! (iswis)

white women are just as much of a problem as white men. only difference is sex keeping them apart. (iswis)

stop saying kpop is racist. expecting artists from a different political progression to understand that things can be offensive is bland. (iswis)

people accept boy groups fuck-ups more than they accept girl groups. and most times out of ten, the males are worse. (iswis)

if you engage in nsfw conversation with a minor, it is your fault they responded. (iswis)

anyone can be abused. (iswis)

stop coddling adults and bullying minors. (iswis)

most of you females have internalized misogyny and dont even know it. (iswis)

you can callout issues without having to drag a group of people. same with uplifting. (iswis)

if youre fine with being a sheep unfollow me. (iswis)

seven deadly sins is not a good anime. (iswis)

there is a difference between boku no hero academia fans based on if they call it "bnha" or "mha". (iswis)

ships literally are not serious stop harassing people over ships. (iswis)

do not harass creators of series because they do something with THEIR story. make your own. (iswis)

stop saying horikoshi sexualizes his women too much/mineta is the worst when you guys enjoy shows like one piece, hunter x hunter, naruto and etc. (iswis)

minors often or not are sheeps (heres your sign you dont have to agree with everything other people say). (iswis)

just because minors can be mature doesnt mean that they are adults. stop treating them as such. (iswis)

we should give more voice actors in the asmr (idk what to call it) community more recognition instead of just one. (iswis)

writers are the ones that send hate to other writers. anon hate is so corny and if you do it that goes to show that you are truly a toxic person wearing a fake mask of kindness when youre not on anonymous. (iswis)

stop being mean to smaller writers because they did not have as much luck as you. (iswis)

stop blaming your readers because one story flopped. (iswis)

ignoring someone's shitty actions encourages them to do it more. (iswis)

going to school and getting a job is much harder now than it was before. (iswis)

being an adult doesnt automatically make you mature. just because youre older doesnt mean youre better or you opinion is more valuable. it just shows that you werent heard when you were younger. (iswis)

there should be no reason as to why someone of the age of 18 should be having any romantic relationship with someone who is a minor. (iswis)

hawks is a shitty character. (iswis)

bakudeku isnt toxic. (iswis)

just because bakugo is in a ship, doesnt mean it's toxic. (iswis)

stop shipping male characters together simply because they have screen time together. it's creepy. (iswis)

almost all of 1-a students have ptsd and anything close to the after effects of being traumatized. (iswis)

no, editing characters to be poc is not racist. youre just mad they arent "white" when they never were. theyre asian and come in many colors as well. (iswis)

wanting to only be with a different race to get a mixed baby is fucking disgusting. (iswis)

stop ignoring pedo relationships between older women and younger boys and or with older women in general. (iswis)

males can be abused, stop telling them to suck it up or that they cant go through things. (iswis)

shaming young females about things they cant control is misogynistic and is damaging to their identity and shouldnt be excused. (iswis + whe)

not all females have to shave. (iswis)

what you dont like in someone is the projections you see of yourself on other people that you dont like about yourself. (whe)

popular bl stories extremely misrepresent gay relationships and frankly it's disgusting that theyre boosted as much as they are. (iswis)

jjba isnt ugly, you just watch animes to sexualize the characters. (iswis)

it's shitty that anime and kpop only became cool once white people stated to like it and made it mainstream. go gatekeep family guy or something. (iswis)

if you have been anime fan for a long time you were with bullied/teased for just generally liking it or you were a weirdo who recreated shit from it. (iswis)

weaboo and weeb were bad terms till we made them positive?? literally otaku is the word for it but we use weeb instead lol. (whe)

normalize and promote educating someone without going straight to bullying them. (whe)

haikyuu isnt really a good manga/anime nor is the art style the best but the characters make up for it. (iswis)

stop misusing terms and stop nitpicking definitions to manipulate your narrative. (iswis)

toxic positivity is manipulative and if you have to make it back handed you are not as nice as you like to make it seem. (iswis)

studying a major doesnt mean youre actually good in the subject. (iswis)

normalize people realizing their past mistakes and growing from it. (iswis)

do not self diagnos unless you actually feel like you may have that issue and would like to seek help. mental health is not a personality trait. (iswis)

stop projecting onto people. (iswis)

stop misusing terms and stop nitpicking definitions to fit your narrative. (iswis)

stealing any type of work should not be tolerated. (iswis)

constantly trying to trigger someone to go back to their old ways (being toxic, abusive, addiction, suicidal etc) after changing is toxic and manipulative. (iswis)

if you make jokes about hurting kids and or feel the need speak badly about them i do not want to speak to you. (iswis)

the human brain wasnt developed to understand complex ideas such as death or the universe. (iswis)

we will never truly know what is beyond our skies. (iswis)

thats all, thanks for sifting!

