CARE For People, Defund Police. Screen-printed by formerly incarcerated people and our loved ones.

people will see one (1) bad horror indie project be done with a newly public domain character and become strongly against the concept of Things Being Free And Available For People To Make Art With, as if bad horror projects with STILL COPYRIGHTED CHARACTERS wasnt already a thing the internet is saturated with

One part of abolition that’s always moved me is its creativity: that is, when someone says, 'Well, how would society function without police or prisons?' This shows the possibility for imagination—that one can imagine a world kept in line without guns, a world without massive cages. So abolition forces us to use our creativity, to imagine different ways of being together.

Ryan Lee Wong talking with Christopher Soto

An interfaith conversation about abolition and writing

So I'm actually writing the script for the pilot of that zombie apocalypse in a juvenile detention center show and the ideas are just flowing out like I know the emotions of the scenes, the characters, the little things the kids and teens do to cope with their trauma, how they get supplies, how they compel themselves to be quiet, what the other societies are doing, what the parents of the kids there are doing.

I've got a plotline of two parents of a kid who got arrested for prostitution (she was being trafficked and had zero choice but it's common for sex trafficking victims to be arrested for prostitution and the same goes for other human trafficking victims) and she got arrested and sentenced to prison in a different state so halfway through the season, the point of view switches for an episode or two to the parents traveling across the country so they can see if their daughter is safe. This character is also supposed to represent the sexual abuse that happens in prisons caused by the officers in charge of the imprisoned people. And also age regression as a response to trauma.

I'm still working out a few kinks and if this is able to be picked up by a studio, I want to hire sensitivity readers who have cluster b personality disorders to provide accurate representations of those disorders instead of having them be the stereotypical creepy serial killer kids or the explosive, abusive kids. All the kids in juvenile detention are traumatized and screwed over by a shitty justice system.

The show is supposed to be about society collapsing due to an apocalyptic event and how the new society that emerges is healthier and stronger and prioritizes everyone not just the "stronger" people.

There's also going to be an encampment under martial law that becomes an antagonist. One of the characters leaves for a few episodes with their parents until they escape and return to the detention center to tell everyone what's going on.

I'm gonna write this for real and figure out how to get a network to pick it up. It's gonna be really hard to get people to understand the vision I want that is evidence-based on actual psychology and sociology and a critique on the justice system and society as a whole not just the "haha, teenagers are impulsive and wreckless" but the psychology of kids forced to mature due to trauma. And yeah, there will be impulsive and wreckless moments where the kids have to learn how to survive the hard way.

Okay y'all get the picture. I'm gonna go back to writing the pilot.

ICYMI "Big Shoe Dance" by Arlandis Jones, from SC #8.2, up now! https://wp.me/p1tViT-19q • Full essay as a free PDF.

on the bright side. in some alternate universe we haven’t been forced to live in a twitter digimon fanartist is having a 30 tweet meltdown about how collage is art theft

What are the tools to make a more perfect society?

art raffle for palestine!

folks living in the u.s.! the prison abolition collective in washington state that i'm part of is holding a raffle to support the family of alaa, a local community member, whose family is trying to escape genocide in gaza. here's more information on alaa's family.

the raffle items, all of which were donated by artists, writers (including @ryfkah, who donated a signed copy of their awesome fantasy novel the iron children!), and other creative folks we know, are in four "bundles", and you can buy tickets for separate bundles based on what you're interested in. some of the raffle items are experiences or services rather than physical objects. bundle c includes two items that can only be accessed in seattle, washington, but the rest of the bundles can be redeemed anywhere in the u.s. (meaning we would mail you the physical items). more detailed information on the bundles here.

there are several different ways to enter the raffle, listed below! you can either give directly to alaa's family and send us proof of your donation, or you can send the money to our rep meredith if that's easier. each raffle ticket is $10 USD, and you can buy up to 10 tickets for each bundle. more detailed info here.

please consider entering the raffle if you have the means! because of the ongoing ground invasion and bombardment, over 1.5 million palestinians are being forced to flee their homes in gaza, including alaa's family. families trying to escape have to pay ridiculous extortion fees to get across the border to egypt.

you can also share this thread on twitter or add this instagram post to your story. please spread the word!!!

QSMP's Candidates Statements (Translated)

From QuackityToo June 19th Stream.

