#they’re both pretty anti-laws

[nat-without-a-g]

I find it pretty funny that Henry and Glenn don’t often get along/agree with each other because I’m pretty sure they have the most things in common between each other out of the season 1 dads.

Henry’s just too much of an anxious nerd.

[cute-dark-arts]

I been seeing a lot of fucking poser punks whining after getting called a poser after vocally voting trump, and also posers crying that “voting isn’t punk”, so I’m making a statement here for general punk audiences:

PUNK IS INHERENTLY LEFT WING AND ANTI-OPPRESSION. Punk isn’t about being a lone wolf contrarian and non-conformist to general society. Punk is about walking the road alongside the downtrodden and lifting them up out of the systemic oppression in our society. You don’t get to pick and choose who you lift up. You help everyone on that damn road because you know that if you dont help them they will get hurt by the systemic oppression. We stand for those having a hard time standing for themselves. Our roots are in back alley gay clubs acting as unofficial bouncers and bodyguards. Our roots are in breaking the chains of the enslaved and carrying them to freedom. Our roots are in building communities where everyone can be free to be themselves and are safe doing so.

Real punk isn’t voting for someone because the media “is against them”. Real punk is understanding that voting is a tool in our toolbox as we walk down the road with those whose lives are endangered by oppressive laws and fascistic policies. Whether brick or ballot, we can’t ignore one tool and only rely on the other. The job requires both to be used. If we don’t use both, nothing will get fixed. You don’t use a hammer on a bolt, nor an Allen wrench on a nail. The tools get used on what they’re made for, and they all get used when it’s time to use them.

Punk gatekeeps against those who want to bring down our movement. Posers bring down our movement and pretend punk wasn’t founded on left wing principles. Posers can kick rocks.

And as a small aside to the general queer and mogai communities of tumblr: your existence is punks as fuck. Your Neo, Xeno, and Nounself pronouns are punk as fuck. The way you express your identity through art, music, fashion, and even surgical procedures is punk as fuck. You always have an open invitation to sit with us. All we ask in return is that you aren’t an asshole and to do the same for the oppressed as punks do. Standing against oppression is the bare minimum, and all we ask is you do what is feasible for you within your own capabilities. Take care of yourself, and take care of others as though they were you. If all you can manage is spreading information and kindness, that’s fine. You are not an island, nobody is and nobody should be expected to be so. You are a part of a tightly packed community pushing up through the grass to show that others aren’t alone and that you are there to help them to the best of your abilities. To take a nerdy (and pretty tumblr appropriate) approach to this, you are the mycelium in the ground, pushing up mushrooms to spread the community, sprawling through the ground in an intricate and dense manner, filling in daisy patches with your mycotic blooms and refusing to disappear, showing other that they can be seen too, that they matter, and that we will work together towards a better future. That is what punk is, and if anyone tells you otherwise, that poser bastard can kick rocks.

[ninjakittenarmy]

I find it hilarious how few people are actually condemning the assassination. Even my moderate progressive parents who have pretty much always been against any form of political violence when I discussed it with them haven’t condemned this.

Like, my father and I have had numerous disagreements over our opinions on the upper class, with him being seriously troubled by my “being a billionaire is inherently immoral” stance. We agree on a lot of things but he’s always been at odds with me on that. He used to look at you like you were insane if you said outright killing some of these people instead of going through the system legally was morally acceptable. He had the whole Batman narrative with Poison Ivy type narrative of “these people are the scum of the earth but they’re not criminals and they’re not dictators so violence against them is still bad” type deal most people had until recently.

I broke the news to him and he said “good. I dunno why they killed him but he probably deserved it.”

My mom meanwhile was laughing about all the memes people are making and generally taking way more joy than I expected from this. She’s further left than my dad but she still wouldn’t have been comfortable with outright celebrating this sort of thing a few years ago.

My point is that it’s really a testament to how drastically and how quickly the election results have changed people’s outlooks on this stuff, and to just how much of a scumbag this guy was. Do you have any idea how bad your reputation has to be for even the moderate, anti-violence, “have faith in the system” moderates to be cheering for your demise?

I’ve literally only met two people who had any issue with this. Both were on the same server and were hardline anti-punitive justice folks. Most of the others on that server share similar attitudes regarding law enforcement and they STILL couldn’t agree that this was bad. Only two condemned it and only on general principle.

[aprocessionofthoughts]

Freedom

whumptober24 day 16- necrosis, wound cleaning fandom- dp x dc tw- none summary- Danny is finally free

masterlist ao3 part 9 of ITR

Danny woke up somewhere that wasn’t the warehouse. He barely had any strength left, but he managed to look around. He was in what looked like a hospital room. He had only just started to panic when the door was flung open and Sam and Tucker rushed in.

“Danny!” they called together.

He smiled weakly. “Hey, guys.”

He grunted as they both wrapped their arms around him. “Can’t breathe.” he wheezed.

“Not like you need to.” Sam muttered, but they both eased off.

“It’s still nice to do.” Danny responded.

Sam scowled at him. “How dare you scare us like that. Daniel James Nightingale.”

Danny’s expression softened. “Sorry.”

“We’re just glad you’re alright Danny.” Tucker said, giving Sam a pointed look. She sighed, looking at the ground.

“Glad you’re not dead.”

“Well, deader at least.” Tucker said, smirking.

It was quiet for a moment, then Danny sighed, closing his eyes. 

“How much do they know?”

“We told them you were liminal.” Sam said. 

“Though we’re pretty sure the sad trenchcoat man and the bat furry don’t fully believe us.” Tucker said.

“It doesn’t matter. You don’t have to tell them anything, Danny.” Sam said.

Danny opened his eyes, glancing down at the bandages over his chest. “Do you know what he… what he carved into…”

Sam laid her hand over his. “It was a runic sequence. They sewed the wounds closed and bandaged you up, but we should probably still go see Frostbite. He used blood blossoms.”

“I know.” 

They were quiet another moment. 

“Maybe we should tell them.” Danny said. “They’re going to notice when my wounds don’t heal properly, and you both know that blood blossoms cause necrosis if not treated properly.”

They winced, and Tucker bit his lip while Sam scowled.

“This is your secret, Danny, whatever you decide we’ll be here for you.” Tucker said, and Sam nodded.

“Yes. And if they do anything wrong we’ve got plenty of blackmail material to keep them quiet. Tucker already hacked their systems, and I’ve got several ghosts on call.” Sam said.

Danny started to laugh before wincing in pain. “Yeah. I think we need to tell them something, before we go to Frostbite. I’m stable right now, but it would be best to get to the Far Frozen soon.” He paused. “What about the Anti-Ecto Act?” he whispered.

“They’re working on them.” Sam said.

“They are.” Tucker said. “I’ve been keeping track of their progress. They’ve got the GIW on hold for now, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re dissolved completely. There’s already drafts for laws that will go toward protecting ghosts. And…” Tucker glanced at Danny, “it would probably help if they had someone who could explain things better. Especially considering you’re going to be in charge one day.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “That’s a long time away. It’s not going to happen till I reach my natural death and then I’ll still have one hundred years to learn and train before taking the position.”

“We know. But you’ve still got connections that could help make the process of drafting the new laws easier. It would also help to establish relations early on.” Sam said.

Danny nodded reluctantly. “Alright, but we aren’t going to tell them about my status or anything.”

“Agreed.” Sam and Tucker said.

“Alright then,” Danny sighed again, “let the Bat in. I’m sure he’s the most curious.”

—

Batman walked into the room a half hour later.

“Hello, Mr. Nightingale. I am glad you appear to be recuperating.”

“Yeah. Thanks for helping out with my rescue.”

Batman inclined his head slightly.

“I assume you have questions.” Danny said not quite meeting Batman’s eyes.

“Yes.”

Danny sighed. “First of all, were you able to capture the cultist?”

“Yes. After you were rescued we were able to use a spell to locate where you had come from. Alfrus Bane is now in custody and the artifact he used has been locked up by Constantine.” Batman paused before continuing. “We are also making good progress on taking down the Anti-Ecto Acts. Rest assured the government will no longer be able to touch you… or anyone else who may be like you.”

Danny nodded. “Thank you.” He sighed. “My friends told you I was liminal, death touched.” Danny paused before deciding to just charge forward quickly. “That’s true but also not. I’m a bit more liminal than most. That’s why the artifact was able to control me. It happened once before and I was able to destroy that particular artifact. I would like this one to be destroyed as well. To keep others safe.”