[simpingw0lfi3]

hi. recently, ive been seeing so many recurring events of hate crimes against asians. i myself, cannot stand silent as i watch those from my culture be discriminated against. i approach this sensitive topic with much caution because i have been a sheltered asian kid, i never had to grow up with any racial comments made against me, and i grew up with a diverse upbringing. not only that, but my platform is extremely small so what i only aim to do with this small ramble of mine is to speak what is going on in my mind. 

and yet that is why i think i should be talking about this - i shouldnt be making sorry excuses for myself to not respond to such events. i am not very mature, im just a teenager who bases her knowledge from others who distribute and share such news with me. so i’ll talk in my own childish, naive viewpoint. because this isnt only affecting adults, but its also affecting the asians of the next generation.

i love my culture, and i love my neighbouring countries’ cultures. ive lived in 5 different countries, all in asia, and i have definitely visited a lot more. through each of these journeys, im learning something new from another culture, whether it be food, language or history. im proud to be asian. there are so many times where we’ve had to fight, fight for our voice, fight for our place under the spotlight. and i feel indignation and exasperation when i see that no matter how much we try, there are still those out there who dont need to try and yet they are given such privileges. i find it appalling, how people from different races are getting killed, and only then are people raising their voices about such topics. WE have always been discriminated against. and we didnt need people to pass or to be harmed for that to be evident. well in the first place, this shouldnt be happening. each, every, single individual living on this earth is a life. they are worth as much as another. there is no life that we should be disposing of or valuing less.

i especially hate those who hop onto the bandwagon, maybe they start watching anime, playing otome games, listening to kpop or eating food of our culture... giving us the false hope that yes, finally, we are being appreciated. only to be betrayed. only to fetishsize asians. only to call us clearly offensive names. only to blame us for the current pandemic. i dont understand how those can have the audacity to do so.

it is because of my culture that i am the person i am today. and it is because of my culture that i have learned and experienced so many things that i would not have been able to should i have been born in a different one. instead of fearing the unknown, and thus making racial comments against us, learn. educate yourself. we’re not some extra lives you can dispose as you please.

this ends my rant... i am worried that i may have offended some people and in no way did i mean to do so, unless i offended you because i called you out for your actions against my culture then please, feel free to continue feeling offended. but for others, if i have said something wrong please do let me know... im not very good at talking so i hope this was not insensitive in anyway :)

to my fellow asians, although i am young and inexperienced, i would never want you to bottle up any emotions that may make you feel on edge. if you ever want to talk, my ask or inbox (idk how tumblr works AHHHH) is always open <33

[neechees]

i know you get this question a lot, but im curious. i want to live off of the land, not because its "self sustaining" or whatever, but because i want to provide food for affordable or even for free to those in my community. im a descendant of irish immigrants. its not my place to settle on the land i live in, but i dont know how i can achieve that dream of being able to provide for my community. and i dont know if i lived in ireland if it would be okay since i feel like thats not my land either+

rural life is hard, i know this. im poor, and a lot of my relatives live in rural areas. but im also disabled and working regular jobs is hard. yet hauling stuff and tending to animals and working with my hands makes it easier? its more fulfilling. idk why. but i dont know if id be at home in ireland, since im part of the irish diaspora and ive been disconnected from my culture for generations. but i want to produce and give and support those around me and nothing is better than food yknow?

I feel like at this point people think I’m the royal ambassador of cottagecore and are asking for “permission” to somehow enjoy CC easily and without any consequences to anybody (which is well intentioned but.) and if I say yes then that means it’s okay, so people keep asking hyper-specific questions to find out what falls under when it’s acceptable to do this as per given permission by me, the grand ambassador  pîkohkasam-Kapesiwkamkoskwew (”she burns cottages woman”) le cottage burner. If she says yes she will not decide to scalp you and burn your cottage to the ground.

But jokes aside I don’t even know how to answer these. Part of the main point of my posts about CC was to get people to RETHINK their fantasies, check their privilege, do their own research regarding the environment as well as the Native people and figure out ways they can help, support, and coexist with Native people & our OWN desires on and for OUR OWN LAND. Like in a way I appreciate the intent behind these questions because it lets me know that people are trying to AVOID causing harm & are genuinely trying to make an effort, but at the same time I literally don’t know everything (ESPECIALLY not in every given context, including yours, depending on where you are and where native people are situated, their own plans, etc), I’m just some rando on the internet and I can’t be doing the work for you. That’s why I encourage self-education and self-research, it depends on where you are, the native people there, etc. It literally depends.