DISCLAIMER: My native language is Brazilian Portuguese, not Spanish nor English. Due to that and the differences in language expression, I made some changes/paraphrases while translating to accommodate the context, but the overall understanding remains 98% loyal to each candidate’s speech.

BadBoyHalo

BBH proposes that he is the only person capable of carrying out the necessary decisions that the president of Quesadilla Island must take. He believes he is the only one who has the courage to make the difficult decisions necessary to keep the island safe and sound for the residents and prevent a dictator from taking power, all while protecting the eggs.

Foolish

Foolish is excited about the opportunity that the island has provided. He says he wants to enjoy and make the most of the situation because it's not every day that you end up on a crazy island with a diverse population speaking a variety of languages. Some people would prefer to get out of here [Quesadilla] as soon as possible, but he wants to make friends with everyone and enjoy everything the island has to offer.

Etoiles

Etoiles stated that he is charismatic, generous, and that the only negativity he carries is for himself and never for others. Etoiles sets out to explore the island in order to better understand the environment of where they are; he will visit as many dungeons as he needs to get a better understanding of the island.

Baghera

Baghera stated that she has her head screwed on the right way and wishes only the best for the islanders. She values communication and maintains positive relationships with everyone. Baghera believes she is capable of dealing with any fervor or rash situations that may arise. Quesadilla Island is where she was introduced to motherhood, and as a result, she has a specific goal. The place that gave her family and friends is one she must protect at all costs.

Felps

Felps work(ed) as a shipping officer, bus driver, artist, and gardener. What he wants to do is make everyone happy by giving more rights to eggs, noodles, and pasta.

Forever

Forever stated that he is one of the most active players on the island, and as such, he will always be there to protect the people's interests. As a professional Minecraft player, he has many ideas for community projects. Forever describes Richarlyson as one of the happiest things that has happened to him, as well as meeting all of the island's inhabitants (despite the fact that the French make a lot of noise at the egg hotel), given how everyone is very friendly and entertaining.

Mike

Mike promised to restore order to Quesadilla Island, his favorite aspect of the island being the islanders themselves. He would forbid the use of waystones, which would improve the island's dynamics by forcing players to build paths between their bases, allowing them to finally implement a railroad train system.

Cellbit

Cellbit has had prior work experience as a tribute (HG), murderer, prisoner, and detective. He claimed to be Roier's husband, capable of making eloquent arguments and pose intricate inquiries in various scenarios and circumstances. In summary, he believes he is a good president for the Island's future, both for introducing new creative ideas and new narratives to other content creators, as well as for protecting the eggs. His husband, son, and friends are his most valuable things on the island.

Gegg

I swear this isn’t bad translated; it is literally what has been said.

Gegg said he's a businessman, going door to door Gegging. He's a Geggwar criminal. He is an influencer of the family lifestyle. Gegg changes the world. What Gegg likes most about Quesadilla Island is the humidity, the damp places and caves. Gegg promises you freedom. Gegg promises the truth. Gegg promises you power. Gegg promises the abolition of all government rules, taxes and any existing laws. The government establishment holds us, so Gegg will release us. Just one geggrule: believe in Gegg, because Gegg believes in you.

El Quackity

His speech is about his character as well as the election scenario (from the perspective of a Content Creator, not a character). I decided to put it all together because it was somewhat scrambled and also because it was an important reminder for the community.

According to ElQuackity, there is a lack of organization and order. He believes that in the ideal scenario, this can be resolved. He believes that his candidacy in this work and position is critical, and that it will be the best possible. One thing to be clear about it: during his campaign, he will do whatever it takes to ensure that the people have a good president. Thus, he reminds and states that this election event isn’t predetermined, scripted, or planned, and there is no pre-written ending. Elections will be decided by the votes of creators, the efforts of creators, and the votes of the community. He warns that if If he decides to kill a candidate or an egg because it suits his political campaign, he will do so. And, if another candidate decides to kill him for their own benefit, it will be done. No one (except the creators) can say anything to encourage another narrative. We, as a community, need to understand that none of the creators will truly hate each other if one decides to attack the other or kill the other for their own campaign benefit. He encourages the community to support their favorite candidate, but if a creator decides to do something bad to another creator within the game at any time, those who send hate towards creators for actions taken by players in game will be rightfully banned and restricted from all QSMP chat streams. It is, after all, a game. It's a block game. The decisions made within the game will be made by the creators themselves. If the creators ever have a disagreement, it will be solved in private DMs. And nothing bad will ever happen because all the QSMP members are adults who understand that this is all for entertainment purposes. The QSMP Elections ARE for entertainment purposes ONLY.

a new world is growing. As our roots pierce the concrete - our imaginations blossom new realities the violence-based world can see.

