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mostlysignssomeportents · 25 days

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The tax sharks are back and they’re coming for your home

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TODAY (Apr 27) in MARIN COUNTY, then Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

One of my weirder and more rewarding hobbies is collecting definitions of "conservativism," and one of the jewels of that collection comes from Corey Robin's must-read book The Reactionary Mind:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reactionary_Mind

Robin's definition of conservativism has enormous explanatory power and I'm always finding fresh ways in which it clarifies my understand of events in the world: a conservative is someone who believes that a minority of people were born to rule, and that everyone else was born to follow their rules, and that the world is in harmony when the born rulers are in charge.

This definition unifies the otherwise very odd grab-bag of ideologies that we identify with conservativism: a Christian Dominionist believes in the rule of Christians over others; a "men's rights advocate" thinks men should rule over women; a US imperialist thinks America should rule over the world; a white nationalist thinks white people should rule over racialized people; a libertarian believes in bosses dominating workers and a Hindu nationalist believes in Hindu domination over Muslims.

These people all disagree about who should be in charge, but they all agree that some people are ordained to rule, and that any "artificial" attempt to overturn the "natural" order throws society into chaos. This is the entire basis of the panic over DEI, and the brainless reflex to blame the Francis Scott Key bridge disaster on the possibility that someone had been unjustly promoted to ship's captain due to their membership in a disfavored racial group or gender.

This definition is also useful because it cleanly cleaves progressives from conservatives. If conservatives think there's a natural order in which the few dominate the many, progressivism is a belief in pluralism and inclusion, the idea that disparate perspectives and experiences all have something to contribute to society. Progressives see a world in which only a small number of people rise to public life, rarified professions, and cultural prominence and assume that this is terrible waste of the talents and contributions of people whose accidents of birth keep them from participating in the same way.

This is why progressives are committed to class mobility, broad access to education, and active programs to bring traditionally underrepresented groups into arenas that once excluded them. The "some are born to rule, and most to be ruled over" conservative credo rejects this as not just wrong, but dangerous, the kind of thing that leads to bridges being demolished by cargo ships.

The progressive reforms from the New Deal until the Reagan revolution were a series of efforts to broaden participation in every part of society by successively broader groups of people. A movement that started with inclusive housing and education for white men and votes for white women grew to encompass universal suffrage, racial struggles for equality, workplace protections for a widening group of people, rights for people with disabilities, truth and reconciliation with indigenous people and so on.

The conservative project of the past 40 years has been to reverse this: to return the great majority of us to the status of desperate, forelock-tugging plebs who know our places. Hence the return of child labor, the tradwife movement, and of course the attacks on labor unions and voting rights:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/06/the-end-of-the-road-to-serfdom/

Arguably the most potent symbol of this struggle is the fight over homes. The New Deal offered (some) working people a twofold path to prosperity: subsidized home-ownership and strong labor protections. This insulated (mostly white) workers from the two most potent threats to working peoples' lives and wellbeing: the cruel boss and the greedy landlord.

But the neoliberal era dispensed with labor rights, leaving the descendants of those lucky workers with just one tool for securing their American dream: home-ownership. As wages stagnated, your home – so essential to your ability to simply live – became your most important asset first, and a home second. So long as property values rose – and property taxes didn't – your home could be the backstop for debt-fueled consumption that filled the gap left by stagnating wages. Liquidating your family home might someday provide for your retirement, your kids' college loans and your emergency medical bills.

For conservatives who want to restore Gilded Age class rule, this was a very canny move. It pitted lucky workers with homes against their unlucky brethren – the more housing supply there was, the less your house was worth. The more protections tenants had, the less your house was worth. The more equitably municipal services (like schools) were distributed, the less your house was worth:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/06/the-rents-too-damned-high/

And now that the long game is over, they're coming for your house. It started with the foreclosure epidemic after the 2008 financial crisis, first under GW Bush, but then in earnest under Obama, who accepted the advice of his Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who insisted that homeowners should be liquidated to "foam the runways" for the crashing banks:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/06/personnel-are-policy/#janice-eberly

Then there are scams like "We Buy Ugly Houses," a nationwide mass-fraud outfit that steals houses out from under elderly, vulnerable and desperate people:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/11/ugly-houses-ugly-truth/#homevestor

The more we lose our houses, the more single-family homes Wall Street gets to snap up and convert into slum properties, aslosh with a toxic stew of black mold, junk fees and eviction threats:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/08/wall-street-landlords/#the-new-slumlords

Now there's a new way for finance barons the steal our houses out from under us – or rather, a very old way that had lain dormant since the last time child labor was legal – "tax lien investing."

Across the country, counties and cities have programs that allow investment funds to buy up overdue tax-bills from homeowners in financial hardship. These "investors" are entitled to be paid the missing property taxes, and if the homeowner can't afford to make that payment, the "investor" gets to kick them out of their homes and take possession of them, for a tiny fraction of their value.

As Andrew Kahrl writes for The American Prospect, tax lien investing was common in the 19th century, until the fundamental ugliness of the business made it unattractive even to the robber barons of the day:

https://prospect.org/economy/2024-04-26-investing-in-distress-tax-liens/

The "tax sharks" of Chicago and New York were deemed "too merciless" by their peers. One exec who got out of the business compared it to "picking pennies off a dead man’s eyes." The very idea of outsourcing municipal tax collection to merciless debt-hounds fell aroused public ire.

Today – as the conservative project to restore the "natural" order of the ruled and the ruled-over builds momentum – tax lien investing is attracting some of America's most rapacious investors – and they're making a killing. In Chicago, Alden Capital just spent a measly $1.75m to acquire the tax liens on 600 family homes in Cook County. They now get to charge escalating fees and penalties and usurious interest to those unlucky homeowners. Any homeowner that can't pay loses their home.

The first targets for tax-lien investing are the people who were the last people to benefit from the New Deal and its successors: Black and Latino families, elderly and disabled people and others who got the smallest share of America's experiment in shared prosperity are the first to lose the small slice of the American dream that they were grudgingly given.

This is the very definition of "structural racism." Redlining meant that families of color were shut out of the federal loan guarantees that benefited white workers. Rather than building intergenerational wealth, these families were forced to rent (building some other family's intergenerational wealth), and had a harder time saving for downpayments. That meant that they went into homeownership with "nontraditional" or "nonconforming" mortgages with higher interest rates and penalties, which made them more vulnerable to economic volatility, and thus more likely to fall behind on their taxes. Now that they're delinquent on their property taxes, they're in hock to a private equity fund that's charging them even more to live in their family home, and the second they fail to pay, they'll be evicted, rendered homeless and dispossessed of all the equity they built in their (former) home.

It's very on-brand for Alden Capital to be destroying the lives of Chicagoans. Alden is most notorious for buying up and destroying America's most beloved newspapers. It was Alden who bought up the Chicago Tribune, gutted its workforce, sold off its iconic downtown tower, and moved its few remaining reporters to an outer suburban, windowless brick building "the size of a Chipotle":

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/16/sociopathic-monsters/#all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print

Before the ghastly hotel baroness Leona Helmsley went to prison for tax evasion, she famously said, "We don't pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes." Helmsley wasn't wrong – she was just a little ahead of schedule. As Propublica's IRS Files taught us, America's 400 richest people pay less tax than you do:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/13/for-the-little-people/#leona-helmsley-2022

When billionaires don't pay their taxes, they get to buy sports franchises. When poor people don't pay their taxes, billionaires get to steal their houses after paying the local government an insultingly small amount of money.