So like my advice is to do your own research. If you really want to do something like this without hurting Native people, doing research on the Native people whose land you’re on, any treaties in that area (and this is especially relevant in Canada) or if they WANT to have treaties, any possible land issues, conflicts, or plans they’ve had or are having/doing (ex: pipelines, land claims, potential sacred areas you might be disturbing, revitalization areas, possible land development, bison ranches, etc) and see how you can work around/with that and WITH Native people. Even just straight up asking the Native people in that area could get you a more straight answer than this. But again, I feel like regardless of whether or not people plan to move places etc they should be doing this ANYWAY. And like, say you do get your self sustaining community. What are you doing to help any Native people? Are you also feeding them? Do you have an agreement of some kind? Are you certain the land you’re working can sustain everyone? What are you doing to help the land there? Being considerate like that & reconsidering agriculture etc in the context of also considering Native people and our sovereignty was the point of my posts. It's not that I dont think your cause isn't good or i think you're being malicious, but I just can't give you direct, tangible directions on what to you because if you carried this out it depends on a lot of things that I can't speak for definitely.

[xxconclusione-aperioxx]

Okay so I'd like to share what I commented on this video. I watched it and it sent me into a whole rant about the motives and characterization of Draco. I recommend watching before reading this:

@quinncurio is the original poster

Here's the copy paste of my comment/ Essay. I was slight heated when I wrote this, but my points still stand.

"OH BOY. HI, HELLO I VERY MUCH DISAGREE. ALSO: DISCLAIMER: DONT TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY, YOU WILL FIND I HAVE A VERY LOGICAL EXPLANATION, FOR WHY THIS ANALYSIS DOESN'T WORK.

Calling a Draco a cowardly bigoted bully, and a carbon copy of Dudley is the most SHALLOW and LOW EFFORT CONCLUSION YOU COULD POSSIBLY DRAW. IT IS LOW HANGING FRUIT. I'm going to have to break this into sections to truly explain why your conclusion is soooo incredibly shallow. You may have done your research, but I feel like you learned nothing more about Draco then if you'd never seen more then 5 min. So I'm going to start the same way you have and break this down into the same points.

PART 1 : AN ANALYSIS OF HARRY MEETING DRACO

I'm not going to go into detail of Harry's impression or ideas of Draco, because this analysis is about Draco, Not Harry. Also remember the books were written from Harry's POV, not a neutral party. I'm not obliged to Harry's opinions, just facts. Which brings up the first true conclusion about Draco's character. *Draco Malfoy feels a strong need to impress others, to gain their affection.* He does this through incisive bragging, trying to make people believe he knows best, and tearing down the reputation of others, so the object of his desires sees Draco and the most obvious choice. Where we differ is:

You believe Draco does this, because he thinks, he's better then others.

I believe,(which circumstantially has more evidence), Draco does this because he wants the affection, and acceptance of others

Whether you believe he acts out this way bc of how he is raised, his privilege, or something else, it doesn't change the fact that Draco was truly trying to make a friend, perhaps the only way he knew how.

In noble wizarding society, traditions, and your family does mean a lot. Not even looking at it from a pureblood view, imagine having a family that old and known. They really are a type of nobility, with family Lords even having political seats in the Wizengamote just because of their family name. The Longbottoms and Weaselys hold this same political influence, and it's not tied to Slytherins, pureblood ideals or anything like that. Draco is an only child, and an heir to his family line, so he is going to be treated importantly bc of that. He is raised with that responsibility, and in social situations not only represents himself, but the whole heritage of his family. Draco hasn't had the ability to act like a normal petulant child (part of the reason he tends to act out at Hogwarts.*ie. away from home*). He's been taught to act proper, make good allies, and impress others for the good of his reputation. I'd say most noble wizarding children probably get the same training and lectures, and have their own customs and culture of educate. What may come for Draco as polite, and diplomatic, may sound rude or arrogant to Harry. This is because Draco was not aware how different Harry's upbringing was from his own, and has never dealt with not having enough. Perhaps if Draco knew how different and ignorant Harry was he would have felt pity, or a sense of wrongness at Harry's injustice. Though Draco is just an 11yr old boy, who's only ever had a loving family, and almost anything he wanted. It is difficult for him to relate to the lack of others. As all wizarding children, he probably grew up with the story of the boy who lived and may have even been excited when his father said he wanted them to become friends. He truely was excited to meet Harry and genuinely wanted to be friends. While yes Lucius definitely wanted Draco to befriend Harry to help lighten their family reputation, I also think that Draco, being a child, would more likely be more excited of making a famous friend. Maybe he even had some hope seeing he'd met Harry before when he saw him on the train.