“I will talk to Constantine about it, but I do not guarantee anything.”

Danny nodded. “Do you know of the Infinite Realms?”

“No.”

“It’s a place between dimensions, between realms. Imagine it like a sandwich. The bread is the dimensions and the stuff inside the sandwich is the Infinite Realms, except that the Realms connects all dimensions. There are creatures that live there, often called ghosts though not all of them are the consciousnesses of dead people.”

“And the GIW were after all the residents of this Realm?”

“Yes. You can see how the Acts could be catastrophic. If enough people from the Realms suffered at the hands of the GIW, they could have decided to attack.”

Batman stiffened. “I see. We shall make sure to dismantle the Acts and the GIW quickly and be sure they face the consequences for their actions. Is there someone… from the Realms who we could seek out to make amends with and possibly create a treaty?”

Danny suppressed a grimace. “There is. I can help get you in contact with them once I get better.”

Batman nodded. “Is there anything else you wish to tell me?”

Danny nodded. “There is, but I need to seek medical help first.”

“Is there anything else we can provide?”

“No.” Danny said, shaking his head. “The nature of my injuries means I need to seek help in the Infinite Realms. I will go there, and when I get better I can come back and explain things more thoroughly as well as get you in contact with someone from the Realms.”

“That would be greatly appreciated.” Batman inclined his head towards him. “I wish you a speedy recovery, Mr. Nightingale.” 

“Thanks.” 

“Contact me when you are better.”

“I will.” 

Danny sighed as Batman left. That went okay, but he still wasn’t looking forward to having to explain things more. And he was dreading having to approach Batman as an ambassador or something of the Infinite Realms.

Oh well. He was free. He closed his eyes and let himself feel it for the first time since he woke up. He was free. Everything else could wait till he was better.

[mostlylemonbased]

An Open Letter to (soon to be) Former President Biden.

President Biden,

Back in 2022 you told transgender Americans: “Your president has your back.” Apparently, rather than meaning that you would protect us, you meant instead to stab us. It must be disappointing for you, who claimed to fight for civil rights, that likely the one legacy of your presidency that will be left intact after you proprietously hand power to a fascist, will be your implementation of the first piece of federal anti-LGBTQIA legislation in nearly 30 years. And while it’s disappointing for you, it’s deadly for my brothers and sisters.

It always feels deeply ironic to me that the Democrats attempt to claim the high ground on LGBTQIA issues. While advancements have pretty much invariably come from Democrats, Democrats have also rarely defended those polices, and have also been happy to vote to remove them. It was a Democratic President that passed the last piece of federal anti-queer legislation enacted in the US – The Defense of Marriage Act. And today it was a Democratic president that stripped healthcare from trans kids.

At the end of the day it seems the Democratic position is the same as with virtually every other significant minority issue. Democrats avow themselves protectors of minority groups until the moment when they’re challenged from the right. At that point the majority of the Democratic Party will, instead of defending policy positions, lurch violently in the direction of the criticism.

The Democrats have done little to undo Republican’s horrific actions on the border and deportation. If anything, both yourself and President Obama legitimized right-wing anti-immigrant acts: funding internment camps and border actions that have horrific impacts for those fleeing violence. And it is the Democrats who have continued to fund the militarization and built the power of a deeply racist police force which has shown utter unwillingness to reform.

And at the end of your presidency we find ourselves here: We know that more than forty percent of trans youth will attempt suicide. We know that states that passed anti-trans legislation have seen increases in suicidality of, in some cases, more than 70 percent. And yet just two years after you promised you had our back your legacy is increasing the number of trans kids and adults who’ll attempt to kill themselves. Your legacy is politely rolling out the red carpet to a fascist who would and will attempt to legislate us out of public life, and whose policy platforms are encouraging our deaths. Policies where the cruelty and divisiveness is the point. And that’s the policy you signed into law on December 22nd.

124 Democrats had sufficient strength to stand up against these attacks in the house, just ten in the senate, and apparently you lack the strength or willingness to defend us.

So it seems fitting that your abject failure will be your legacy.

[thatoctokittenclutchinganotebook]

I’ve read a lot of AUs where DAnny Fenton gets adopted by the Bats (actually what got me to watch Danny Phantom in the first place) but what if it was Dani who was taken in? This little ghost girl, who looks a lot younger than Danny, is flying around Gotham and has various encounters with the Bats, but keeps flying away or running away. They don’t realise at first that both her forms are one person. Jason looks out for the street kids in Gotham, and this one avoids all the gangs. She’s gone to Gotham to hide out from Vlad, because he’s afraid of going into Batman’s city.  She stays away from Batman herself as much as she can. She doesn’t want to be forced out of Gotham. Phantom (she uses that name still) is hardly seen, except at night committing very minor crimes (like for food, or mischief like breaking into an aquarium to see all the animals at night).  Dani is seen at homeless shelters and in the streets, always vanishing before anyone can approach her. Until she starts destabilising again.  It’s hard to get news from Amity in Gotham. A lot of things just don’t seem to get out. She tries to fly there, to get to Danny, but she’s destabilising and falls. One of the Batfam (I’m not sure who - Duke or Cass?) finds her and tries to help her.  “A kid, a meta I think, she’s almost dissolving and reforming-” They take her to the Justice League. They manage to use a form of stasis to keep her from destabilising completely, but are at a loss about how to save her.  Except for a theory that ectoplasm might be related to Lazarus water. She’s in stasis, but I would handwave it (like all comic books science) so she can talk but not move beyond that. She’s conscious but not able to use her powers. She and Damian have a combative relationship that becomes a grudging respect. I’m not sure how it would get to this point, but I have the idea of Damian stealing Lazarus water for her, believing it will help her. Bruce, during all this, would be looking for clues to her identity. Not to return her to a family she ran away from, but to find out if they know how to help her. He doesn’t find anything except a missing persons report for a Daniel Fenton, and some pleas broadcast on television funded by Vlad Masters (the most suspicious millionaire after Lex Luthor).  Dani is clearly not Danny, because she’s younger etc. But Bruce also finds records of a Danny Phantom. If he hadn’t seen Dani’s two forms, he wouldn’t have realised that Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton were the same. He has this time. And the two ghost hunters who were Danny Fenton’s parents must know something. Danny was identified as having ectoplasm in his body by the Guys in white, and he was carted off to be “cured” by them. Maddie did not approve. Jack did, because he’s a huge fan of them. During their attempted to “cure” him, they nearly kill him and cause him t come close to destabilising. He loses control of his powers and they discover he’s Danny Phantom. He lets loose with a ghostly wail and causes an ice storm through amity park. He, and other ghostly or “ecto-contaminated” prisoners make a break for the Ghost portal with help from Jazz, Sam and Tucker.  Once inside, Danny tells Jazz, Sam and Tucker they should leave, because he’s got to make sure the GIW can’t get in, and that no more ghosts can haunt Amity Park. They refuse. They’re pretty sure they’d be next on the list to be “cured”, anyway. Jazz had moved out at this point, having become 18. Danny uses all his remaining strength to help the others through the portal before turning back to destroy it. He nearly kills himself doing it, and falls into a deep unconsciousness. He spends nearly a year being cared for by Frostbite before he recovers enough to leave.

Danielle is not going to tell these superheroes or millionaires about ghosts or the ghost portal. She’s certain that if they know for sure she’s part ghost, she’ll be in big trouble because of the anti-ecto laws. She lets it slip to one of the other kids that it’s illegal for her to exist (Damian? Jon? I could set it in a different time and have it be a Titan?).  Bruce arranges a Bat-Burglary of Fentonworks. Jason sets off a Ghost Alarm. No one knows why. They can’t find anything that they think would work, but do find a weirdly encrypted set of files on the computer that had belonged to the missing Danny Fenton. They take them. The Fentons are woken by the alarm, but are restrained by whichever disguised Batfam member is there. Valerie also hears the alarm. Hoping it’s Danny (she knows his identity by this point), but fearing that someone’s managed to reopen the ghost portal, she heads towards there. After a complicated confrontation, she’s taken to see Dani. She explains how they helped her before. They treat her with the ecto-dejector, but they know now that it might only be a temporary fix. Dani is furious that Valerie has revealed she’s part ghost. Valerie’s like “They were searching Fentonworks, they already knew.” Valerie and Dani end up being pals. Dani and Valerie both end up joining whichever young superhero team is in place - the Teen Titans or Young Justice - and Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen (if he’s still rich?) and Mento (can’t remember his real name) fund the repealing of the Anti-ecto laws. Tucker has figured out a way to, with help from the infinimap and clockwork, get signals from outside the ghost zone. Sam, Jazz and Tucker are all developing powers at this point due to the ongoing exposure to the Ghost zone, so know it’s not safe to leave. Possibly one of them actually died and became a ghost, and has really strong powers?