It's all going according to plan. We weren't meant to have houses, or job security, or retirement funds. We weren't meant to go to university, or even high school, and our kids were always supposed to be in harness at a local meat-packer or fast food kitchen, not wasting time with their high school chess club or sports team. They don't need high school: that's for the people who were born to rule. They – we – were meant to be ruled over.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/26/taxes-are-for-the-little-people/#alden-capital

#pluralistic #chicago #illinois #alden capital #the rents too damned high #debt #immiseration #chicago tribune #private equity #vulture capital #cook county #liens #tax evasion #taxes are for the little people #tax lien certificates #tax sharks #race #racial capitalism #predatory lending

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obsidian-pages777 · 4 days

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Pick a Card: Future Friend/partner/Spouse Reading Message from Goddess Hera

Top Left [Pile 1], Top Right [Pile 2], Bottom Left[ Pile 3], Bottom Right [Pile 4]

Goddess Hera, the queen of the Greek gods and wife of Zeus, is the deity of marriage, women, childbirth, and family. Revered for her regal authority, she wields power over familial bonds and marital fidelity. Hera is often depicted as a majestic figure, symbolizing the sanctity and strength of marriage. Her powers include protecting women in childbirth, ensuring marital harmony, and bestowing blessings upon families, embodying the virtues of loyalty, fidelity, and nurturing within the household.

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Pile 1

Message from Goddess Hera: In this pile, Hera emphasizes the importance of loyalty and trust in your relationships. She advises you to seek out and cherish those who are truly devoted to you.

Physical Description of Future Partner/Friend: The person coming into your life will have striking features, possibly dark hair and deep, expressive eyes. They might have a medium to tall build and an air of confidence and mystery about them. Their presence is charismatic, drawing others to them effortlessly.

Quote from Goddess Hera: "True loyalty is rare; honor it when found."

The Empress

Future Marriage Description: Your future marriage will be characterized by abundance, nurturing, and growth. The Empress signifies a relationship filled with love, fertility, and creativity. You and your partner will create a harmonious and bountiful home, where both emotional and material needs are met. This marriage will feel like a sanctuary, where you both can thrive and support each other's dreams.

Key Traits:

Abundance and Prosperity

Nurturing and Caring

Creative and Fertile Environment

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Pile 2

Message from Goddess Hera: Hera speaks of the nurturing aspects of love and family. She encourages you to cultivate a space where those you care for can feel safe and supported.

Physical Description of Future Partner/Friend: This individual will have a warm and approachable demeanor. They may have light hair, such as blonde or light brown, and a gentle smile. Their physical build might be average, with a touch of softness that makes them appear very approachable and kind.

Quote from Goddess Hera: "To nurture and be nurtured is the essence of family."

The Lovers

Future Marriage Description: This marriage will be founded on deep emotional connection and mutual respect. The Lovers card signifies a strong bond, where both partners share values, goals, and a profound love for each other. Your relationship will be marked by harmony, balance, and unity. You will face challenges together with a strong sense of partnership and commitment.

Key Traits:

Deep Emotional Connection

Mutual Respect and Unity

Shared Values and Goals

************************************************************************************************************************************************

Pile 3

Message from Goddess Hera: Hera highlights the strength in unity and mutual respect within your relationships. She advises you to build connections based on equality and shared values.

Physical Description of Future Partner/Friend: The significant person entering your life may have a distinctive, athletic build. They could have dark, curly hair and a vibrant, energetic presence. Their eyes might be a striking color, like green or blue, and they carry themselves with a natural grace and poise.

Quote from Goddess Hera: "In unity and mutual respect, love and family thrive."

The Hierophant

Future Marriage Description: Your future marriage will be deeply rooted in tradition, structure, and spiritual connection. The Hierophant suggests a union that honors cultural or religious practices and values. This marriage will be stable and secure, with both partners committed to upholding shared beliefs and maintaining a strong moral foundation. Your relationship will be a source of guidance and wisdom for others.

Key Traits:

Tradition and Structure

Spiritual Connection

Stability and Security

************************************************************************************************************************************************

Pile 4

Message from Goddess Hera: Hera conveys the power of enduring love and the bonds that withstand the test of time. She encourages you to look for relationships that promise longevity and depth.

Physical Description of Future Partner/Friend: This person might have an elegant and refined appearance. They could have dark, wavy hair and a slender, tall frame. Their style is classic and timeless, often dressed in a way that exudes sophistication. Their eyes reflect wisdom and compassion.

Quote from Goddess Hera: "Enduring love withstands all trials."

The Sun

Future Marriage Description: This marriage will be filled with joy, positivity, and vitality. The Sun card signifies a bright and optimistic relationship, where both partners radiate happiness and enthusiasm. Your union will bring out the best in each other, fostering a sense of warmth and fulfillment. Together, you will create a joyful and supportive environment, where you can both shine and achieve great things.

Key Traits:

Joy and Positivity

Vitality and Enthusiasm

Warmth and Fulfillment

================================================================================================

#greek gods #tarotblr #pick a photo #pick a pile #pick a card #pick one #pick a picture #tarot reading #love reading #psychic readings #pick an image #tarot community #future spouse #future spouse reading

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fans4wga · 10 months

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SAG-AFTRA Strike Update From President & Chief Negotiator

August 9, 2023

'This week marks the fourth week of our TV/Theatrical/Streaming strike.

We are living in a historic hour, as we fight to achieve a seminal contract, the likes of which we haven’t seen in over 60 years. It was 1960 when we last went on strike alongside the WGA and achieved pension and health plans and residuals. Our futures depend on not accepting anything less transformative in this negotiation.

With the advent of subscription and advertising-supported streaming video on demand and AI, once again we must stand strong in solidarity and demand an equitable contract that reflects the value of our work in those new business models and protects our members from digital exploitation.

When we called the strike — authorized by you, our members, with 98% approval — we did so knowing that we had done everything possible to avoid it, including extending negotiations for 12 days, the longest in our union’s history. The AMPTP — the organization that bargains on behalf of the studios, networks and streamers — refused to negotiate with us fairly, and have not contacted us to resume talks.

We find ourselves on the front lines of a global labor movement. We are not alone. There are millions of workers across the nation and around the world fighting similar battles against corporate greed who are standing with us in solidarity. It is clear from your show of force on the picket lines, your social media posts and the many interviews we have seen, that our cause is righteous. Your determination will carry us to victory.

A key element in our strike strategy is our Interim Agreement, which is being granted to certain vetted and truly independent productions. Along with the many other nonstruck contracts our members can currently work, these agreements give journeymen performers and crew the opportunity to pay their bills and put food on the table by working on these indie projects — projects which are not only agreeing to all the terms in our last offer to the AMPTP, but all the righteous proposals our members deserve that the studios rejected.

Our interim agreements are quite literally the opposite of “waivers.” There are no passes, exceptions or exemptions being given to anyone. Productions must agree to all our terms or that work is struck.

These agreements are also designed to undermine the production slates and timing of the AMPTP companies and ensure that they come back to the table. Until they do, they will not be able to distribute content made under our Interim Agreement without paying our members in those projects higher residuals and revenue share. This approach maintains our strength, solidarity and upper hand with the AMPTP until they yield to our deal.

These interim agreements demonstrate that the terms we proposed to the AMPTP are not “unrealistic.” They are fair. And if these independent productions are able to agree to them, then the billion- and trillion-dollar companies should be able to as well!

From L.A. to New York and all of the locals across the country, we want to thank you for showing your #SAGAFTRAstrong solidarity over the past four weeks! And to the strike captains leading the pickets every day, you are truly rock stars! Be sure to visit sagaftrastrike.org for the latest news, picket lines and events near you.

Our strike can become the catalyst for a historic culture change in all industries, whereby making money and doing the right thing on behalf of workers are no longer mutually exclusive of each other but go hand in hand, redefining the meaning of success!