Abolition is Creative Hoodie by For Everyone Collective - fashion free from harm.

I've seen a lot of posts talking about the merits of joining a union even if you don't have a job, but I've never seen one that answers my main hang up, so I'm just going to ask, what if I absolutely could not pay dues? I can't work due to disability and I can only survive thanks to the support of family, as a result I rarely have any money at all. Is it possible to join a union if I can't afford to pay dues, and if not are there other ways I can support them?

a very good question, i'm so glad you asked. dues are a mechanism of democracy within the union structure, so to join a union there isn't much way around that. however, there are things you can do to support unions without spending a dime.

if you see unions trying to spread the word about an action, or a campaign, signal boost them where and how you can.

unions and adjacent groups, such as the Incarcerated Workers Organising Committee, will perform what's known as a phone or email "zap" where a mass of people will contact a target to make their voices heard about an issue. joining in on those actions is always an enormous help.

solidarity union organisations like the IWW are always looking for people to help with the myriad tasks it takes to keep things running. folks i know who were ineligible for membership still volunteered their time and efforts in research, or submitting FOIA requests, or maintaining spreadsheets. they didn't have voting power in union business, but if the branch is amenable, why turn away people who want to help the work along?

what do you enjoy doing? do you stream? do you write? do you draw? do you sing? how might you direct a portion of your creative energy to supporting emancipation work?

i may be an old union thug, but i admit there are also different ways to organise for change outside of a dues-based structure. others will know more about this than myself, but there are affinity groups all over the country who don't collect money from members.

what are you passionate about? disability rights and liberation? queer liberation? prison abolition? is there a group in your area or online that is doing the work to make real change in a sphere that is important to you? if so, reach out and see if you have the capacity to assist with that work.

this is all very vague, and i hope others will see this question and offer their own suggestions. anything you do to help will be wonderful, in whatever capacity you are able. we need all of us, and none of us need to solve these problems alone.

https://twitter.com/butchanarchy/status/1663942855746895875

Schools are sites of extreme social control and abuse, serve as state propaganda distribution centers, and are by and large focused on creating docile servants to capital rather than inquisitive learners. School abolition is a necessary radical demand.

If you got through the experience of schooling with your love of learning and self-esteem intact I’m honestly very happy for you but that is not reflective of how many youth experience school as an institution. Reach beyond your own experiences in your analysis please.

The idea that children can’t and won’t learn unless they are under power of centralized authority has the same roots as the belief that no one would ever labor if not under the coercive control of the state and capital. It’s a myth to justify control and domination.

If you find yourself scoffing at the idea of school abolition I hope you will see that reaction for what it is: a defense of something you have always been taught to see as natural and inevitable. As a radical such a reaction calls for analysis, not dogmatic acceptance.

Liberalism has taught many that politics need only ever be in reaction to what conservatives are doing. Right-wingers attack the institution of schooling? This must mean School = Good and that any critique of schooling = conservative. Radical politics require we step beyond this.

Teenage suicide rates fell when much of school turned to remote learning, and they rose again (by 18%!) when in-person schooling resumed. This is not an institution that needs your defense. It is an institution that inflicts frankly incalculable levels of trauma on youth.

Let’s go even further than just critique the authoritarian institution of school, keep digging up the roots! What would happen if we opened ourselves up to inquiring about the values laden in the conceptualization that education is something that can be “given” Teacher ➡️ Student

Let’s analyze the idea that the Teacher is someone who is Already in possession of Knowledge, who then pours that Knowledge into the Passive Vessel of the Student, who has no Knowledge. Is this the only way learning happens? Is it really the best way?

What other lessons are we teaching youth when we accept the above as true? What are they learning about their own worth, what about themselves and their learning process are they being taught to ignore and suppress because it does not align with the processes dictated by Teacher?

What wounds do we ourselves still carry by being taught in this way? Did this process teach us how to explore, how to be creative, how to drive our own learning process forward without the dictates of an Authority figure? How do we see these wounds reflected in our peers?

And what lessons are we missing out on when we believe that youth are simply receptacles of Adult Wisdom? When we devalue their agency so much as to outright deny its existence in our defense on institutions that control them? Could they not also be our teachers?