Danny finds out when he sees his “little cousin” on the news. The Fentons raise a fuss, saying that she’s a ghost, and the Justice League close ranks around her. Dani yells at them on live TV that they got Danny killed by the Guys in white, revealing his identity (she genuinely thinks he’s dead).  Danny is prepared to fly out and protect her with everything he’s got, but the Justice League are protecting her. WHen asked why they are breaking the Anti-ecto laws, they make a statement that those laws are unjust and that Danielle Phantom is a child, not a monster. The Fentons do not come across well. Danny doesn’t leave, doesn’t dare leave, until the Anti-Ecto laws are repealed. Even then, he’s scared it’s a trick.  He leaves, and tries to find a safe way to approach Dani. The Boo-merang finds him first. Not because it was set off on purpose, but because it’s still keyed to his ecto signature. While he was in the ghost zone, with no stable portals, it functioned like a normal boomerang. The Batkids (possibly Duke?) are messing around with it when it flies off in a bizarre direction. THey follow. They see Danny Phantom, a little dazed and rubbing his head but gearing up to fight. Dani runs past the others to hug him. Dani Wayne is the adopted child of Bruce Wayne, with a whole host of siblings. That doesn’t mean she isn’t delighted to have her “cousin” back.  Danny can’t do the secret identity thing anymore, after everything was revealed, and ends up splitting his time between one of the super teams and the Ghost Zone. Close on Frostbite whispering “Did anyone ever tell him that he’s the Ghost King?” I’ll probably never end up writing this, because I never have the spoons or time to write anymore, but writing out the idea was really fun. If anyone wants to “adopt” the idea let me know :D

[mathsbian]

How come the transmisogynistic mass reporting and harassment before a transfem’s blog gets removed keeps getting blamed on transmascs? We know there are TERFs on staff, that there were TERFs on the moderation team who had to be removed after the last law suit (not even getting to that story Matt told about having to fire someone with a weird vendetta), that there’s still a huge problem with TERFs in general on this site. Can y’all stop blaming anonymous harassment on transmascs? They’re getting just as harassed as you guys are and some of it is definitely coming from inside the house on that side because I see transfem’s being horrible in the notes of transmasc blogs. I have yet to see any evidence that any transmascs have ever been involved in one of the mass reporting campaigns. I’m sick of seeing the unfounded claims that transmascs on this site are harassing transfems.

The only argument I even see happening between the two sides is the TMA/TME thing. Which, if you need more evidence why that’s not a useful way to label individuals (talking about identity classes abstractly is one thing, labeling a person whose shoes you haven’t walked in as either label is bullshit and choosing one for yourself communicates way more than this genderqueer is comfortable with): hi I was afab and now ID as a genderflux demigirl dyke. 4 years ago I was working at a pharmacy and was getting annoyed by the middle aged men flirting with me. I buzzed my head (not for the first time) and it stopped. But anytime I went to work with earrings and makeup on after the buzz? Suddenly some of the customers were aggressively he/himing me and calling me sir. I assume that with my kinda broad shoulders and pretty square jaw and short hair, I could have been mistaken for a young transfem. I was experiencing transmisogyny without being a trans woman. And don’t anyone pull that “you weren’t the intended target of it” bullcrap because they were literally doing it right in front of me and wanting ME to here it. And I was both hurt by it (not a he/him, not a sir) and felt weirdly euphoric (genderfuck euphoria is what I call this, I successfully communicated I wasn’t a cis woman but failed to leave them so confused they couldn’t settle on one set of pronouns). I was the one getting misgendered, I was the one they were hoping to upset, I was the only queer in the pharmacy on those shifts. People who aren’t trans women can experience transmisogyny. Ten years ago, trans men were calling transandrophobia transmisogyny and then suddenly trans women decided to pull a lesbian separatist kind of move and started saying it could only be used by transfems/TMAs. They only invented transmisandry and transandrophobia and anti-transmasculinity as terms because trans women got gatekeepy with an effective term. I’m fucking sick of it. I love my transfem friends both here and elsewhere but some of the rest of you all are no better than the radfems you want the site as a whole to stop listening to.

[rivetgoth]

I really dont think people have any empathy for detransitioners as a reaction to how they’re used by anti-trans crowds. To the point even “allies” downplay (trans people) or parentalize (transphobes) their medical, social, and personal struggles. There’s just no good platform for us to talk with each other without us biting at each others heels. What you said is totally right I’m just tired and ranting lol. Thank you for your post

it really, really sucks (and I have seen with my own eyes) that the politicization of “detransitioning” as an action and “detransitioner” as an identity has led to the snowball effect of trans spaces, at least online (thankfully haven’t seen quite the same response around trans people I know irl, but I don’t want to imply that the behavior of large online trans spaces are inconsequential), sort of beginning to hold this suspicion or even disdain towards actual detransitioners. I feel like at least weekly I see someone on one of the big trans subreddits mention being scared of talking to detransitioners or otherwise triggered by hearing about detransitioners or reading their stories or anything. Or I just see “detransitioner” be used broadly and conflated with the transphobic grifters heading the detrans movement. I really don’t like that.

I think part of where my sadness about this comes from, other than the obvious stuff that I kinda wish didn’t have to be said, like the fact that I am friends with detransitioned people who are lovely, that we know objectively from studies done on this topic that the majority of detransitioners do so for external reasons such as social rejection, lack of access, safety concerns, etc, the fact that many people who detransition do not identify as cis, or the fact that many detransitioners are gonna have many overlapping material experiences as us when it comes to the interpersonal and on occasion even systemic mistreatment of gender and sex nonconforming individuals… is just the fact that I personally have learned a TON from detransitioners myself, and I’ve found their insights into gender and sex to be extremely helpful in conceptualizing my own identity and how it pertains to my body and my transition. It was a detransitioner who first turned me on to the reconceptualization of medical transition as a form of body modification and the question of trans rights being one within a larger conversation of bodily autonomy. I think their experience as someone who exercised their autonomy to change their body and ultimately came to the decision it wasn’t right for them gave them a lot of personal wisdom about these intricacies.

I am sympathetic to some extent that many of the trans people who express frustration towards detransitioners are doing so because they’re tired of the identity being used as ammo to further regressive anti-autonomy laws, but I’m kind of admittedly equally sympathetic to non-transphobic detransitioners who harbor frustration towards aspects of the modern trans community (such as the pervasive rhetoric I really strongly dislike but see quite often that claims “anyone who questions if they’re trans is probably trans,” which IMO does the opposite of uplift questioning people’s right to, well, QUESTION, even if they realize they’re ultimately not actually trans, and does erase the very healthy experience of questioning if transition is right for you and being wrong, as well as the reality of detransitioners existing at all) or at the larger system (such as how little informed consent doctors often actually know about HRT before prescribing it—many such cases), even if both of these frustrations are mis-aimed. This is a literally life or death topic within broader global politics for some and I get tension is high. I want to explicitly make clear I’m talking pretty complex intracommunity relations so I can avoid characterizing the trans community as like overtly hostile or irrational. That’s obviously not true.