#Power2Performers'

#sag-aftra strike #sag strike #actors strike #interim agreements #union solidarity #sag-aftra strong

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inverted-typo · 1 year

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Expanded Damirae Arranged Marriage Ideas

Been thinking about world building and more details for the request I got with the horse and falcon! Not really that organized but more so self indulgent word barfing (it’s p long lmao I’m sorry)

Set in fantasy medieval-like times. Raven still has her own powers and Damian is more assassin-leaning

Damian's house has held political power for centuries. They are a warrior people, skilled in stealth and combat. They are a protective ally but a deadly enemy. Considered one of the most ruthless nations by some, they are commended for their loyalty and willpower. Damian is the heir to the throne, currently ruled by Ra’s.

Raven's house is also extremely powerful, even to the Al Ghuls, as they are masters of some of the oldest magic known in the lands. Some of their ancient runes are believed to be the sites of some of the first magical rituals. Raven's father was corrupted by trifling with dark magic, plunging his kingdom into ruin. It took decades for them to recover. It has left a stain on her homeland. He’s known as the Devil King. They are reserved and private people, keeping their secrets close.

Damian and Raven's houses have been at odds for generations. Between several historic instances of deception, betrayal and manipulation from both sides, a bitter distrust has wedged itself between them. A few wars dotting the timeline has also added fuel to the fire.

It was decided by the Elders of Azar (idk the elite council of people in charge since Trigon’s descent and imprisonment. Raven is still the rightful heir however) to offer a peace treaty through marriage. Ra’s at first is vehemently against the idea; he will NOT allow his grandson to marry such an adversary. But maybe it’s Damian who convinced him it would actually be a very beneficial arrangement. They could trade, and be seen as a larger power due to the union. Damian is too focused on shaping himself to be a leader and warrior, to worry about marrying for “love”. It would be good to sire and heir, and with half of their blood being so magically rooted, they would be strong. Plus, it was assumed he could always have a mistress if he wished.

Raven understood that her home was still recovering from her father’s heinous deeds. She knows they aren’t as strong as they once had been, although she’d never admit that. If marrying into the Al Ghul clan could rid them of one potential enemy and threat, while also helping her people through political alliance, she was more than willing to leave her home for them. She owed it to her people to try and make things better.

The preparations for the union lasted months. Skepticism and worry of betrayal or failure prolonged it, too. There was doubt it would never even come to fruition and there would be no marriage.

The two knew absolutely nothing about each other except the other’s names.

For the ceremony dress, it was considered to be tailored to more of the culture and fashion of Damian’s country. But Raven insisted it be completely Azarathian. They were uniting, not submitting.

Maybe the ceremony was one of those huge ordeals that lasted several days

Raven had been in the country for a few weeks and the two were strategically separated.

Damian tried to push down his growing curiosity about his bride since the official announcement of the marriage. He tried to feign indifference. This was a political move, he needed to be strong. But the rumored whispers of her dark beauty piqued his interest more and more. He heard of her intelligence and unique magical abilities. He wanted to know more… Who would he be marrying…? What was she really like?

Raven was kept closed in her quarters with a few of her ladies in waiting. They were treated well, out of obligation, but it was clear everyone was wary of their presence. She heard down the grapevine that her husband-to-be was smart but arrogant. Brash but passionate. He was the pride of the Al Ghuls. She did her best not to let that intimidate her. As the wedding drew closer, Raven suddenly began to feel a nervous anticipation. She also was swayed by her curiosity about if she’d end up knowing who he truly was. He was a person, not just his name, after all.

They finally meet face to face at the alter. The grand hall is decorated to the nines and hundreds of people crowded the isle.

The Prince is absolutely floored by her beauty. He never realized someone could look so…elegant and divine! She had an air of humbleness that was gentle. But she also had a mysterious firmness that he hadn’t quite seen in anyone else before. He would be lying through his teeth if he said he wasn’t suddenly nervous.

From all the assumptions and rumors she had heard, Raven was surprised to see a gentleness in his eyes. He was also strikingly handsome. He wore a confidence she thought fit him well. He gave her a small smile that unexpectedly sent goosebumps down her arms. She had never imagined him to smile.

I’d like to think it took several weeks for them to even be able to become even really acquainted with each other. Damian was always busy and Raven had to learn about the culture and work on relations in court. She could speak their language, but she needed to develop it. At first they didn’t spend a lot of time together.

Raven fought homesickness, as well. Here, it was a mountainous terrain. Colder and harsher in climate. Her own home was near the ocean with lush forests and lakes. She missed the lightening bugs. She also found it a daily test to upkeep her pride and confidence against the leering judgement of the populous and high inner circle. Thankfully, some of her closest staff and advisors stayed with her, so that helped. But she felt their pain and homesickness too.

Damian found it oddly uncomfortable at first. He didn’t expect to feel so awkward and hyper aware of his new wife. He thought he’d barely notice her in his day to day, but he found himself quite vigilant about it. He learned he wanted to try and talk to her, get to know her, and maybe even become comfortable. But he had no fucking clue how to do that. The only things he’d learned about her since marrying was what kind of tea she liked and that she needed to meditate daily (which in the future he’d designate an entire chamber for her to meditate. Complete with a waterfall and everything lol)

I dunno some sort of event or moment happens that clicks between the two. They bond over something, maybe a book? Maybe Raven finds some of his drawings and finds them stunning? Maybe it’s a more raw moment where one of them finds the other upset and crying, and for some reason they find the courage to try and comfort the other.

But after that things suddenly snowball. They’re having dinner together every night. As Damian trains his elite guard at 5am, Raven will observe them, silently standing by her husband’s side. Damian will offer to meditate with her, and finds it to be quite an effective way to calm his mind. In court they will begin to slowly verbalize support for each other’s statements. Damian begins to learn about foreign magic from the books Raven suggests. Raven begins to learn combat because Damian thinks it would pair with her powers amazingly.

Damian teaches Raven about the animals they have, and their significance in his culture. She finds it so endearing how much he loves and cares for them.

It doesn’t happen overnight by any means, but the two end up learning almost everything about each other. They develop trust, respect and find companionship in one another.

Damian begins to stand up for her against the scorn and suspicion against her. He begins demanding she is shown respect and honor.

I’d say it’s a very slow burn and takes a year and a half or so for everything to fall into place. But at some point, they realize they are absolutely head over heels in love with each other. They become inseparable.

They even take a campaign to Azarath so Damian can be introduced to Raven’s home. He notices how relieved and excited she is to finally visit her homeland after so long.

#damirae rambles #damirae

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robertreich · 2 years

Video

youtube

The Secret to the GOP’s Assault on Your Rights

Democracy is not just under attack in America. In some states, it’s being lost.

Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once suggested that states could serve as laboratories of democracy, but these states are more like laboratories of autocracy.

Take Wisconsin. The GOP has so successfully rigged state elections through gerrymandering that even when Democrats get more votes, Republicans win more seats. In 2018, Republicans won just 45% of the vote statewide, but were awarded 64% of the seats.

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Btw, if you’d like my daily analyses, commentary, and drawings, please subscribe to my free newsletter: robertreich.substack.com

******

Wisconsin is one of several states where an anti-democracy movement has taken hold.

But it wasn’t always this way. In fact, Wisconsin pioneered the progressive era of American politics at the start of the twentieth century — with policies that empowered workers, protected the environment, and took on corporate monopolies. State lawmakers established the nation’s first unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and strict child labor laws.

Teddy Roosevelt called the state a “laboratory for wise … legislation aiming to secure the social and political betterment of the people as a whole.”

But for the last decade, Wisconsin has become a laboratory for legislation that does the exact opposite.