Part 2 : THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DRACO AND DUDLEY

Draco's sense of superiority comes from his traditions and pride in his family, while Dudley's is strictly from his own greed and selfishness. Draco would't do half of the things Dudley does simply because it's incredibly unclothe, and he has better ways of getting what he wants. Dudley isn't smart enough to compare to Draco. Though Draco and Dudley might both have things handed to them, Draco is not gluttonous or greedy about it. Dudley will trash his gifts and belongings, constantly wanting more, and viewing things given to him as disposable. Draco wants things yes (like every child does) but he's proud of his possessions and cherishes them, brags about them. Dudley is an animal compared to Draco. He doesn't have the same skill, smarts or self control. Dudley is abusive, and a tyrant in his bullying. Dudley wants to see Harry hurt and bleed. He is very violent compared to Draco. While we constantly and repeatedly see Draco shy away from violence, and use more his words.

Part 3 : DRACO'S "HARASSMENT", STRATEGIES AND EVOLUTION.

Draco despite his threats and facade is Not a violent person. This is because despite all Draco's bravo, and cruel words, Draco is kind. Yes he is conflicted, but that is only more proof of his inner kindness. If he didn't feel guilty, he wouldn't feel conflicted. Which means he really doesn't want to be mean to others, but he's just acting out based on how he thinks he's supposed to feel/act, but doesn't really enjoy it. I think when you strip Draco back behind his actions, and pose, you'll find a very different person. The half-blood prince gave us some of that, but it's another thing to see it in Draco from the beginning. Essentially Draco's attempt at bullying started when Harry rejected his friendship. Draco had probably never been rejected before, and probably couldn't possibly fathom why Harry would choose anyone else over him. While yes that's a bit coincided, Draco was also incredibly sheltered and probably wasn't introduced to children who weren't already tied to his family. Harry's rejection irrevocably shattered Draco's confidence and perception, which sent him into literal years of lashing out at Harry for his hurt emotions, and pining for his attention. It is the most pathetic excuse for bullying, and Draco antagonizing Harry is the equivalent of pulling a girl's pigtails. Draco did get quite shrewd with words, but he was really just trying to get the biggest reaction, especially since Harry is so volatile at times. The truth of the matter is Draco is actually very jealous, because deep down he really admires Harry. He want's the same freedom Harry has. He doesn't want to worry about his duty or who he has to be, but to be able to live authentically the way he views that Harry does. Draco really just wants to be more like Harry, but feels he is stuck, by the Dark Lord, his family obligations or anything else. Draco isn't a bully, he's just sad. Not even Ron or Hermione take him seriously after a while. *cough*this is why Drarry is so huge*

Part 4 : He had no choice?????

Everyone has a choice, but I think you over estimate how easy a choice can be. Family is important to Draco, they are probably the only people who love him for who he is, not what they can get out of him. As a child Draco felt pride in his family, and family made him feel special and important. As he got older that pride turn into expectations, and responsibility. Lucius and Narcissa value the preservation of their family above all else. They are protective and loving and those feeling extended to Draco. It's where he gets his kindness. It is indeed a Slytherin trait to value those you care about above everyone else. We protect our own, a loyalty probably stronger then Hufflepuff for those select few a Slytherin deeply cares about. Draco's parent would let the whole world burn to save him, and Draco would do the same for them. While Draco's family did hold pureblood ideals, after the first war Voldemort was not someone they willing wanted to follow. The light sided also would have never offered aid to death eaters, because fundamentally they were still against the dark, and there was no other place for dark wizards to go except Voldemort. Most of the death eaters had actually been somewhat relived at the news of Voldemort's death, and the boy who lived, as Voldemort had already become insane to the point of torturing his own followers, and wasn't getting them anywhere near their goals. Except for the also insane brainwashed few like Bella who'd follow her lord to the grave, many of the death eater's were content to be peaceful and stay quite after the war. Probably even grateful for it, as there were many needless casualties on both sides. I feel like the Malfoys were one of those families that were happy to get out. If the side they are on is harmful or losing, they are ready to abandon ship. This may sound like they are cowardly with no resolve, but if it was the life and death of your family, and your loved ones, I think you might think differently. I feel like we aren't too far off in agreement here, but where we differ is in judgement and motives we feel the Malfoys, or Draco had. Lucius made a mistake in the first war, and spent the second trying to keep his family out of danger. I can't imagine the fear he had in Azkaban for his family, the dementors feeding off him and what he thought the Dark Lord would do to his only son, his wife, his family. Meanwhile Draco was left with the threat of his father rotting in Azkaban, and his mother being killed. His mother also with the thought of her son being killed. So yes Draco could have made a choice, and he did make a choice, a choice to protect his family, and honestly I can't see that as wrong. Maybe if Harry would have actually taken his offer of friendship things could have gone differently and it wouldn't have come to that.