The beauty of radical politics is that they reveal that all forms of social relations are vulnerable to critique. Social structures are choices, not states of nature we cannot help but reproduce. We can keep digging, keep questioning. imo it is a moral imperative that we do so.

There are always more questions to ask! There are always more options for exploration than we are presented by authoritarian hegemony. That many of us are not accustomed to analyzing and exploring this way is, itself, a symptom of how our society approaches learning.

sorry maybe my question was unclear, what i meant is what do you think are the necessary conditions for a society to be called communist? i ask because i know a few people who e.g. are skeptical about the abolition of the state or are open to communism having consumer markets, at what point would you say they stop arguing for communism?

ah, well then yeah i'd say no state, no markets, etc. when the pod was still ongoing, we did an interview with nate holdren (who wrote a really good book which everyone should read) where he talked about his vision of communism not in terms of a positive program of things we want but rather negatively as things we 'don't allow through the door' of social transformation. that phrasing has stuck with me over time and i guess i'm still ultimately sympathetic to that. so i cant highlight the particular institutions which make up a future communist society, but i can at least say which things i believe will be socially undermined by abolishing capitalism on a communist basis. when people try to work markets etc back into that vision, i think it involves a certain political/theoretical concession that im unwilling to make, often for the sake of some allusion to "practicality" which strikes me as a way of admitting a lack of creativity and a historical shortsightedness on the part of the thinker where being realistic about our political ambitions necessarily means reproducing elements of the world we already live in. i'm a bit more ambitious than that.

NOT RELATED TO FOS but just want to ask for my own fun:

I am very interested in knowing what your favourite novel/book series are! Please reply or send in asks with them—I’m always interested in recs! Doesn’t matter what genre or type of novel; I like everything, I assure you lol

Please let me know what your favourite books are ❤️

Under the cut are some recent liked reads of mine:

FIRSTLY… use your libraries. truly the best places in the world. 90% of what I read was from a library and the other 10% was books I bought years ago and finally decided to read

The Spear Cuts Through Water — Two men shepherd a dying god through the lands to help overthrow a tyrannical regime. One pet love letter to oral history, one part gay love story, one part creative epic fantasy. This novel is stylish, artsy and not for everyone but for the people that it’s for!!! it’s for you!!! The story is told in layers: YOU, the reader in second person, the story itself, the ghosts of the people inside of the story. I think to see if this is for you, reading the first couple of pages is a good indication of the style and prose and if you’d like it. (I paired it with the audiobook and enjoyed reading both in tandem)

Know My Name — a memoir by Chanel Miller—certainly read the description and check TWs for this. because the subject is not easy but I sobbed so hard during this. Not just for her pain but for her joy. If you’re interested in memoirs, I recommend this one! (I also enjoyed Tara Westover’s “Educated”, which i read years ago). Honestly reading this book I kept thinking THIS IS A MUST READ, THIS IS A MUST READ–heartbreaking, poignant, cathartic. It’s long, but if the subject matter interests you at all, i’d say give it a try!

Chain Gang All-Stars — Fight to the death to earn your freedom from prison! I’ve read some reviews of this book that call the allegory heavy-handed, but I didn’t mind that at all. A novel obviously about the prison industrial complex in America, Chain Gang All Stars made me rethink how I view compassion, and personally seek out and research the prison abolition movement. This novel isn’t perfect, but it did for me exactly what the author was intending. I also couldn’t put it down. The Audiobook is great, it has multiple narrators! If you’re interested in thought-provoking speculative fiction…

Project Hail Mary — A man wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of why he’s there—learning that he needs to save the world. I didn’t like this as much as everything else on this list but I think it’s a more easy recommendation. I had a lot of fun with this book and found it to be an engaging read all around. This is the only Weir I’ve read, and I don’t think I’ll be seeking out The Martian anytime soon if that says anything about the novel (I did really like it I swear lol)

ANYTHING SHIRLEY JACKSON — I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle and Haunting of Hill House and loved both a lot. Not the sort of books if you like plot, but if you’re into creepy atmosphere and characterization…i think there might just be a reason Shirley Jackson is a classic. The way she bends reality, seeds chilling aspects and weaves horror around settings is very sharp. I recommend We Have Always Lived In The Castle more (it’s short!) and it’s great as audiobook or physical

JUNJI ITO…king — I read Uzumaki and re-read a lot of his short stories and Gyo. KING. The visions of his art haunted me. If possible, I recommend reading these physically, as the act of turning the page on to whatever unspeakable horror awaits you is incomparable. If you like body horror at all, even a little, this is a mangaka I think you should try as if you haven’t already lol

Our Wives Under The Sea — God. What can I say about this? A story about grief, a story about watching your loved ones change beyond recognition. Body horror. Sapphic. Beautiful prose. Tragic. Loved all of it.