After Republicans took control in 2010, one of the first bills they passed gutted workers' rights by dismantling public-sector unions — which then decimated labor’s ability to support pro-worker candidates.

This move aligned with the interests of their corporate donors, who benefited from weaker unions and lower wages.

This new Wisconsin formula has been replicated elsewhere.

Republicans in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina won a minority of votes in 2018, but still won majorities in their state assemblies thanks to gerrymandering.

In Texas, Ohio, and Georgia, Republicans have crafted gerrymanders that are strong enough to create supermajorities capable of overturning a governor’s veto.

Even more alarming, hundreds of these Republican state legislators, “used the power of their office to discredit or try to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,” on behalf of Donald Trump.

How did this happen? Put simply: years of careful planning by corporate interest groups and their radical allies.

And the corporations enabling these takeovers aren't just influencing the law — their lobbyists are literally writing many of the bills that get passed.

This political alliance with corporate power has given these Republican legislatures free rein to pursue an extreme culture-war agenda — one that strips away rights that majorities of people support — while deflecting attention from their corporate patrons’ economic agendas.

Republicans are introducing bills that restrict or criminalize abortion. They’re banning teachers from discussing the history of racism in this country. They are making it harder to protest and easier to harm protestors. They are punishing trans people for receiving gender-affirming care and their doctors for providing it.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are still laboratories of democracy where true public servants are finding creative ways to defend the rights of us all.

Elected officials in Colorado and Vermont are codifying the right to abortion. California lawmakers have proposed making the state a refuge for transgender youth and their families. And workers across the country are reclaiming their right to organize, which is helping to rebuild an important counterweight to corporate power.

But winning will ultimately require a fifty state strategy — with a Democratic Senate willing to reform or end the filibuster to codify Roe v. Wade, protect voting rights, and protect the right to organize nationwide.

America needs a national pro-democracy movement to stop the anti-democracy movement now underway — a pro-democracy movement committed to helping candidates everywhere, including in state-level races.

This is where you come in. Volunteer for pro-democracy candidates — and if you don't have time, contribute to their campaigns.

This is not a battle of left vs. right. It is a battle between democracy and autocracy.

#roe v wade #roe #Supreme Court #states #Wisconsin #democracy #videos #video

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justseveralowls · 2 years

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A message from your friendly neighborhood Appalachian Latina:

Okay so today being the day that it is and me being the person I am I heave decided to talk about Appalachian heritage and culture vs what a bunch crappy people have tried to make it. This is all my experience not universal also some will be funny and totally fine to laugh at.

Im starting on the more serious note here because I feel these things really need to be addresed and as a Appalachian woman of color I often have felt that people dont think that both parts of this identity are compatible.

Things that are not Appalachian:

- Being racist

-being xneophobic

-Being homophobic or transphobic

-Flying a confederate flag (most of Appalachia was border states if not fighting for the Union side)

-Drinking shitty beer

- Licking the boots of cops and corporations

- being against higher education

- being an anti vaxxer

- glorifying the coal industry and the lives it has cost and is still costing

- hatred towards indeginous people

-Supporting a toxic or abusive family dynamic

-denying woman human rights

- shaming poor people

-Intentionally making your truck stupidly loud

-Union busting, and being against care and support for the disabled and elderly

-Poaching (Appalachian people value our resources and nature) WE hunt to eat not just to kill or destroy

Moving onto some lighter stuff, now these are some of things I love about being Appalachian and part of this culture and community.

Things that are actually Appalachian:

-Running from cops (seriously its like a whole ass thing)

-Fighting for Unions and Workers rights (The actual origin of Redneck, that term is not for racist fuck heads, it originated from red bandanas worn for Pro-union rights

-Being completely and terrifyingly unphased by coyotes

-Making your liquor

-Ignoring the screaming in the woods because that aint your problem

-Folk magic and traditions and superstitions rooted in Paganism and some indigenous magic

-Being part of the underground railroad (The appalachians made a ton of safe houses and protections pre and post civil war for people fleeing the south)

-Hunting to control Deer population and for food

-Knowledge of homesteading, useful herbs, and homeopathic remedies

-Strong sense of community and family

-Ignoring whatever is moving in the corn feild because you arent a white guy in a horror movie

-Women forming safe houses from abusive husbands or from other types of danger

-Valuing and appreciating the land and the connection we have with it

-Fist fighting God in a coal mine

-Weird ass folk tales and cryptids (see MothMan)

-Not letting your commuity go hungry

-caring for the old sick and vulnerable not out of pity but out of compassion and respect

-Fighting for your rights and the rights of others

-Resilience and strength in times of adversity

-Knowing at least on person who’s grandmother was some kind of witch with psychic abilities

-Knowing when the woods is silent something is wrong

-Screaming back at screech owls to assert dominance

-verbal history

-vibrant stories and music

These are my experiences as an Appalachian woman of color who loves both parts of her heritage and desperate wants to discourage the narrative that Appalachian people are rude prejudiced and uneducted. We are a resilient and loving people, we are full of stories traditions and a melting together of the new and old worlds. We are people with a murky history, yes, but we are full of acceptance love and strength.

To all my fellow Appalachians who hear these mixed narratives, know that we are the authors of our story. TO all my fellow people of color know that this mountainous region is not built exclusively on hate. Know that you belong, that your cultures are valid and that progress is not about rejecting your culture but about adaption to embrace new perspectives and beginning new stories

#appalachia #appalachain mountains #appalachian #appalachian witch #appalacian poc #liberal appalachian #appalachian history #mine #latina and proud #latina appalachian #indeginouslivesmatter #indigenous appalachian #progress #reclaiming the narrative

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astriiformes · 1 year

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Minnesota is surprisingly left for a red state are they akso pro choice too

I definitely wouldn't describe Minnesota as a red state! I know people make the assumption sometimes given what much of the rest of the Midwest is like (including many of our immediate neighbors -- although I'd be remiss not to point out the many people striving to make it otherwise in all of them, particularly some of the hard-fought battles being slowly won in Wisconsin -- you go guys, and I know you can do it). But MN has other cultural influences like a long solid labor history and a large immigrant population that mean it's actually been a Democratic stronghold for a long time. We have the longest streak of voting blue in presidential elections of any state in the US!

Things do get much redder as you leave the Twin Cities metro area, though that's really the trend in any state. But for perspective, over half the state's population lives in the metro, so when you take into account that there are at least a few other blue clusters in the state (Duluth, a Great Lakes shipping town on Lake Superior with a long labor union history and that currently has a nonbinary representative in the MN House comes to mind!), we really are more of a blue state, or at least a very blueish-purple one. Right now our state Democrats (the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party) control the House, Senate, and Governor's office, which is the reason they've been getting so much good legislation passed. And while our national House reps are split half and half (though some of our Democratic reps are particularly progressive) both our Senators are Democrats.

I wouldn't oversell how blue we are, there are certain parts of state politics that are narrower and go back and forth a bit more than in some of the really "safe" blue states. But at the same time, after living here for a while, I really do think the flip side of that is that our Democratic politicians are somewhat more genuine about what they do, which ends up balancing certain things out. Hence the current legislative session where they're pushing through everything they can in remarkably quick succession!

To answer your question though -- yes, Minnesota is also a pretty pro-choice state. Our state House recently passed a bill that would limit the release of reproductive healthcare information, essentially protecting people from other states who come here for reproductive care. The bill is expected to pass in the Senate and be signed by the governor as well. Our governor and lieutenant governor have both been fairly outspoken about protecting reproductive and abortion rights in the state. Earlier this year the governer also signed into law the Protecting Reproductive Options (PRO) Act to explicitly protect and codify abortion rights here.