Part 5 : Abuse Theory

I definitely agree with you here. The Malfoys were not abusive, and get a better anthology for racism then something which in fact could be solved with a study on culture rather then blood. If you want a good parallel for racism in HP forget muggleborns, and look at creature blood, not dumb house elfs either, but werewolves, goblins, centaurs beings just as intelligent as wizards. The bigotry towards werewolves especially is horrific, especially from the "light side" who avidly labels them as dangerous dark creatures. *Also note about the scene in Borgen and Berks* Lucius stopped Draco from touching the artifact because it was probably cursed, as many dark artifacts are. Even if you know what you're doing they can be dangerous to handle carelessly. So Lucius was actually very wise and protecting Draco, his 12 yr old son, from getting badly hurt. Why the cane? If touching a cursed object curses you, then its better not to get close with your actual hands. Using his cane to push Draco away was actually a precaution. Lucius is anything but careless,

Part 6: Draco's Wand and Symbolism

I generally agree here too, but I believe this symbolism is more reflective of the things Draco wishes he could have had, or done differently. If anything the wand and symbolism Draco has is representative of the good in him, and not cowardice, or inability to do enough.

Part 7: Redemption

Tbh I'm part of the crowd that would have liked that deleted scene to stay in the final cut. However I understand what's justifiable for one person, may not be enough for someone else. This is where you get more into the topic of morality, and how much are you morally responsible for as a person. Harry has been drilled with the mindset for years that he has to save everyone, and that if your not in it for the greater good, ready to lay down your life you better forget being in it at all. Personally I don't believe Harry has any right to claim that rhetoric, as Dumbledore(and by association Grindlewald) practically spoon fed it down his throat; but I wont talk about that as it's a whole other issue. Draco, you have to understand has a whole type of different morality. Objectively I believe he's a good person, if not pressured by the echo chamber of ideals around him. Yet Draco repeatedly gives signs, and expresses the desire to want to do good. In order to properly analyze Draco you have to look past his outward facade, and actions, or you'll never see him as anything more then he pretends to be. If you can only read plain text, if you can't see past the obvious, you will always have a very flat one dimensional view of a character or a person. To me there's no redemption needed. Draco is already good, more good then his parents, and perhaps more good then some who claim goodness.

In summary Draco is a very complex person, who tries to over compensate for his flaws, struggles to express honesty, but deeply cares for others, especially his family. His duality lies in how he wants to be good to others, yet how in the end he always chooses to save the ones he loves, over the majority. Draco will always have his flaws, but he will always have his goodness too, and I hope you won't disregard that.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

P.S

Kudos to anyone who read through all that.

[revolutionary-demosthenes]

So to start off, here are some mini-bios of people who I’ll be talking about! This is going to be a long post, but it will make it easier to understand my future posts if you don’t know some of these people. I’m covering: Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Francis Kinloch, Lois Manoël de Vègobre, Johannes Von Müller, Charles Victor de Bonstetten, Alleyne Fitzherbert 1st Baron, St. Helens, and Thomas Gray.

John Laurens: You might’ve heard of him if you listen to Hamilton. John Laurens was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His father was Henry Laurens, a prominent South Carolinian who co-owned the largest slave trading house in North America, “Austin and Laurens.” Yeah. He pretty much was a terrible father and a terrible person. He would later become president of the congressional congress. His mother was named Eleanor Laurens. Her death when John was 16 marked a significantly traumatic event in his life, however in general, John Laurens was very well acquainted with death. He was the fourth child born in his family, but he was the oldest by the time he was four years old, his older siblings all dying at young ages. One can only speculate how these early losses affected young John, or Jack, as his family called him.

John was most likely tutored at a young age. He grew up in very privileged circumstances certainly, as his father was one of the most well-known and rich South Carolinians of the time. 