But idk? I guess just speaking within/as a member of the trans community I wish there was more space for detransitioners to speak and I wish that detransitioners weren’t seen as a source of like… fear. Tbh I understand that it’s partly a reaction to the politicization of the identity and the way it’s weaponized against trans people, but I do kind of get the sense, and this is a more grave accusation but I think I’m right to say it, that some trans people are just… scared of seeing detransitioned people because they don’t want that to be them, and they’re scared to face their own internal fear of regret or being wrong, and in turn are harboring some level of fear and disgust at the idea of being a gender/sex nonconforming person. I think some members of the trans community have internalized this fear of regret to the point that they see detransitioned and other sex nonconforming individuals as almost caricatures of themselves or “worst case scenarios.” It reminds me of how extremely cruel certain trans people can be to non-passing trans people or gender nonconforming trans people or intersex people. I think there is a fear of transition “failing” that, while understandable as a personal/internal fear when you’re battling dysphoria and taking such a huge step and doing something so potentially socially and politically loaded, kinda sucks when it’s projected out onto others. Very reminiscent of the annoying ass trans people who claim that “second hand dysphoria” (seeing a trans person who doesn’t pass or does something you wouldn’t, usually something pertaining to stereotypes associated with their AGAB ex. a trans man who wears pink, and becoming dysphoric over it) is a thing.

I guess I just feel like sex and gender nonconformity as well as the exercising of one’s bodily autonomy—even to an end that ultimately one regrets—are all good things, and I feel like we can all learn from each other and all should be aligning with each other and building community with each other, including facing and having open minded and empathetic discourse around the idea of regretting one’s choices when we do act on them… Having support systems in place for those who need it is crucial to allowing people autonomy to begin with, similarly to how I believe drugs should be decriminalized but with that should come an overhaul in how we treat those struggling with addiction (including an overhaul of the legal system), sex work should be decriminalized but with that should come tangible material and system-wide support not just for sex workers but within the entire labor industry. With autonomy comes the risk of regret. I’m very pro-regret, I’m pro-the right to do things you’ll regret, and I am very anti-criminalization for the sake of trying to save people from regret or protect people from themselves. It’s the same reason I feel a lot of solidarity with cis people who undergo extreme body modification, whether or not it’s to an end that they’re satisfied with, as long as they aren’t propagating anti-autonomy rhetoric, and it’s interconnected with the same reason I’m pro-drug and pro-choice and pro-sex work.

[emptymanuscript]

Well… damn… talk about saying the quiet part out loud.

That’s less “kinda racist” and more “holy shit, that’s racist.”

They really are full on going with the great replacement. Pedal to the metal with “the jews blacks will must not replace us.”

Just wow.

I’m not surprised at the sentiment. They’ve been pretty clear how they felt all along. I am surprised at the clarity of it. This is so crystal clear that you can see straight down to their soul.

I assume the defense of this will be something along the lines that they’re sure there are perfectly good people on both sides. And why has it always gotta be racism with you? It’s like the boy who cried wolf but with racism. I’m not racist.

:/

HOW do people not get that this is bad?

That’s what I really don’t understand. How do you endorse this idea, promote it, nod along with it AND not realize that you are racist??

Especially since it does change. Sometimes it’s blacks. Sometimes it’s jews. Sometimes it muslims. Sometimes it’s “mexicans.” It kinda doesn’t matter, does it? It’s really whoever happens to not be “US” right this moment.

That’s what fucking racism IS!

I know what it really means: I’m a good person. Racism is bad. So I CAN’T be racist. QED. But it doesn’t work that way. That just makes you a racist AND a liar. You just happen to be lying to yourself.

Do people really never ask themselves if they’re the problem?? Like, really, never? How do you not pause and go, wait, look at our uniforms, these are real nice uniforms… are we the baddies????

I don’t get it. I truly don’t. It’s absolutely lost on me. Ever since Trump came on board as the Republican’s fearless leader golden idol, it’s just been so heinously blatant that I cannot understand how anyone doesn’t - as much as I loathe the phrase - vote blue, no matter who.

However much it might have previously been hyperbole, it is NOT hyperbole anymore. It hasn’t been for years. Fast approaching a decade. What sandpit has anyone been sticking their head in that they don’t get that Trump is fucking Darth Sidious without the nifty force powers or cleverness.

They are literally Fascists.

They are literally White Nationalist Fascists. There’s a reason that all the Neo-Nazis are MAGA people.

They are literally Anti-Democratic White Nationalist Fascists who we all witnessed on screen in real time storming the capital to prevent the democratic process.

They are literally Anti-Democratic White Nationalist Christo-Fascists who are actively pushing laws to end freedom of religion, access to medical care, women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, social safety nets, public education, minimum wages, birthright citizenship, birth control, and equal treatment under the law. While actively pushing laws to promote child labor, informing on your neighbors to the state, child marriage, and a parent’s rights to abuse their children in any way they want to after it’s born.

What about any of it is unclear or unsaid at this point?

What possible defense or reason exists to allow someone to think they’re not Anti-Democratic White Nationalist Christo-Fascists who would rather destroy the country rather than let it benefit anyone else but still vote Republican?

What about Republicans is there to support that exists outside that world view? That’s all there is. They say it. They show it. It’s RIGHT THERE!! Look at the damn picture.

Insert primal scream of impotent rage here.

[mariacallous]

‘How can I make sure my child survives this?’

It’s estimated that LGBTQ+ people make up between 5 to 10 percent of any given society. This means that in Russia, there are at least 7 to 15 million LGBTQ+ individuals and up to 14 to 30 million parents of LGBTQ+ people.

According to kris pokrytan, a psychologist with the Plus Golos project (which mainly supports Russian-speaking families), parents of LGBTQ+ children often go through an acceptance process that isn’t linear or logical. Sometimes, there’s a “mourning period” before they come to terms with their child’s identity. But pokrytan stresses that there’s no one way to process things and not all parents grieve: “For a number of parents, [their child’s] coming out isn’t associated with a feeling of loss. Instead, there can be increased anxiety — where the parent is ready to accept [their child’s identity] but realizes there might be problems at school.”

Psychologists try to support the whole family: a child might feel relief after coming out, whereas a parent might sink into worry about how difficult life may now be — a fear only exacerbated by Russia’s latest anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. What’s dangerous is when parents show their child rejection as they navigate their own feelings. “It’s very difficult when a parent becomes unhappy with who you are,” says pokrytan. It’s possible to help work through stereotypes parents might have, but if they believe they can change who their child is, there’s very little psychologists can do.

Fathers in Russia are far less likely to accept their LGBTQ+ children than mothers, according to pokrytan. When a child comes out, their mom or dad also gets a new identity: the parent of an LGBTQ+ child. Everyone copes with this differently, but Russian fathers often don’t cope at all. The exceptions are few and far between.

After the Russian Supreme Court declared the so-called “international LGBT movement” an extremist organization, fewer people started reaching out to pokrytan. When they do, their questions are filled with a new urgency and fear: “How can I make sure my child survives this? How do we stay out of trouble with the authorities and take care of our mental health?”

‘May your love be infinite’

Fyodor and Alexey come home carrying a New Year’s tree, interrupting the interview. “What if we hadn’t welcomed them?” Tamara reflects. How would our traditions have continued? I think our son would be with us, certainly, but his beloved person, whom he’s been with for many years, wouldn’t be here. That’s a pretty strange thought.”

Tamara’s family puts on a play every New Year’s. “Alexey was very shy the first time, but now he’s gotten the hang of it,” Tamara says. “He called yesterday and said he’d invited his cousin and cousin’s girlfriend to the gathering, and also his friend and her two children. Of course, my older son and his wife and kid will be there too, as well as my husband’s sister. I’ve already assigned the roles.”

The family also organizes pride celebrations at home. At one, they held a symbolic wedding ceremony for Fyodor and Alexey. “Back then, I didn’t realize how serious it was for them. Alexey even cried, and they still wear the rings.” The speech Tamara gave at the ceremony ends with the following words: 

Fate has awarded you its greatest gift — the kind of love that all seek, but only the chosen find. Its tremendous strength gives meaning to life and helps overcome difficulties and conquer any mountains. May your love be infinite. And as for whom and how to love, that’s a personal matter.

After the Supreme Court’s ruling, Alexey’s mom thought her son and Fyodor should leave the country. However, they’ve decided to stay for now. Reflecting on the court’s decision, Tamara says it’s “convenient for propaganda to use LGBTQ+ people as a tool to distract society from real problems.”

Both Svetlana and Tamara say they’re afraid for LGBTQ+ people, not for themselves. Since the new law came into effect, Svetlana says, everyone’s become occupied with figuring out how to survive, whether or not they should leave, and the feeling of community has been somewhat lost. She worries for the young activists: “You feel like you can’t help in any way.”

Tamara says it’s painful to see the situation in Russia growing worse and worse: “I think, why don’t people come to their senses? These are absurd decisions. For what? What are we suffering for? I say ‘we’ because we suffer too. I suffer along with my children. I’m not afraid for myself — nothing will happen to me. I’m only afraid for my children.”