I hope some of that's useful information! Minnesota politics are definitely not what I expected when I moved here -- in my time living in the state I've had the opportunity to vote for one of the most progressive reps in the US Congress (Ilhan Omar) and been consistently impressed by how seriously our state takes things like voting rights and state welfare programs. There's a lot of really incredible political activism happening here and it's moving to be a part of -- especially since I know we're becoming even more of an important sanctuary state for people from other places in the Midwest. The northern Great Lakes states (thinking about MN, WI, and MI in particular) are all sort of interesting beasts politically and I'm grateful to have learned more about some of the strong Democratic and labor history in the region in my time here.

Ending with a terrible joke, but -- we have over 10,000 lakes, of course we're blue!

#the 'minnesota has 10000 lakes is actually an understatement. minnesota has over 10000 lakes' thing really gets me #living here has made me far more pro-minnesota than i ever expected to be though #i definitely also had an incorrect perception of the political complexity of the midwest before i moved here #i'm glad to have had it remedied -- it gives me a lot of hope!#land of eldritch lakes

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rajafatema · 2 months

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The Ladakh Protest: The 21-day Hunger Strike led by Sonam Wangchuk

Ladakh, famously known as “Mars on Earth”, is the perfect destination where the mind slows down and the soul finds its path.

It is the northeastern Union territory of India, known for its highest mountain ranges, mesmerizing landscapes, beautiful deep valleys, crystal clear blue lakes, diverse wildlife, highest motorable mountain roads, Buddhist heritage, and the overall picturesque beauty of the place.

Ladakh: A union territory without legislature

Ladakh, which was a part of Jammu and Kashmir since 1847, was separated from Indian-administered Kashmir in 2019 and was reconstituted as a Union territory on October 31, 2019.

People of Ladakh have constantly demanded separate territory since the 1930s due to the unfair treatment of Kashmir and the prevailing cultural differences between people of Kashmir and Ladakh.

The formation of Ladakh as a separate Union territory was widely celebrated. Still, people were disappointed because it was made a UT without a legislative assembly and would have a lieutenant governor, while Jammu and Kashmir had a legislature.

What does it mean to have no legislature in Ladakh?

Unlike J&K, Ladakh cannot elect its own representative.

Ladakh will be ruled directly by the central government through a lieutenant governor as an administrator.

The President of India has the power to form rules and regulations for Ladakh, according to Article 240.

Sonam Wangchuk following his Father’s footsteps

Sonam Wangyal was born in 1925 in a small village in the Leh district of Ladakh. He worked his entire life for the rights of the people of Ladakh. He had strong secular beliefs.

He was appointed as the MLC of Jammu and Kashmir from 1957–1967 and as the MLA from 1967–1972, due to his selfless service toward the people of Ladakh.

Wangyal was also an active member in the campaign for ST status for Ladakhis, which was carried out between 1982 and 1984.

In 1984, on his five-day hunger strike, the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, visited Leh and requested Wangyal to withdraw from the strike with the promise of granting the status of ST to the people of Ladakh.

Following his father’s strong morals and values and showcasing his devotion to the land and people of Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk, a nature activist, engineer, innovator, and educationalist, began a “climate fast for 21 days” on March 6, 2024.

Why are they protesting?

The primary goal behind the protest is to raise awareness about the fragile ecosystem of Ladakh endangered by the growing industrial and developmental projects approved in New Delhi without consent, a threat posed as a result of having no legislative assembly in the Union territory of Ladakh.

The residents of Ladakh have two key demands:

Full-fledged statehood for Ladakh: the residents have demanded to elevate Ladakh’s status as a Union territory to a full-fledged state. This would enable Ladakh to have its own government and the right to form its own rules and regulations in favor of the land and people of the territory.

Integration of Ladakh in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution: The 6th Schedule aims to protect areas with tribal and indigenous populations. By including Ladakh in the 6th schedule, it would allow the state to establish autonomous districts and regional councils.

These elected bodies will have the power to administer and protect the tribal regions of the area. It would give the Ladakhis more control over water management, land use, and cultural preservation.

What is the government’s response to the ongoing protest?

Unlike the response and action taken upon the hunger strike carried out by Wangchuk’s father, the present-day government is MIA.

The current government seems unbothered by the demands and protests in Ladakh, just the way it is, and the deteriorating situation in Manipur.

The pioneers of the movement and every other active citizen in and out of Ladakh are furious about the inaction of the government and the PM, who knowingly promised in his 2019 manifesto of Lok Sabha, that Ladakh will be incorporated into the 6th schedule of the constitution. But apparently, they failed to honor their promises.

Lack of media coverage:

The lack of media coverage is infuriating for the people of Ladakh and the active citizens of India.

Although the independent media and journalists who are physically present in the ongoing protests do cover the news for the country, But it is disappointing to witness the lack of coverage by mainstream media and the big houses.

The scarcity of coverage of this major issue conceals the truth from the nation. The nation wants to know more about the concerns and affairs of the territory. Unless there is some news from the local media houses, the lack of coverage by the recognized media houses keeps the common man from knowing what is really happening there.

The current news on the Ladakh protest:

According to the current news,

Wangchuk survived solely on water and salt during the 21-day hunger strike (inspired by Gandhiji), which lasted from March 6th to March 26th.

In his speech, he talked about the “21-day fast"—that 21 days was the longest fast that Gandhiji kept during the independence movement.

Wangchuk states that the 21-day fast is over, but the protest will still continue. They will only rest when the government agrees to fulfill their demands.

Wangchuk said, “After me, women will begin a 10-day fast tomorrow. This will be followed by youth and Buddhist monks. Then it could be women, or I could come back. This cycle will go on.”

After ending his 21-day fast, Wangchuk stated “We will continue our struggle (in support of our demands). The gathering of 10,000 people at the venue and the participation of over 60,000 others over the past 20 days is a testimony of the people's aspirations.”

Conclusion:

All things considered, Ladakh, the "Land of High Passes," stands at a crossroads. While the echoes of their protests might fade from national headlines, the Ladakhi people's yearning for a brighter future persists. Whether they find resolution in the sixth schedule status or the full-throated roar of statehood, one thing is certain: Ladakh's story is far from over.

#ladakh #india #saveourplanet #sonam wangchuk

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aggravateddurian · 2 months

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WIP Whenever

I was tagged by @dreamskug. Thank you.

The Elephant in the Room

Yes, I am currently on hiatus. I have too much on my plate at the moment and I'm dealing with many personal issues, related to work, mostly. I will likely return, or I might break my hiatus with a monthly update, just so people know I'm still kicking around.

Queen of the Sky - God Save the King!

I recently received these artworks of some characters from my upcoming novel, Queen of the Sky.

From left to right:

Chancellor Elizabeth Caldwell, Federal Chancellor of Atlantia

HM King Philip IV of Borelia

HM Queen Eleanor of Borelia

All three of these characters were drawn by the lovely https://twitter.com/AdonaSmith on the bird website.

These characters will be subject to the first Federal Atlantean Secret Intelligence Service (FASIS) briefings, which will come out in the near future.

Freerunners - A Family Among the Stars

An aspect of my original Freerunners science fiction universe I've grown particularly fond of aren't the governments, but the groups of people 'just trying to survive.' It is the tagline of the Freerunners universe after all, it's a post-cyberpunk future where humanity gave up on their interstellar dreams and did geopolitics in space instead.