As John grew up, he became very studious and serious. His father viewed him as the most promising child of the Laurens children, and prayed he would not fall prey to gambling or women. At nearly thirteen, we find our first piece of evidence suggesting John Laurens might be gay. His father Henry Laurens writes, “Master Jack is too closely wedded to his studies to think about any of the Miss Nannies I would not have such a sound in his Ear for a Crown…” In other words, Henry Laurens noticed his son’s unusual lack of interest in girls. Of course, one could read it as a passing comment on how studious his son was, or just thankfulness that Henry’s ‘best’ son didn’t seem to be ‘tempted’ in any way, but this does still confirm that as a young teenager, (and some point out that this is the time when many boys go through puberty, and therefore discover their sexual interests,) John was NOT interested in ladies. 

As John grew even older, his father decided the time was ripe for some education in Europe. Some speculation has occurred that right before John left for Europe he painted a collection known as Pope Brown Collection of South Carolina Natural History. It contains 32 paintings of natural organisms, including many types of birds and plants. This is not confirmed, but it is of interest to many that John Laurens was a very good artist, and probably quite interested in art. Many have heard of the (in)famous turtle drawings John did. In truth, though John did draw the soft-shelled turtle for naturalist Alexander Garden, he most likely did not have an uncommon affection for that particular animal.

So, John soon found himself on a boat to Europe with his younger brothers, Henry jr. and James, known as Jemmy. They eventually settled in Geneva, staying with a family friend. 

But before we even get to Geneva, it is worth noting a passage from a letter by Henry Laurens. This was written while John was briefly enrolled in a school in London. While complaining about the many crimes and indulgences of the city, he mentions “…and every black and execrable Crime had gain’d in the City is equally astonishing and shocking.” Now this simply could be another thrown in crime in the long list that precedes this, but in those those days ‘black crime’ was sometimes a code for homosexuality. So was John exposed to homosexuality in London the way Hamilton was at Nevis? This could provide some context for his later relationship with Francis Kinloch.

In 1772, the Laurens boys arrived in Geneva. John studied a multitude of subjects, and polished up his French. While he fretted about finding his brothers proper schools, his Uncle James Laurens was concerned about a different aspect of his time. Geneva, which had been a theocracy at one point, was now very open to new, more secular ways of thinking. John assured his Uncle that he was not influenced by any of his teachers not being ‘classically’ Christian. But it may not be a coincidence that the place where John most likely had his first homosexual relationship was a place more open to new types of thinking and concepts, especially in terms of religion.

What exactly was this first relationship? To establish some context, we must return briefly to Charlestown, South Carolina. The Kinloch family lived there and did know the Laurens’s. The name ‘Kinloch’ appears in some of Henry Laurens’s papers, and apparently Francis Kinloch’s sister made John ruffles for his travels to Europe. But in 1774, as John was dutifully studying in Geneva, his father wrote to him “From a hint which Waag dropped at Bath tis expected by the freinds of the young Eatonian that he will find a freind in you at Genevé, tho none of ‘em have Said a word to me on the Subject.” This “freind” is in fact Francis Kinloch, so it may be that he and John had met before. 

John and Francis became very good friends along with one of Laurens’s tutors, Luis de Manoel de Vegobre. There is little documentation of the Kinloch-Laurens relationship whilst the latter was in Geneva, but once they were separated many letters were exchanged, several quite romantic sounding. What is quite possibly the most passionate line Laurens ever wrote to a lover is contained at the end of a letter to Francis. “We may differ in our political sentiments my dear Kinloch but I shall always love you for the knowledge I have of your Heart.” Kinloch was a loyalist, influenced by his guardian Thomas Boone, while John Laurens was obviously a patriot and the two debated hotly via letters. 

Another aspect that must be looked at when considering the Laurens-Kinloch relationship is the amount of trust in the relationship. The level of trust is apparent when we see John first express his abolitionist views in a letter to Kinloch,  “I could talk much with you my Dear Friend upon this Subject,” says John, referring to slavery. “and I know your generous Soul would despise and sacrifice Interest to establish the Happiness of so large a Part of the inhabitants of our Soil_  if as some pretend, but I am persuaded more thro’ interest, than from Conviction, the Culture of the Ground with us cannot be carried on without African Slaves, Let us fly it as a hateful Country_ and say ubi Libertas ibi Patria…” Kinloch responded that he supported the ideas, but did not see how fellow Southerners would adopt them. This only illustrates more clearly that though there were serious conflicts, theirs was a loving and trusting relationship. 