Metamorphosis — Yes the Kafka one. Yes I liked it. Yes I related a lot to being turned into a burdensome, ugly roach.

Roaming (graphic novel) — Not a story where a lot (or anything) happens. But I found this relatable and able to capture that age of girlhood with expert precision. Not much happens, really nothing happens; just a snapshot and fragment of this price of these girls lives. They are immature, messy, weird. (I also really enjoyed It Happened One Summer and one of my favourite movies is Only Yesterday so that should tell you a lot about my tastes in slow, character snapshot pieces). The art is lovely, of course

Eileen — Stinky, miserable, unlikeable Eileen Dunlop becomes obsessed with mysterious, attractive Rebecca. This one very aggressively I have to say ITS NOT FOR EVERYONE. I can’t even explain why I liked it so much, but I as so absorbed into the setting. I had the feeling of being transported into Eileen’s cold, gloomy New England. Eileen is gross, putrid, hard to read and nothing happens at all until the end. But also i loved it. I can’t explain this one. I don’t even recommend it but definitely check TWs. Now it’s a movie starring Anne Hathaway and I finally got to say “the book was better”

Bluest Eye — CHECK TW FOR THIS ONE I’ve loved Toni Morrison since highschool, but I never actually finished any of her novels. This being her debut novel is so shocking; it was poetic, devastating, uncomfortable. Another book I don’t exactly recommend because of its graphic nature, and how sharply and uncomfortably certain scenes are written, but so much was so poignant—I have a lot of this book highlighted and to share:

I recommend reading the Author’s Note, the description and the TWs and see if it interests you! I think Toni Morrison explains herself and her intentions well in the author’s note. (I need to get around to Morrison’s other work, but for some reason I started in chronological order)

I’m going to stop here because I’m realizing I like a lot of “weird” books that I know are probably not widely liked but akfjkskd WHAT CAN I SAY I LIKE A WEIRD LITTLE FREAK

Other notables: I read a lot of Grady Hendrix and I don’t LOVE love him, but reliably I do have fun. I couldn’t even stomach the scene (YOU KNOW THE SCENE) in my best friend’s exorcism—i’d recommend him for some intro to horror! I liked How to Sell a Haunted House but my friend didn’t so there’s that too.

I read this around when it was published but I will never shut up about In The Dream House (another memoir) so good. so strong. so beautiful. AH.

I also started the Locked Tomb series and I only didn’t put it on this list because I’ve only read Gideon so far but I liked it a lot also.

I’m very excited to do more reading this year. Mostly I’ve been getting through the popular titles…as you can see…. But i’m hoping to read more fantasy and sci-fi this year! it’s just unfortunate they’re so long 😭

I’m writing this post only now, because I was at work and very tired, I work 2/2 (15 hours in one shift).

It will not only be about the Gatobob case, but also simply about the topic of “abolition.”

When I found out that Gatobob deleted her accounts I felt very sad, this is not the first creative person to delete their account due to pressure from people and for the sake of their mental health.

I have just one question. PEOPLE, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! Nothing to do? Do you have anything else to do other than pester people? Many people forget that people can change morally over time, different things can happen, many forget that people can grow morally and become better, and can also change their views over time, this is normal. If you don’t understand this, then these are your problems and yours alone.

I don’t understand why condemn a person for OLD POSTS, are you completely crazy? You have nothing to do? Condemning people for old misdeeds is to some extent stupid and from the outside it may seem that SOME are simply looking for a reason to be “offended.” This is not the first time I have seen people get cancelled, I often get tired of it.

If you have a lot of free will to “search” for supposedly various offensive things, then it is better to use this time for more important things, such as volunteering, educating yourself and helping refugees, especially during such difficult times.

In principle, the idea of “cancel culture” is not bad in itself, but only if it targets very, very bad people. It's very sad that people have distorted this and turned it into an annoying circus. (I have very bad English, I do most of it using Google Translate)