I've done a lot of updates to the worldbuilding. See below the cut

Freerunners

For some, Freerunners are trouble, for others they’re saviours, and for the powers that be, they’re a wild card. Explorers, smugglers, bounty hunters and mercs with a heart of gold alike can call themselves Freerunners. They operate outside the bounds of the Colonial Powers, either pushing the limits of human knowledge and engaging in scientific endeavour, scouting, and surveying new lands for potential colonisation, pursuing interstellar criminals or in some cases, doing the dirty work for some corp or interstellar criminal. It all depends on the profession of a Freerunner, and how moral (or immoral) they are. Freerunners are tolerated by some Colonial Powers but are also sometimes the targets of these same powers, especially if they engage in illegal activities like smuggling or mercenary work for the wrong customer. Corporations sometimes use them to move things around beneath the notice of those who would use these things to damage their reputations, or they might be hunting them as threats to the bottom line. Freerunners are often found in the frontier. They often aid in defending colonists and spacers, far from the protective umbrella of the colonial powers’ navies or space forces from Star Rakers and other threats.

Spacers

Spacers are without a doubt the new spaceborne working class of the Earth Colonies. They are the miners, space station crews, maintenance workers, cargo ship crews, zero-g workers and do all the dangerous jobs ‘gravlegs’ either ignore or take for granted. Spacers work thankless jobs, often for low pay, with harsh conditions and often, overbearing corporate control, or a government that either endorses their predicament, or is too spineless to stop it. Spacers often group themselves into Unions or Guilds, and have developed unique dialects, slang and cultural traditions. Often, Spacers and Star Nomads have shared dialects and slang from osmosis, as the two spacefaring groups often work alongside or with each other. Conditions for spacers vary wildly between the Colonial Powers. For spacers working in the Aurigan Commonwealth, they enjoy strong worker protections and extensive government oversight of their corporate masters, as well as strong unions. In places like the Confederation of Free Settlements, a nation that is well known for its Corp Worlds, Spacers often resort to militant activity to express their frustration, such as sabotage or strikes. Not all Spacers live under the yoke of the corporations, or even in the Earth Colonies. Some live in the Frontier, which is often beyond the control of the Colonial Powers, and so remote that the corporations have little financial incentive to expand that way. Here, Spacers are at the peak of their liberation and power, with organisations like the Frontier Spacers’ Union being well-known for managing the myriad space stations in the Frontier with strong workplace democracy and unionisation efforts.

Star Nomads

Star Nomad, sometimes known as ‘Starmad(s)’, is a generic term referring to people who are born and live in space. They move in huge convoys, reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica, between stars, making a living by moving freight, or working for mining corps, or in some cases, by illegal means such as smuggling, piracy or mercenary work. Star Nomads are self-reliant, technically minded, and ingenious. Star Nomads have, what they like to call ‘smek’ (a corruption of the Russian-language word ‘smekalka’, meaning ‘savvy’), a unique talent for improvisation, self-reliance and ingenuity that only being born into the Starmad lifestyle can grant. Starmads are loyal to their crew and their convoy. Crews function as a kind of family but are also analogous to a province within a nation. A convoy is basically a mobile country. Each convoy has a unique name, colours, culture, and heritage. Their ships are as diverse as the stars themselves, often smekked together due to their age, or because of a lack of repair facilities. Some wealthier Starmad convoys own space stations along popular jump routes, acting like deep space truck stops. These stations are deep space fuel depots, rest stops, repair docks and trading posts, and only make their parent convoy wealthier. Starmads who run these stations are known as ‘shashies’ and, depending on the culture of the convoy, treated with anything from kinship to derision. For some, Starmads are little more than organised Star Rakers. There is, however, a significant difference between Starmads and Rakers. The average Starmad is a law-abiding citizen who is trying to work to feed their families, their crews, and their convoys. As a group, they rarely resort to violent action, and they rarely commit crimes. However, their nomadic nature leads them to being treated with disdain by most of the colonies.

Star Rakers

Space pirates, shipjackers, raiders, scavengers and ne’er-do-wells of every sort, Star Rakers, or simply ‘Rakers’, are the unsavoury underbelly of deep space. The scourge of the Earth Colonies, Star Rakers are widely derided due to their reputation for wanton rape, pillage, and murder, like a bunch of Dark Age marauders. Star Rakers are about the only thing the colonial powers agree on, and that is that Rakers are ‘hostis humani generis’ (literally: enemies of mankind) and are liable to be shot on sight without repercussions. Many Rakers are former Star Nomads, exiled from their convoys for heinous acts that aren’t worthy of an immediate bullet to the head, or simply managed to evade justice. Star Rakers are a loose and diverse group, some see themselves as gentlemen pirates following Cruiser Rules, but in space. Others are dyed in the wool psychopaths who fight for the pleasure of killing, and others turn to this life as a result of the material conditions and economic realities that motivate Star Rakers, particularly the piratic, shipjacking and scavenging sorts.

Final thoughts

My monthly updates will be a combination of Cyberpunk VP, the monthly Airfleet Universe update, and a look into Freerunners.

My longer term wish list is to go back to regular posting. At this stage, there are no firm plans.

I'd like to tag @streetkid-named-desire @medtech-mara @luvwich. No pressure to participate, of course.

Thanks everyone.

#blog update #durian's thoughts #durian writes original fiction #airfleet universe #airfleet: queen of the sky #freerunners universe #wip whenever

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relax-and-read-on · 2 years

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Why are guilliman and fulgrim not friends in the lore. Fulgrim is obsessed with perfection and gulliman efficiency. Those two things would probably go together very well and fulgrim would adore macragges government and gulliman would enjoy helping make fulgrim's legion more effective. They should be friends!

They SHOULD!!!

Imo, Fulgrim should have been shown as one of the most social primarch. Here, just for you friend, a list of Fulgrim's relation with each other primarchs!

Ferrus: That's his lover. Soulmate. Best friend and boyfriend and his better half. His feeling for him are so strong, he would die for him. Or kill him.

Roboute: they get along VERY well! Roboute does tease him about his indulgence of form over function, and Fulgrim bite back and say that Ultramarine blue is so out of fashion.

Jaghatai: they don't like each others. It's just... Their own personal cultures clash horribly, and what they find value is considered a flaw by the other. They will never be able to get along.

Corvus: It took them time to find common ground, since at first they seemed like complete opposite... Until someone mentioned union in their presence. They LOVE getting drunk and screaming about politics and worker right. They also realise that they both are not so cis, and love makeup. Besty before aesthetics.

Mortarion: the utilitarian nature of his legion drive him insane, where is the SPECTACLE of it all?!? Grumble a lot when around Morty, but his lowkey impressed with his plant/bug collection.

Lorgar: If there was ever a target for merciless bullying... It's Lorgar. He will tease and criticize every aspect of him, and can be quite unkind to him.

Leman: He can hang with Leman... One evening at the time. He's fun and flirty and joking, but also, fuck does shit goes up to eleven when he's around???

Konrad: Oh Konrad. He love his broken, baby brother, almost in a parental way. He's a bit more protective of him than he should be, and wants nothing more than to see him happy.

Angron: AVOID. Legit cannot deal with Angron, think the poor bastard should have been put down instead of dragged along like a rabid animal.

Lion: He.... Does not trust Lion. He appreciate the Aesthetic (tm), but his character... There is an edge there, that he does not like nor understand. He avoid him, if he can help it.

Vulkan: Forever delightfully confused by him. He's so sweet and kind, he lowkey wants to bully his ass. He's Ferrus BFF too, so he make a POINT to get along with him.

Rogal: No one exactly know how or why, but they ARE close to one another. They will also loudly argue for no apparent reasons on very obscure subjects. There is still a high degree of affection and trust between them.

Magnus: They get along pretty well! They both love culture and have an appreciation for the finner things in life... But Magnus is still a nerd and as such, deserve occasional bullying.

Perturabo: They have this... Complicated relationship. Pert is attracted to Fulgrim, more than just physically. Fulgrim see a bit too much of Ferrus in this brother. It's dangerous, those two. They are like a ticking time bomb, ready to destroy each others emotions.