When John was forced to leave Geneva, (and he did want to stay… one wonders if Kinloch had something to do with this. It may have been other reasons, like that John felt freer from his father or enjoyed his rich social life.) he wrote a plaintive letter to Kinloch, telling him, “If my Letter is a little confused, dont be surprised at it, for I am quite like a creature in [a] new world…” 

  However, as if John hadn’t lost enough family in his mere nineteen years, his brother Jemmy lost his life that summer. The boy had apparently tried to jump to John’s window and had fractured his skull. John was with his brother through the horrible night. He wrote to his uncle James, “At some Intervals he had his Senses, so far as to be able to answer singe Questions, to beckon me, to form his Lips to kiss me, but for the most part he was delirious and frequently unable to articulate. Puking, Convulsions near very violent, and latterly so gentle as to be scarcely perceived, or deserve the Name, ensued, and Nature yielded.” It is notable that soon after this, John Laurens sent a letter to Francis Kinloch, whom he hadn’t corresponded with since late the year before, 1774. This again illustrates that though the relationship was not flawless or without conflict, Laurens trusted and confided in his friend/lover.

Now studying law at Middle Temple, John received an extremely upsetting letter from Francis Kinloch. Apparently Kinloch was ready to move on from their romance. He starts the letter with an almost deceptively affectionate opening, “Whatever may be your idea of my manner of thinking in political affairs, don’t let that hinder you from telling me yours, and I promise to be as free with you: we hold too fast by one anothers hearts, my dear Laurens, to be afraid of exposing our several opinions to each other.” But Kinloch signs the letter “be certain I shall never forget you.” Apparently John  saw this as Kinloch being done with him, and as a result did something that would change his life forever.

One of Henry Laurens’s business partners, William Manning, was in London the same time as John, and apparently young Laurens came to call occasionally and enjoyed the company of Manning’s children. This is where he met Martha Manning. There is one piece of evidence to suggest that they were courting for a time, however all we know for sure is that Martha became pregnant around the time the last Kinloch letter reached John, and John Laurens was forced to marry the woman, certainly not because he loved her. “Pity has obliged me to marry.” John  wrote to his uncle. It could be that if they were courting prior to the pregnancy, the relationship was one-sided, or was an attempt for John be seen as straight. 

Though John was now married, he was yearning to leave his unhappy marriage and fight for America. An ardent patriot and abolitionist, he longed to go overseas and join the army. Henry Laurens tried his best to hinder his son’s want, but found that John was no longer a child he could bend to his will. So, John boarded a ship to America, not knowing, and possibly not caring, that he was leaving his wife behind. 

Henry Laurens, being a very prominent Carolinian and future president of the Continental Congress, managed to get his son an excellent position as Aide-de-Camp to general George Washington, though John was not officially appointed the position until October 6th or 7th. He joined the staff in August 1777, and met Alexander Hamilton, a man who would change his life forever.

Alexander Hamilton:

In quite a contrast to John Laurens’s privileged, if morbid childhood, future Founding Father Alexander Hamilton was born out of wedlock on the tiny island of St Croix to Rachel Facuette and James Hamilton in either the year 1755 or 1757. (There is great debate over his birth year. Hamilton himself used 1757, but a large amount of evidence from his childhood points to 1755. For time’s sake, we will use 1755.) Hamilton adored books and writing, but was hindered in his intellectual dreams by the grim circumstances he was brought up in. 

Hamilton had a single brother, James, also born out of wedlock. When Hamilton was 12 his mother died of smallpox, quite common at the time. Alexander was also sick, however he recovered, albeit he always had health problems most likely connected to the early brush with mortality.

Where Alexander grew up, blacks outnumbered whites by a ratio of nearly 8:1, so there was existential tension in the air, a constant fear of sugar plantation owners that the slaves would revolt. Indeed, the slave owners were so cruel to their slaves that things Hamilton witnessed as a child appear to have given him a permanent pessimism about human nature. In addition to the rich white landowners and enslaved blacks, there was a population of poor whites and criminals. St. Croix was a place where outcasts in society at the time were sent as well. This included people accused of sodomy (homosexuality). Ron Chernow writes in his biography of Alexander Hamilton, “Hamilton had certainly been exposed to homosexuality as a boy, since many ‘sodomites’ were transported to the Caribbean along with thieves, pickpockets, and others deemed undesirable.” This may explain why Hamilton seemed more at ease with his sexuality than Laurens, who grew up in a more strict, to say the least, household.

After his mother’s untimely death, Alexander and his brother lived with their cousin Peter Lytton. Unfortunately, very soon after the arrangement began, Peter took his own life, leaving the boys with practically no place to go. 

Alexander managed to get a job clerking for a prominent businessman. It is no stretch to assume that this is where Hamilton began his economic studies. While Alexander managed to get a good job, his brother was stuck being a carpenter and competing with others for work. Ron Chernow points out that this is again an example of Hamilton’s superior intellect pulling him out of ditches.