[schraubd]

Build Back Better Colleges

In the wake of last week's anti-affirmative action decision, Larry Summers wrote an editorial urging that elite colleges respond by becoming less exclusive. Grow. Admit more students. Add more programs. Invest in education.

I could not agree more. And it's something we need to do on all fronts. Yes, the Ivy Leagues should get bigger. But the great public universities in our country should also be expanded on. The University of California system is one of the great engines of economic mobility and advancement in large part because it is huge. But there has not been a new UC campus created in almost twenty years, and UC-Merced is by far the smallest undergraduate campus in the entire system. You have to go back another forty years for the most recently established UC campuses which are of a size comparable to the system average (both UC-Santa Cruz and UC-Irvine were established in 1965). Why not create a new UC in Sacramento, or in the Bakersfield or Modesto? Or hell, put one up in Redding? 

Higher education is in a weird moment where there is simultaneously an approaching demographic cliff that will obliterate demand at the bottom end of the scale even as student demand for the top schools surges to unprecedented heights. I don't have answer to the former problem. But the only way to respond to the latter is to increase capacity in "elite" institutions, and that in turn will take a massive investment in education to absorb the tidal wave of demand. 

It's not enough for colleges to exist -- we probably have enough dorm room beds already in the United States. They have to be great colleges -- colleges that are well-supported and well-endowed and well-resourced so that the students who attend can afford to go and know that they're getting an excellent education from top-level professors. Certainly, the far longer-standing crisis in graduate education means we don't lack for supply in the last category. But we also know there's a huge difference between setting up a new fly-by-night program that exists just to exist, versus actually investing in new educational opportunities. UC-Irvine Law School immediately stormed to a top-50 ranking from nothing when it was founded in 2006 because, unlike most other newly-established law schools, it boasted a level of public and private investment that showed it was serious about being a serious institution.

The problem we're experiencing is not actually one of bad minority students taking away the rightful spoils of White and/or Asian students. The problem is one of meritocracy and equalization paired with scarcity: an explosion in students applying for (and being qualified for) "elite" positions with no increase in the number of elite positions available.

Equality means that more and more people have at least nominal potential access to elite institutions, which means that it's harder for any one individual person to access these institutions, which results in a terrifying and never-ending arms race to become (and stay as) one of the elect few, which generates new inequalities in terms of who has access to the resources that allow them to win the arms race and who doesn't.

In a very basic way, it is true that "equality" is the problem here. In the old days, if you were an elite, you could be pretty confident your kids would stay elite so long as they were basically competent: with relatively few people who could or were allowed to compete for prestigious social positions, being "okay" generally was good enough. 

Once the doors are flung open, though, you're competing against everyone, and now it's off to the races. Today, we don't want to say that "only the children of elite university attendees should attend elite universities"; we want to say that every child should have an equal chance to join the Talented Tenth. But saying that means that, if you're in the top 10% right now, you're committing to the notion that your kid should only have a 10% chance of staying in your social strata, and that's a very unpleasant thought that only grows worse as the gap between the top 10% and everyone else increases. But unless your solution is "we should go back to reserving elite roles for the current incumbents", this is necessary feature of an egalitarian social sphere combined with extremely limited "elite" social roles. So if we're not going to accept going back to overt exclusion, we need to tackle the omnipresence and power of scarce "elite" roles. The only actual way to ease the sting of redistributing the pie is growing the pie. The actual, actual villain here is terrifying inequality -- the massive and growing gap between the power, influence, autonomy, and life chances of the elites versus everyone else, which makes so that not getting into Harvard feels like a death knell.

The only way to ease the sting of redistributing the pie is growing the pie. If you're panicking at the seemingly impossible task of seeing yourself or your child admitted to an elite institution, ending affirmative action will not help you. Nor, if we're being honest, will ending legacy admissions. The only thing that will make a difference is a true commitment to investing in education to such a degree that there is space for each of our outstanding youth to receive an outstanding university experience. There's no shortcut, no scapegoat that can substitute for that.

We are blessed as a nation right now to have surfeit of incredibly talented, hard-working, diligent young people who are eminently qualified to attend a great university and deserve to have that chance. The only thing standing in the way is our own willingness to pay for it.

via The Debate Link https://ift.tt/TOEo6B0

[papirouge]

I love seeing actual pro life accounts call out and go after americans because they can such hypocrites. Saying to us how much they believe in protecting unborn babies and the sanctity of life but will yell scream and protest against gun control when they have their regular school shootings. Like your babies aren’t safe once out the womb, they’re getting killed in their schools, grocery stores, movie theaters and malls. But they’d rather protect gunmen over their innocent babies.

Give it a few years and we will read something like how Americans are shooting nursery wards and delivery rooms. But the American pro lifers will turn their blind eye again because muh guns

I think our voice as non American needs to be heard🩵🩵 Tumblr is a mostly USAmerican platform so our iconoclast outlook is more than relevant than ever

It's so funny when I interact with pro gun Christian USAmerican who are so used to use their amendments, "castle law" or "natural right" charade to back up their stance, they completely lose touch when they face someone like me (not American) who's absolutely unfamiliar with those concepts.

I'm french and you won't see me trying to explain how actually abortion is compatible to Christianism through the lense of the Declaration of the Human Rights (a french creation, which is btw infinitely more relevant internationally than American amendements no one cares or knows about). ...That's how demented USAmerican sound like when they try to defend the idea that gun violence is compatible with Christianism through the lense of their law/amendments

God doesn't make special treatment; He wouldn't allow USAmerican Christians to kill while every other can't.

The mental gymnastics of pro gun anti abortion Christian is also pretty funny to witness. They'll cope saying "hMuMmmm b-but we don't want to kill people uwu" yeaah so tell me why you guys are advocating to make the most lethal weapons (firearms) available for all? If the point wasn't to kill, yall would be campaigning for teaser or pepper spray. Get real.

And you're absolutely with their hypocrisy children. Look at Sandy Hook. Look how hard conservatives tried to silence us saying it was "too early" to talk about the gun problem and that we were weaponizing this tragedy (when they had no problem doing the same when a trans person attacked a Christian school 🤡); it got so bad they had to make up an entire tinfoil theory arguing that aKtcHualLy no children was dead.... Liberals are absolutely right to drag them for caring about life only when it comes to fetus and not living breathing school-attending children....

Their logic is precisely the same as abortionists : the system is flawed and hurt people....? we have to throw it away altogether instead of....you know, finding solutions to fix it.

ABORTIONISTS : "abortion is the only solution to deal with pregnancy issues!! there's no point in trying to improve the social system & healthcare so no woman feels compelled to resort to abortion"

PRO GUN: "MORE guns are the only solution against mass shooting There's no point in investing in decent system of police officer training & social prevention so that we reduce at a minimum gun violence"

Both statements are as equally deranged. Why couldn't we find solutions upstream who wouldn't involve death or physical harm?

And it doesn't help they have this obsession with acting like the government is the enemy™️ and that nothing remotely positive should be expected from it...

The fact that they think the average Joe will do better than the average policeman is painfully naive. There's a reason protecting people is a whole job. They act like once every citizen is carrying a gun, there will suddenly be the pax Americana and all the psycho who are most likely going to snap will be stopped by a good samaritan crossing over the way.... When statistically speaking, more guns around will expose more mentally unwell people to using them. Isn't there a whole epidemic of mental illness in the USA? oh my bad, it's only a problem when trans people do a mass shooting and that conservatives suddenly care about actually not putting guns into anyone's hand 🙃

[cubprotected]

angel. • bodyclaim. • headcanons. • isms. • threads.

Is that ANDRE LAMOGLIA? No, that’s ANGEL(O) ESTRADA-TAKASHI. The 25 year old BALANCE MOON WERELION OMEGA MALE (HE/HIM)  is a STUDENT + PART TIMER AT THE BOOKSHOP. If you ask their friends, they’re known to be FRIENDLY & PROTECTIVE, but beware, they’re also known to be MISCHIEVOUS & SPOILED. Can you believe they’re from THE PRESENT? Me either.