Horus: They did spend years together, and they are VERY close... But they also bring the worst out of each others. They enable their worst traits, and they will excuse each others. A bad mix.

Sanguinius: they LOVE one another. They can relax and chit chat and let the pretty boy persona fall when together, they probably are true best friend.

Alpharius Omegon: DOES NOT LIKE. A bunch of fucking troll with no individuality. He try to avoid them at all cost.

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mariacallous · 10 months

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The Full Story: A monthly column published by Foreign Policy and reported by journalists at The Fuller Project, a global newsroom that catalyzes positive change for women.

On April 15, Fahima Hashim awoke to the sound of her nephew shouting her name. “The war has started!” he yelled. Her family hunkered down in their Khartoum home, hoping the conflict between two warring factions of Sudan’s military would be short-lived, and they’d be able to wait it out.

“I didn’t sleep at night,” Hashim recalled. “I’d sleep when everyone woke up, because I wanted to protect them from anything [that might happen] in their sleep.”

After 14 days, supplies started to run low, and Hashim decided they needed to flee. It wasn’t the first time.

In 2014, Sudan’s military dictator Omar al-Bashir accused Hashim of destroying the fabric of Sudanese society because of her work as the founder of Salmmah Women’s Resource Center, a group that documented violence against women and fought for reforms to Sudan’s legal system. She escaped to Canada and built a new life for herself and her daughter. When al-Bashir fell from power five years later, she thought it would finally be safe to return.

Women like Hashim were at the forefront of a grassroots movement to topple al-Bashir—one of the revolution’s most iconic images was of a young woman named Alaa Salah standing atop a car in front of army headquarters with her finger raised in fierce protest. These women had hoped al-Bashir’s downfall would earn them equal rights and freedoms alongside men at last. Instead, the transitional government—led by fundamentalist military commanders who had served under al-Bashir—sidelined women, continued to emphasize the primacy of Islamic law, and supported a coup in 2021.

Far from securing equality and a seat at the negotiating table, Sudanese women continued to be targeted with sexual violence, systemic exclusion from the political sphere, and imposition of strict dress codes.

“After the revolution, whenever women talked about representation or participation or [the need] to include women’s rights … [male politicians] just said ‘this is actually not the right time’ and ‘these women are so annoying,’” said 31-year-old activist Lina Marwan, who was arrested in January 2019 alongside 86 other young women during intense protests against the al-Bashir administration.

Despite the backslide, women such as Marwan and Hashim refuse to give up. They continue to coalesce in online spaces, leading emergency relief efforts, organizing health care, and helping women and children to flee the country. They’re still fighting for what they’ve demanded for nearly a century: a meaningful seat at the peace talks and a significant role in the governance of a new Sudan.

Sudan has a rich history of strong women’s rights movements that stretches back to the 19th century. The formation of the Sudanese Women’s Union in the 1950s marked a critical moment as women took up the cause of independence from British colonial rule. In 2018-19, their momentous protests against al-Bashir in front of the Army Central Command led to them being called Kandakat after powerful historical queens.

“You could hear in the cell [that] the girls are talking and chatting,” said Marwan about her time in prison during that period. “The girls are beautiful and very strong and have a very revolutionary spirit, and they made a lot of joy inside this dark, lifeless place.”

But Sudanese leaders have always attacked values they deemed antithetical to Islam and Sudanese culture. Sudan’s first dictator, Ibrahim Abboud, banned the Sudanese Women’s Union in 1958. In the 1980s, Jaafar Muhammad Nimeiry’s military dictatorship imposed Islamic law on the country, removing a ban on female genital mutilation in the process. Al-Bashir came to power in 1989 on the back of a military-led Islamization project that institutionalized discriminatory anti-women policies, such as stoning and flogging for women who wore pants or refused to cover their hair.

“The women’s movement has always been a target for dictators. And that shows you how strong the women’s movement was,” said Quscondy Abdulshafi, an advisor at Freedom House, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

When al-Bashir fell, Sudanese women saw a wide range of possibilities open up in front of them. Sudan’s new Constitutional Declaration contained strong language about the role of women and a 40 percent quota requirement for women’s participation in parliament. Religion was separated from the state, and al-Bashir’s public order act was repealed—reflecting the hopeful nature of that moment for women.

But the promise was short-lived. The military-led transitional government soon revealed that it had not strayed far from the conservative Islamic ideology of al-Bashir’s regime. On reviewing civil society proposals for a new democratic government, the 10-member military council expressed a key reservation: “The declaration failed to mention the sources of legislation, and the Islamic Sharia law and tradition should be the source of legislation,” Lt. Gen. Shamseddine Kabbashi, a spokesman for the military council, told reporters at a press conference.

Following the 2021 coup, the military leaders dissolved the ruling body instituted by the Constitution Declaration and declared a state of emergency. Then, they turned on themselves. In April, civil war broke up between two rival generals. The transitional government had included the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary unit that faces several accusations of mass rape; this group is now at the forefront of the civil war.

Today, women are experiencing widespread gender-based violence, sexual assault, and rape; pregnant women are struggling to give birth as the health care system crumbles; and women and children make up the majority of the refugee population fleeing across Sudan’s borders.

Since the outbreak of civil war, Sudan’s women’s movement has morphed from fighting for rights to fighting for lives. Women have become key providers of support services and emergency relief.

“Women from civil society all around Sudan, they have a WhatsApp group called Women for Peace,” Marwan said. The group is providing health care for displaced pregnant women and distributing hygiene kits for women and girls.

They’re providing some services for men, but the focus is on women. “Because throughout environmental disasters or anything that’s broken out in Sudan, men started to see women’s needs as secondary,” Marwan explained.

Other groups include Sudanese women doctors based abroad who participate in WhatsApp clinics, providing telemedicine services. Some, such as Sara Abdelgalil, a National Health Service physician in the United Kingdom, are also coordinating with organizations on the ground to provide online training for Sudanese medical students who still have access to the internet.

Meanwhile, from Canada, Hashim is helping high-profile activists escape the country. She’s organizing paperwork and visas with the support of women’s rights organizations, raising money for the harrowing bus journey from Sudan into Egypt, and securing funds to support women with rent and food for at least three months as they settle into their new lives.

Hashim is also engaged with a WhatsApp group called Women Against the War, which supports Sudanese resistance committees.

Foreign-policy experts such as Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, the executive director of the International Civil Society Action Network, a women, peace, and security organization, say research shows that the presence of women can make a massive difference in peacebuilding. Including women as negotiators, mediators, and signatories increases the likelihood of an agreement lasting at least two years by 20 percent, and the likelihood of it lasting at least 15 years by 35 percent.

“[Women] are bringing a very stark human lens into these political power discussions,” Anderlini said. “The women are going to be asking, ‘does your cease-fire include stopping rape? Does it include getting the RSF soldiers out of people’s homes? Stopping the looting? What are the elements of the cease-fire?”

Hashim wants to take it a step further: She believes that a new Sudan will rise only if women take control of the country. She says the women’s movement has already developed its own policies on climate change, health, and reproductive rights. They were working out their preferred educational policies when the war broke out.

“Enough is enough,” Hashim said. “I think men have destroyed Sudan. What has the army done? The war in South Sudan. The war in Darfur. It’s been 67 years since independence, and those men haven’t done anything [for] Sudan. They made it worse.”

“I think we should make a shadow government with all our ministers,” she said. “It can only be done by women, by feminists.”