When Alexander was seventeen, a horrible storm shook the island of St. Croix. Hamilton wrote a beautiful and moving account of the hurricane, and this led to people raising enough money for him to enroll in King’s College in New York City. 

Louis Manoël de Vegobre:

A Swiss lawyer who met Francis Kinloch and John Laurens while in Geneva. His early life is pretty elusive, as he does not even have a wikipedia page. He was a math teacher, and John Laurens’s math tutor. John Laurens taught him English, and both Kinloch and Laurens seem to have taught Vegobre to love America, as he grew despairing when he heard about the challenges of the war in America. The book, Evolution of a Federalist: William Loughton Smith of Charleston (1758-1812) says of Vegobre, “When the first rumblings reached Europe, de Vegobre wrote Laurens: ‘Poor America!—you cannot believe how much me heart is moved on its account; you, and after you Kinloch have raised in my mind such a concern for your native country! I am as much affected for what happens to it, as if I were an American…. English friends, I will, I will see you in your country, before I die!’”

Vegobre was likely in a romantic relationship with Kinloch. He wrote to John Laurens in December 1774: “Let me tell you what are these pleasures whose you are the first cause.  I began to understand speaken; I read Spectator, Clarissa, Milton and Shakespear, besides some philophical books.  Never, never in my life I have been so well entertained as I am when I read Milton; and why?  First, for Poet’s excellency, and secondly and chiefly because I read it with Kinloch.  My beloved, my dearest friend is Kinloch; how happy am I, when I teach him some part of natural Philosophy, when I read with him both English and French Poets, when I talk with him about various matters plainly and heartily as with a friend!  Let me say again: Kinloch is my beloved, my dearest friend.”

Charles Victor de Bonstetten (Karl Victor von Bonstetten in German):

A writer from Switzerland, he was educated partly in Geneva, where he would develop the liberal beliefs that alarmed his father enough to make him return to Bern, where Bonstetten was born. He introduced the people of the Ticino Valley to potatoes.

He appears to have had a romance with Johannes Von Müller and Thomas Gray (I will be posting about the Gray- Bonstetten relationship very soon)

Johannes Von Müller:

A historian who’s life goal was to compile a giant master history book on Switzerland. He was a teacher of Greek, and later appointed office by Napoleon himself. He wrote many history books, and traveled throughout Europe throughout his life. 

Letter from Müller to Bonstetten: “Any mistakes I may make in the future will be your fault; that is only if you neglect your letter-writing – your friendship can never grow cold – might I let myself be surprised by a passion. Tell me why I love you more as time passes. You are now incessantly in me and around me. My dearest friend, how much better it is to think of you than to live with the others! How is it possible to desecrate a heart that is consecrated to you? I need you more than ever; over and above these immutable, laudable plans for a useful life and an immortal name I have forsworn everything that is considered to be pleasant and delightful – not only pleasure but love, not only revels, but good living, not only greed, but ambition. B. is everything to me, you make all my battles easy and all abstinence sweet. Thus you live in my mind and especially in my heart. You write to me often, but it does not seem enough to me; you often address only the historian, and do not embrace your friend often enough.” 

Thomas Gray:

I stumbled upon this man while researching Bonstetten and Müller. I came upon the book My Dear Boy: Gay Love Letters Through the Centuries. I saw that one of the essays in the book was entitled Thomas Gray & Charles- Victor de Bonstetten. Intrigued, I clicked on the essay, and then from there I somehow managed to find the archive of a full biography of Gray. Thomas Gray was an English poet. He was/is pretty famous, but not super well-known, partially because he did not publish much in his lifetime. Thomas Gray’s childhood was marred with sadness. He had nearly a dozen siblings, but none except him lived past babyhood. He stayed with his mother once he had left his father, who was abusive. He was born in 1716 and died in 1771.

Francis Kinloch: 

John Laurens’s first boyfriend. He was also born in Charleston (then Charles Town) and educated at Eton College. After this he went to Geneva, where he met John Laurens. He later hosted what I call Kinloch’s Gay Retreat, in which he had Johannes Von Müller, Charles Victor de Bonstetten, and Alleyne Fitzherbert, 1st Baron, St. Helens stay with him.

Alleyne Fitzherbert, 1st Baron, St. Helens:

I haven’t been able to find anything gay about him except he was apparently lord of the bedchamber for George III, and find words.info says this about lord of the bedchamber: “A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private, guarding access to him in his bedchamber and closet and providing companionship.” So… possible? Maybe, but King George III also had like 20 other Lords of the Bedchamber. Also fun fact: Mt. St. Helens is named after him!

Hope this was informative!