BASIC INFO

full name — Angelo Adriano Estrada-Takashi age — twenty-five (november 24th) gender — cis male, (he/ him/ his pronouns) second gender — omega  moon — balance moon  occupation — student + part-timer at the bookstore family — ryan estrada-takashi (father)  mate — jaxon glass (future mate)  clothing style — casual but pretty, sometimes a little too pretty for small town bc glitter

PHYSICAL INFO

face claim — Andre Lamoglia hair — brown / eyes — brown height — five foot & ten inches build — he's not really into working out like his dad, but they eat healthy so he's fit and yummy scars — back of his left thigh from when he fell off a fence tattoos — n/a piercings — he WANTS a lip ring and one in his ears so he can wear chain earrings special characteristics — he's a rather positive and yet somewhat quiet person. he's not afraid of others or embarrassed (unless his dad dad's too hard on him in public despite is age) and he doesn't actively avoid people, he just ..likes reading a lot sexual preference — bottom sub kinks — breeding, hair pulling, praise, worshipping his partner's body, scents, nipple play, being someone's princess/slut/both anti-kinks — scat, gore, breath play

PERSONALITY

alignment — lawful good positive traits — protective, friendly, kind, selfless negative traits — spoiled, mischievous, jealous hobbies — dancing, reading, board games, photography

MEDICAL INFO

mental — n/a physical — healthy bby phobias — n/a eyesight — 19/20 dominant hand — ambidextrous drug use — nop alcohol use — just for partying sometimes diet — semi-healthy, into home-made food, bc he's spoiled by his dad

BACKGROUND

birthplace — new haven, CT parents — Ryan Estrada-Takashi (dame) & ??? Alpha Jaguar (sire)  siblings — none education — high school graduate notable skills — taichi, aikido, fast reader, he's a fantastic shot with the bow, which he's got from his dad

Angelo - or rather Angel doesn't know much about his family past his father and his aunts, but he's never really missed family he didn't meet before. Sure, sometimes he saw generations of families together, celebrating holidays and then there was him and his father - all alone. But, he had the person with him who meant the world to him and he knew it was the same way for his dad, so what did he have to complain about, really - right?

But back to the beginning. Angel was born in New Haven to one grumpy lion officer. He was a detective now, but not back then. He .. was never told the entire story, but he knew that his sire hurt his dad and they broke up, which left Ryan to raise him mostly alone, but Angel remembers his grandparents quite clearly despite the young age he'd been, he remembered his grandmother's voice as she sang him to sleep and .. he missed her. He .. lived quite the lonely life. With a father who had been hurt so deeply he lost trust in the people he had sworn to protect and no other siblings, Angel spent a lot of time at home. His father worked a lot, so he spent most of that time alone.

Ever since his aunts moved back to New Haven, Angel had at least some company on the very frequent late night shifts his father took on. He had friends in school, of course, but they didn't often come over to his place - nor was he allowed out too late. It wasn't like he was unhappy growing up, he wasn't. He was loved and cared for, but .. lonely nonetheless. Sometimes. But he had enough hobbies to make up for the lack of company most days; some were bestowed upon him by his father, some he picked out himself. But one thing they always did together on the weekends was an old family tradition - at least his dad said so. The art of Kyudo. Japanese Archery. So, neither Ryan nor Angel looked the part, but Ryan worshipped his father and had gladly taken over many of his old Japanese traditions and honestly? Angel enjoyed them greatly. There was ... beauty in many of them, the slow and deliberate movements, the calm and the peace he felt when exercising them.. it was truly stunning and a wonderful experience.

With gentle nudging from his father, but also due to a lack of options, Angel found himself devouring books of all kinds in his free time and - while it might've been subtly forced once upon a time, Angel developed a love for them, so when he graduated from highschool, he knew his father would demand he attended college. He did. He was. Although he still wasn't sure if he really wanted to become a teacher. Because part of him wanted to follow in his father's footsteps to protect the town that had been a safe haven to them through their lives. He could also see himself doing something else entirely - maybe dance or the ranch. Never good at making decisions, he assumed he had a few years to find out still, but also decided to not only add experience to his resume, but also help his father with the money for the house a little. He ... had an idea where to work and managed to get a part time job at the book store.

Maybe meeting new people would help him spread his wings and find his own way around New Haven one day.

[cherienymphe]

just rewatched tsitp after seeing the mini discourse you had on here and like i have just a few thoughts

like the first being i truly forget how bad of a friend taylor is. like i def think she was worse in the books but she was just like mean??? like when she came for belly’s bday and was asking how her summer has been so far and then gets upset when she starts talking about the friends she made after she was like “you need to get out of ur shell” like hello???

also the deb ball girls ditching belly and taylor with no clothes was so shitty like isn’t nicole an adult??? like sure she’d be 18 at max but still i feel like she’s old enough to know how weird and fucked up it is to leave literal children alone in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no clothing

and then i lowkey am anti belly and conrad especially knowing that he’s 18 and she’s freshly 16. like sure they know and grew up with each other but there’s no way a dude that’s about to go into college is gonna want to be fucking around with a 16 year old like unless they’re a weirdo. like it’s one thing for belly to have a crush on conrad but the other way around? major side eye

I listened to the audio book of the first one and I'm pretty sure Taylor was both better and worse in the show 😭 hard to explain but in the book she didn't have as big of a presence but because of that, we also didn't get some big speech with her turning it around on belly.

The Nicole thing upset me too because the text really only incriminated Conrad. Like it was all on Conrad and she punished belly? Anything could've happened to her and Taylor out there and then how would Nicole have felt? I didn't like that at all.

As for belly and Conrad, I've had this convo before where as someone who is mid 20s, I group teens in dating ranges by younger teens and older teens. Idk if belly and Conrad's difference is 15/17 or 16/18 but going by American grade levels, it's likely Conrad is 17 going on 18 as it is for most seniors here with of course belly turning 16 going into her junior year? I could be all wrong but either way, if I wouldn't blink at a 16 year old dating a 17 year old, one year isn't going to make all the difference in the world to me. Romeo and Juliet laws exist so that teenagers won't go to jail for dating within their age groups and I can't speak for anyone else but I categorize it by two years. I see 15-17 years olds as age mates. Nothing below or above that for either party involved. The same goes for 16-18 and 17-19. I genuinely don't know anyone above the age of 20 who would blink at a 16 year old and 18 year old who grew up together starting to date each other. I just don't subscribe to the belief that teenagers are only allowed to date other teens that are exactly their age. Those weird years that consist of the last year or two of high school and the first year of college are very grey. It all depends on the circumstances and in this particular circumstance, I don't see a problem with it

[unproduciblesmackdown]

Putting aside the murder mystery, do you think Chekhov’s Sicilians might be likely? Marigold acts like there’s a big problem, and besides Drago, they’re the only third party that’ve been mentioned at this point, and it feels like we’re a good way into the story.

this might be a bit of a stretch, but I got curious and looked it up. Drago is an Italian surname, but is apparently most frequent found in the country of Malta, an island close to Sicily… he seems pretty lawful good, but that doesn’t necessarily rule out some kind of connection.

i think we can have it all, i.e. i think marigold's big problem could be related to the murder mystery, since mordecai went from "well i wish i knew what marigold's big problem was" to "i am going to interrogate this guy marigold wants dead instead of killing him and hide this from my coworkers and get all stressed and say i probably shouldn't be doing this, in order to try to find out what marigold's big problem is, and bring up that i'm This Driven about it b/c of some perceived possible connection to the murder mystery"....plus how bobby arbogast said that "whatever's giving [marigold] the nervous twitch lately" is what's causing marigold to station agents to hang around / monitor / patrol the premises, which has caused the shootout on the lackadaisy triumvirate's end....which will presumably cause some direct conflict between marigold and lackadaisy, which is. a factor

anyways, that's to say it sure seems pretty centrally encompassing, and the Murder Mystery does too, and it's at least linked in that mordecai supposing it Might Be connected is making him act up and increase stakes, conflicts, possibilities, etc

to finally get around to an answer: yeah, i was kinda getting at a chekov's sicilians theory lmao, since like you say, they and drago are the only specified third or fourth parties out here, And that with any Mystery thread it doesn't hurt to be on the alert for anything that's touched on that you might go "huh, weird" or "huh, that sounds like something that Could be important" but then is kind of glossed over, or some other specific element of it is focused on instead, which in this case, is the focus on exploring a specific flashback / talking about the history between the arbogasts' funeral home and atlas / lackadaisy / viktor (& mordecai)....and it's a speculative leap to go "like, mafia?" but it's not as though that'd be so irrelevant when the general topic here is prohibition. but, whoever they are, they could still be Out There, active and relevant to the story. could've been after atlas, marigold, or both