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msmargaretmurry · 1 year

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☕️ the nhlpa

ok here's the thing about the nhlpa. it is good that the players have a union. athletes are workers and need to be able to collectively bargain to at the very least prevent owners from commoditizing them beyond the point of humanity.

however. another function of the nhlpa is to represent players when they have done or are accused of doing a bad thing to ensure the league's punishment is "fair." this is a normal union thing to do and i understand that it is overall bad to draw lines around who "deserves" that kind of representation but it still kinda sucks to witness when they go to bat to ease or erase the burden on men who have done shitty things, especially because the overwhelming message often comes out being something like "doing shitty things is fine as long as you're good at hockey so don't worry we'll protect you."

i wish the nhlpa, as an organization of collective action meant to represent players' best interests, cared more about creating a better environment and experience for players by actively addressing racism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia, etc, in hockey culture, and that they were sincerely committed to DEI efforts, because they are not.

also this is totally just speculation but i don't think a lot of players are super invested in the nhlpa except when cba szn comes around. every team has an nhlpa rep but less than half of them have a designated alternate rep. i want them to be more involved and vocal about it and set a strong example for younger players, and i want them to throw their weight behind things like the constantly failing efforts to unionize the chl or the rights of ncaa student-athletes, because the exploitation of adults is bad but the exploitation of children is worse and it's stupid that they haven't helped there.

#ask #apparently it's labor rights o'clock on tumblr dot com #the osha violations are off the charts #<- a pre-existing tag that i think was on a star wars post but it works here too #hockey for ts

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geemosses · 1 year

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Stressed

I'm so stressed. And it's like, all the time. I don't know what to do about it anymore. I used to be better at managing it. But right now it just feels overwhelming. Maybe I just need to vent, so I guess I'll write about it. That's something haven't tried before.

A lot of it has to do with my job. I work as a Software Engineer at Amazon. They recently announced a "Return to Office" (RTO) mandate, along with multiple rounds of layoffs. Everyone has to go back to the office 3 days per week. The justifications they provided are weak, and everyone knows it. Some nonsense about absorbing company culture and easier collaboration. Never mind the fact that we've all been "collaborating" just fine, doing our jobs well enough for the last 3 years while the vast majority of Amazon's corporate employees work from home. And never mind the fact that Amazon is still in a very strong position financially.

The empty words are what really piss me off. As if we're all too dumb to understand what's really happening here. Amazon, like many tech companies, hire lots of people during the pandemic, expecting endlessly cheap money to fund endless growth. Now that all of that has fallen apart, Amazon wants to cut down the work force, aka balance the bottom-line. But they can't ruin their carefully crafted image in the public by laying off massive numbers of employees.

So instead, they make working at Amazon intolerable, in the hopes that people will leave voluntarily. It's short-sighted if you ask me. The ones that will be the first to jump off this sinking ship will be the ones with the most options. I, for example, have worked at Amazon for 7 years and have been promoted to Senior Engineer in that time. I'm by no means the most talented engineer Amazon has to offer, but I'm still certain that if I leave, it will hurt.

Through it all, one word keeps coming to my mind: Unionize. How much better would life be at Amazon if I were part of a union? Individually, I have no power to change anything about Amazon. But collectively, Amazon employees would wield immense power. We could demand the flexibility to continue to work from home. We could demand more transparency into compensation packages and work towards greater pay equity for women and people of color. We could demand better treatment and working conditions of our workers in fulfillment centers. We could negotiate for better benefits. We could demand a voice at the table - on the board or on the 'S-Team'. We could demand better justification and transparency for pushing through mass layoffs even while the company remains profitable, and push back when their words turn out to be as empty as they have been this past year.

For the last decade, high demand gave tech workers so much power., but if the last year has made one thing abundantly clear, it's that all of us are vulnerable. It doesn't matter what nice words they write to try and make it sound less painful, to try and make you think they had no choice. The truth is, you don't really matter to them. You can be reduced to nothing more than a line item on a spreadsheet, just waiting to be crossed out when investors come calling for bigger pay days. Through all of that, only one entity has the power to fight back and protect employees: a Union.

Even as I write this though, I fear retaliation. I fear that Amazon will be able to link this post back to me and find a way to cut me like they have so many others in the past, for daring to even think the word union. Funny how a company can wield fear so effectively, barely even saying a word.

#stressed #layoffs #tech

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gay-jewish-bucky · 2 years

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as someone who grew up in theatre in a country with incredibly strong union protections for all people working in film, television and theatre (both on screen/stage and behind the scenes) seeing people who have never once seen performers and crew as the skilled labour they are, laud marvel for the inhuman way they treat the people who make them their money because it "prevents spoilers" (as if marvel aren't the ones responsible for those leaks) is honestly horrifying that anti-spoiler culture is so deeply indoctrinated into people that even though this treatment, not only leads to a worse final product because no one has the information they need to actually give a shoot their all, but that is has convinced people that the rights and living conditions of the people who provide their entertainment don't matter at all if it means that they get the "purest" viewing experience, it doesn't matter what the actors and members of a production have worked for them have faced, the horror stories they've shared, they aren't people to marvel studios or a majority of the fans, they're just a product to consume and a product doesn't have feelings.

#sorry i just #actually im not sorry #it's fucking out of control #and i hate it so fucking much #a rant #personcole

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insomniac-jay · 2 years

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American Heroics: Part 2

This time we'll be talking about American hero culture, and the two major organizations.

Part 1

Hero Culture in America

Heroism is very popular in America and a lot of money goes into it, especially among the majority Quirkless population. A published study revealed that heroics is the top profession among the population with Quirks.

With that in mind, in the beginning the hero culture was mainly focused around things like community, creative freedom, and rejecting corporate influences. This, in turn, pissed off the corporations who wanted to profit off the rising heroes.

Some lobbying politicians and conservative nonsense later, soon heroes were going to be required to be corporate friendly when a new law was introduced. Obviously they didn't react well to this and threatened to quit alongside mass protest. This lead to the creation of the American Heroes Union.

The protest was successful and the law was not passed. Bitter at their loss, the corporations basically declared war on heroes. But that's a whole other bout of history I don't want to get into.

Fast forward to the beginning of modern times. With the extra emphasis on the celebrity part of being a hero, most heroes have adopted secondary careers to help with that. They also used their secondary careers to boost their hero ones a la Moonlight Heroes. It was still free from corporate greed, but things were about to change for the worse.

The American Heroes Association's rise brought about many drastic and permanent changes to the landscape such as requirement of a sponsor(s), strict branding, and worst of all: corporate and public (but mostly corporate) approval.

Because of this, it has led to long tensions between the AHA, the AHU, and heroes as a whole.

American Heroes Association & American Heroes Union

The American Heroes Union is one of the two major hero organizations in America and is the official union for heroes of both the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. While not perfect, they're slightly above decent and much better than AHA; especially because they were actually founded by heroes. They protect the rights of heroes such as paid maternity leave, fair wages, and more.

Any company who wants to sponsor a hero in any of the three countries will have to go through them and their approval system.

Most heroes operating in the three countries are signed under the AHU and actually treat the heroes as people and not as commodities.

It's "sister" organization, American Heroes Association, cannot receive the same praise however. Think of Japan's Hero Public Safety Commission but 10× worse. Not only were they the ones responsible for the corporatism of American heroics but their founders were the ones trying to make heroics corporate. But it doesn't just end there.

Much like the HPSC, AHA secretly recruits children with particularly strong Quirks and basically trains them from child soldiers to adult grooming victims. Other shady stuff they've done includes greenlighting the use of genetic engineering of Dr. Loiva Reyes-Cruz's Superheroes project that they stole from her, kidnapping or straight up murdering the families of children who refused to sign with them, and more.

@floof-ghostie @calciumcryptid @s0ursop @pizzolisnacks @opalofoctober @peachyblkdemonslayer @elflynns-horde-of-stuff

#jay's worldbuilding

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