drago's truly a mystery as well, still....his lawful goodness could sure be either "i love cops, let's keep it honorable lads ha ha" or else "i hate cops, i'm just infiltrating the treasury department, i'll help you keep cash from them / get phonecalls to potentially get out of here"....sure can't nail down naming conventions as hard evidence lol like catch us going "pretty Romantic name you've got there, horatio bruno, if you catch our drift" anti-italianly microaggressing the lackadaisy doorman, or "and they say [politicians] with [maltese-american] can't become [u.s. secretary of transportation]"....but there's the added reason to question drago of how like, gracie's saying that he never had any real info to provide, but that didn't seem to bother them, Like They Just Like Hearing Me Talk....what's the good of having informants in the periphery of marigold? setting up a really long con infiltration, having them keep checking in just so you know they're still there, and hoping it's now easier to plant people a little deeper and get Any Real Info? i'm not rhetorically asking lol, maybe there Is some high-profile treasury department raid Straightforward Explanation in it, but it's hardly guaranteed....

at this time in writing things out i went off and had an exasperating experience lmao, let's see if i can get back into the swing of things. okay, so. walking through a theory that [drago is in turn a plant at the treasury dept] it's like....for whom? so far, like you say, we don't exactly know of any non marigold / lackadaisy (or non feds) parties besides Some Sicilians. could be an as yet undisclosed fourth party. or some personal agenda of his lol. and he seems interested in marigold, and uninterested in lackadaisy....with the feds going through all this trouble with informants for no obvious benefit yet, and marigold going through all this trouble with those same informants for no obvious benefit yet, in that mordecai notes it Should Be ultimately more lucrative to keep them on & pay off some parties than kill these dues-paying people....and gracie saying he's never been able to give any useful info as that informant. if it's not about the info (or isn't it???) or not about the money (or isn't it???) then. then it would be about different things lmfao.

really have to take baby steps and go over & over some presumptions and scrutinize them....like my confusion about mordecai in the same breath seeming to be worried about "were marigold and lackadaisy at odds after all" And "does marigold know how atlas died. b/c i thought that i did" which, yknow. Might simply be interpreted, as gracie seems to interpret it, as mordecai thinking marigold killed atlas. but we know there's some other layer in whatever shared secret he has with mitzi....have to like draw out some axes here to chart like, [mordecai killed atlas: if yes, if no] and [marigold knows what happened: if yes, if no] and whether there's any fitting Explanation for each combo and what we've seen so far. going back to a thought the other day that maybe what was so [??] to mordecai is that asa warning mitzi and saying he warned atlas too implies that asa Doesn't Believe that mitzi killed atlas, even though that's the scuttlebutt, as they say. also, sidebar, shoutout to gracie's humor in duress out here lol, in times like these i guess all you can do is laugh....anyways. it's like, if mordecai's concern is "i hope nobody knows i killed atlas"....if he's worried that Marigold knows that, i'm not sure it makes sense: so prior he'd have thought marigold believed mitzi killed atlas, but he's not acting as though he also ever thought they might kill mitzi over that. and it's not like marigold's evidently suffered after atlas's death, rather than benefitted. and, what, are they just planning to kill mordecai Eventually? idk. feels quite shaky

i'm going down the murder mystery route here to be sure lol, but hey, can't really disentangle them, and It Is My Passion....the possibility mordecai is questioning The Leadup to atlas's death / whether asa Really Did Have Something To Warn Atlas About. what does that change....mordecai Could just really really care to know. or he could be like "someone might wanna kill me, and i'm only just finding out now, and i need to ascertain this"....probably not marigold? suppose it's like, maybe anyone who wants revenge for the lodge incident. but this is evidently a lot of effort for that, And when it's like....so these people start agitating marigold overall, while mordecai's kept in the dark about things, instead of marigold just tossing him overboard to deal with it? unless, of course, this is just a reignited conflict with lackadaisy And marigold from these restored third parties....in which case, not like mordecai has much to be worried about from them directly. much like: would mordecai be very worried about a federal agent going after marigold, or after him Through marigold (though a prohibition agent would surely be more focused on the bootlegging and its central agents than even a hitman, who also only has so much info to offer (does mordecai even get to know who's higher up than asa? hardly established that he totally does))

and there's the like, timeline confusion of: say that, for whatever reason, mordecai's concern is All [marigold knows what happened re: atlas's death? they shouldn't]....asa talking about Warnings is something happening After the fact, about something that would have happened Before the fact....head in hands baja blast Musing Hard, like, god how does it figure in....if mordecai killed atlas: he wouldn't question that, only question Why [these circumstances Really came about] or Who Knows About It. if he didn't: he could question who really did, and who knows about it; apparently either way he thought marigold was uninvolved and had No Info.

wait fuck there's also the fact that mitzi thought mordecai Could have told asa something. which doesn't exactly lend itself to the idea that mordecai would live in mortal fear if he thought marigold knew anything about anything; and he sure doesn't have so dramatic an immediate reaction, even if he's willing to pull a stunt like [interrogate gracie, Who's Supposed To Be Dead]

i'm really not exaggerating that i ought to like, make charts lol. visuals would only help organize some thoughts....

speaking of visuals, i'll break up some text with this next relevant point:

there's A Pause before mordecai dismisses "let gracie pin atlas's death on marigold to his contact," such as that maybe he considered it at all for real, and the cited reason that he'd be without a real answer....even though he sure might be withholding things from gracie here / Maybe outright lying about some things, but i also doubt there's much of that, if any....Is he lookin to join the loose ends club himself over a dead man? Maybe, i.e. this is all about Emotional Motivations re: atlas (besides that potential "i'm afraid someone wants me dead" re: atlas's Death)

there's also the thought i was having that like, i think having a diable thrust upon him that provides illumination, and this scene having literal And figurative illumination, does suggest that now having this drago thread is indeed Relevant to whatever mordecai wants to ascertain out here. mysterious how, as per the last panel in which mordecai asks if they meet regularly, and where, it's suggested that mordecai plans to meet him, or at least see him from afar / undetected....but probably the former, since what tf does he learn from what he looks like? he's not doing this For marigold, and even if he was, a name's surely sufficient. but what does he think he can say to, or ask of, a prohibition agent....becoming a higher up informant? asking for information about marigold? not like drago, whether he's himself a plant or not, would just provide said info for mordecai's peace of mind....of course, it being mordecai, he could try for the [interrogation like with gracie here] route. but that'd be all the riskier, surely. try to follow him home, and go through his shit later?? is it about wanting drago's information, drago Being the information....what could any of it tell mordecai about whether marigold knows things about atlas's death....

i've been keeping [and what of the sicilians, maybe] in mind while i've been going through these other thoughts, lol, just haven't found any places where it seems Obvious they'd fill in some potential missing detail. let's say they've been bearing down on marigold: mordecai talks of paltry competition, and is hypothetically bringing up [could marigold warning of competitors mean they know how atlas died??] like....how's it figure in. supposing they're bearing down by going the "we can do a federal raid, with plants," couldn't they do it just as, or more easily with just the nonplanted federal agents? how would that factor in to anyone knowing more about atlas's death than they should....the feds take him out to simplify some shit; marigold's ceo is worried about the same fate?? while the one informant mordecai's talked to is saying he never had good info for his contact, mordecai might not even know who he works for, mordecai might be on the right track by now knowing Of drago....waugh. or trying on: the sicilians are working With marigold, marigold's insulating b/c why?? lord.

mordecai shoots atlas, asa having warned atlas of anything beforehand makes him question if asa knows how atlas died....how? just b/c he doesn't assume mitzi killed atlas? mordecai didn't shoot atlas, knows mitzi was't even there when atlas died, it was a private affair, asa warned atlas of something and mordecai's questioning if that means asa knows what happened to atlas, which mordecai Thought was a private affair....

now trying to follow that latter [okay, suppose mordecai didn't shoot him either] idea further: suppose that mordecai Knows mitzi didn't kill atlas because mordecai was with mitzi at the time. and was told something by atlas such that he thought he knew what was going to happen to atlas, and didn't himself question this after atlas died....i'm embracing this idea that mordecai is all riled up on his Professionalism b/c his involvement in atlas's death is such that he did whatever he did b/c atlas asked it of him (generous phrasing on my part) as a Professional request. or order. so now mordecai's alllll about citing his Professional Approach; he does it at the end of his proper introduction, even. maybe atlas's "do it for the professionalism" directive was about mordecai protecting mitzi for him instead of atlas, as he usually did as that apparent semi bodyguard. maybe it was about That, but also about protecting mordecai, in a "i'm absolutely going to be killed; as my right hand bodyguard man you'll be caught up in that; so go protect mitzi instead. that's an order XD but really, it is :I"....whether That's what mordecai Blames mitzi for, damnit if he wasn't married to you he wouldn't have sent me to protect You from [whatever threat] instead and i would of stopped it, rip to atlas's self-defense abilities but i'm different

why would mitzi hand mordecai, gunman, a gun in that case....he probably has his own?? or maybe he doesn't, it was too short notice (unlikely....). or maybe it was mordecai handing mitzi a gun, instead, for good measure.

to be sure, atlas being like "the [threat] are after me, imminently. mordecai, go bodyguard my wife instead, as my loyal and Professionally Committed employee who's really good at that and i wouldn't trust anyone else haha get outta here" and mordecai doing so, grabbing onto that Professionalism with both hands such as to have a death grip even now, resenting mitzi for atlas's death (b/c mordecai couldn't be present, though he thinks he knows how it happened) has given me a pang....Possible, though still has weaknesses like "what would the [threat] be such that mordecai considers it to have been a private affair if he didn't shoot atlas himself (which, if he did, i'm also embracing the theory of: it was also at atlas's Professional Request / Order)" / "what would be bearing down on atlas with enough short notice / Certainty that he couldn't manage to avoid his own death despite seeing it coming at all, even if he sent his best bodyguard elsewhere"

whether atlas was slowmo diving in front of a bullet for mitzi here (figuratively), which, who would be going directly after her? doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would be phrased as Mitzi's culpability/fault....and, i dunno, if it was obvious that atlas died To Save Mitzi / Lackadaisy overall, mordecai might be devoted to either party. certainly atlas didn't request it of mordecai outright; while mitzi doesn't act like "oh i have to keep lackadaisy up & running For Atlas," rather than that she knows maybe it'd be better to close, but she's kinda doing it for Possibility still / old times' sake....makes most sense that of course atlas died Because of lackadaisy, but he didn't like refuse to take some approach in which he Could've Lived to instead die to better ensure its continuation. if that makes sense.

mentally rotating everything furiously, i'm reluctant to wrap up any of these posts as if i'm bound to just suddenly Solve That Mystery, what's new scooby doo....musing on the possible chekov's sicilians again for good measure....how much changes if mordecai thinks that marigold knows who killed atlas, and he doesn't? that he wants to Know if marigold Knows? that he wants to find out and get revenge on whomsoever it was, supposing in this case, of course, it wasn't himself? that maybe atlas lied to him about who/what was threatening him, whether or not he was then like "professionally shoot me" or "professionally leave me and make sure nobody shoots my wife, who isn't even living with me at this time, things have visibly deteriorated"....

augh it's quarter to one a.m. all of a sudden and i've mostly just talked about the murder mystery some more lol. but it's a "yeah maybe" from me re: your original question lmfao. and a standing invite to any and everyone to muse on this mystery with me / send insights/ideas

[axvoter]

Blatantly Partisan Party Review VII (NSW 2023): Elizabeth Farrelly Independents

Prior reviews: none, this is a new party.

Where do I start with Elizabeth Farrelly. There was a point a few years ago where I would often sleep in of a weekend and log on to Twitter to find some baffling new discourse, which invariably turned out to be because Farrelly had published another ridiculous column in the Sydney Morning Herald. She had—and has—a particular propensity to piss off urbanists with her NIMBY anti-density views, but her takes on culture and lifestyle were equally good fodder for a solid day’s discourse and in-jokes. It’s hard to convey the depth of eye-rolling Farrelly induces if you didn’t participate in the social media banter about her columns of the late 2010s.

Farrelly’s tenure at the Sydney Morning Herald ended in bizarre circumstances in 2021. In the Strathfield local government elections, she registered for campaign finance purposes with the NSW Electoral Commission as a candidate for the Labor Party, although she was ultimately not chosen to be a Labor candidate; by her telling, she was simply interested in standing for the party either at that election or at state or federal level later. Farrelly did not run in the 2021 local elections, but she did criticise non-Labor candidates in her column without disclosing her affiliation, and the SMH’s editor Bevan Shields (another name to make you roll your eyes firmly if you’re SMH-adjacent) abruptly terminated her employment when he found out.

Ultimately, not only did Farrelly fail to get Labor preselection at local level, she stood against them as an independent at the 2022 by-election for the state seat also called Strathfield. She came third on primary votes—a distant third (9.85%) to the majors (41.05% ALP, 36.24% Liberal) but ahead of the Greens (6.67%). This seems to have made her sufficiently confident to attempt a tilt at state politics. After all, if she could replicate 9.85% statewide, she and her second candidate would both win seats—but rarely can anyone turn modest popularity in their home electorate into anything approximating statewide appeal.

What does Farrelly and her independent grouping actually stand for? They explicitly say they are “not a political party” (despite the fact they’re registered as one), but it is not clear the extent to which two hypothetical parliamentarians would be expected to work together. The platform that Farrelly and her independents share has three main planks: climate action, honest government, and liveable communities.

The climate action policy is pretty decent: net zero commitment for 2030, energy efficient building standards, moving away from mining fossil fuels, getting rid of draconian laws that stop climate protests, all that sort of stuff. The honest government policy is more mixed. Positively, it would strengthen ICAC’s ongoing financial position so that its base funding does not become subject to the whims of government. I’m concerned the proposal to stop “jobs for mates” goes too far—I’m happy with MPs being restricted from moving directly into jobs related to their former portfolios, but Farrelly also wants to stop them from taking any job in other specific sectors for three years: mining, energy, development, gambling, racing. These all just seem to be sectors she’s personally suspicious of, rather than any clear overarching rationale. It would mean an MP could get a job for a trucking company—despite how much the road lobby has skewed Australian transport policy towards unsustainable car-centric choices—but not with a renewable energy company.

The third plank, “liveable communities”, sounds nice until you realise that its contents are what you get when you have full-blown NIMBY brain. Farrelly proclaims to be a lover of cities, but it seems that what she loves is to put cities in aspic. She talks extensively about “over-development”, despite the fact Australia’s cities are horrendously sprawling and that it would be more efficient to start building up and to boost density along existing corridors. There’s a classic NIMBY trick of opposing public transport proposals because existing housing is insufficiently dense and opposing housing developments because there is no public transport, and Farrelly’s played both cards while also citing “heritage” to oppose a range of projects. I’m a historian by profession but I am no fan of how “heritage” often gets cited to protect vast swathes of wealthier suburbs—rather than protecting specific buildings and other historical objects of enduring value, it has often been used to boost property values, enforce certain aesthetic preferences, and keep out imagined "undesirables" (there is a part of the NIMBY brain that bafflingly equates apartments with slums).

It’s hard to imagine how NSW can boost its housing stock and make it affordable when Farrelly wants to implement every possible planning restriction and heritage overlay in the book. Planning processes already skew strongly towards the most conservative, change-averse local residents who have the time, money, and networks to participate, while younger, busier, and poorer residents are either unable to do so or unaware they even can—and prospective future residents get no say at all.

This is easily my longest review of the election, and I’m holding back from an even more sustained critique of the kind of regressive urban planning perspectives that Farrelly champions. I’m passionate about making cities better places to live: more walkable, more PT, more green spaces, more cafes and retail, and more homes, all in a more compact space. These things require density and a readiness to accept that the fabric of cities must keep evolving. Farrelly has some nice lingo but it is all in service to a NIMBY agenda that I do not believe would improve Sydney or any other part of NSW.

Farrelly would lean left on a range of environmental and social issues, and she and her associated independents would be much better than a lot of the rabble contesting the election, but I am on the whole unenthused.

Recommendation: Give Elizabeth Farrelly Independents a middling preference.

Website: https://www.elizabethfarrelly.com.au/