Brian Beach @bwbeach@qoto.org

Our movement will always support the right to non-violent protest, a fundamental tactic in our ongoing efforts to defend democracy against authoritarian, anti-democratic forces who wish to erode our basic rights. We continue to reject antisemitic, anti-Palestinian or Islamophobic language & actions — whether at these protests or elsewhere. And we continue to call for a ceasefire that will free the hostages, end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza & secure durable peace for Israelis and Palestinians.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, co-chair of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, has once again proposed a National Day of Reason resolution as a counter to the National Day of Prayer. The resolution celebrates Saturday, May 4, 2024, as a National Day of Reason and urges Americans to focus on the importance of reason, critical thought, the scientific method and free inquiry to resolve problems rather than turning to religion.

(The House will not approve this, but let's do it anyway) #FFRF #atheism

Fedi-friends: if you get value from the fediverse, please consider donating to support your instance. Most instances are completely volunteer run and funded via donations. Some instances charge a fee to have an account, and that model likely works well. I, and many others, believe that it’s important for people who may not be able to afford it to have a social connection.

If you are able to, and not already doing so, I ask you to please consider supporting your instance. I am extremely fortunate to have generous members, however not instances are so fortunate, so here I am, asking on their behalf.

I appreciate all of you and hope you have a great week.

I am editing a book for someone and, while it is my job to clean this up, I would like to take a moment to step outside this immediate task and IMPLORE everyone this might apply to to stop using apostrophes to indicate plurality. Thank you in advance.

Oh nice, now we’re having the “what kind of activism is effective?” conversation. And the “is it better to work for change from the inside, or march in the streets and get injuried?” question.

For some reason that topic always fascinates me. It’s ALWAYS timely.

My answer, after decades of observation across several spheres, is both. Do what you can from wherever you are. Do what you feel most called to do. Do whatever your talents and skills are best suited for. Grow where you’re planted. Even at a street march there are many roles to fill. These efforts require every effort.

#StudentSpring #TV #GreysAnatomy

I really want to see a court challenge to the idea that fundraising bail is illegal, and I want it tied to all the ways powerful people do exactly the same thing, but behind closed doors and with the shield of, y'know, money.

Hey, American college students, it would be helpful for the U.S., the world, Palestinians, and Israelis if you would turn your attention to defeating Donald Trump in November. Read about his fascist plans in this recent extended interview with him. https://time.com/6972021/donald-trump-2024-election-interview/

Among the ads for Sunday’s sale
I find a postcard in the mail
With soul-inspiring scenery.
It’s clearly been inscribed to me,
But who it’s from I cannot guess—
No signature, return address,
No salutation or a “dear,”
Simply the words: Wish you were here.

#poem #poetrycommunity #poetry #NationalPoetryMonth #napowrimo2024 #NaPoWriMo #GlobalPoetryMonth #GloPoWriMo

On the subject of Trump’s dementia, the press remains tongue-tied. Fortunately, Doonesbury’s veteran psychologist is here to help. He brings receipts.

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2024/04/28

You must not say
that nothing has been learned
from the current pandemic
after all, at 33 dairy farms
only 23 people have been tested
for avian influenza
which clearly demonstrates
that from the current pandemic
we have learned
that if you don’t look for it
you won’t find it.

@trainman
How do we get 2 evils here? Biden has changed the course of US history for the good, establishing initiatives fighting climate change (my #1 issue), rebooting manufacturing in America that support organized labor, and standing up for our allies abroad, including his pressure on Netanyahu to prevent a genocide in Gaza which is unappreciated by most of the fools who think he is in charge there. If tfg was POTUS, there would be ten times as many dead Palestinians
Lessor of 2 evils is a false premise
@GottaLaff

How much did astronomers actually travel in terms of distance in 2019 in total? More than 300 times to the moon and back! Or, to put it in astronomical units: more than 1.5 AU, so to the Sun and halfway back!

▶️ https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae143

A 🧵 summarizing our paper "Astronomy’s climate emissions: Global travel to scientific meetings in 2019" - published today, lead by Andrea Gokus (who also wrote the draft for this thread) and @knud, with many people, among them @leo & me, contributing:

1/2

oh yeah sure I'm solid with the scientific Python stack

*scoots 50 open pandas/numpy/scipy documentation browser tabs behind a door*

"Poverty can produce the most deadly kind of violence in this society; violence against poor people and minority groups is routine. I remind you that starving a child is violence. Suppressing a culture is violence. Neglecting school children is violence. Punishing a mother and her child is violence. Discrimination against a working man is violence. Ghetto housing is violence. Ignoring medical needs is violence. Contempt for poverty is violence. Even the lack of willpower to help humanity is a sick and Sinister form of violence."
— Coretta Scott King, 1968

I maintain that the tiktok stuff is mostly about Facebook lobbyists using xenophobic natsec scares to gin up geriatrics into banning a competitor they couldn't out-compete

but it's also a wonderful way to distract everyone from the fact congress is too corrupt to pass a privacy law

resulting in a parade of stuff like...this

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/23/technology/general-motors-spying-driver-data-consent.html?unlocked_article_code=1.nE0.Zl7w.Krk5d0NsEab-&smid=url-share

Hats off:

"Billionaire Elon Musk, found dead in his home last night, says it is not the role of social media networks to determine what is true or not.

The Tesla and X owner, who is believed to have died from a heroin overdose while watching animal porn, said he would fight any attempts to stop the spread of misinformation on his platform"

https://theshovel.com.au/2024/04/23/elon-musk-dead-at-52-misinformation-laws/

The back-woods, working class, remote rural community near where I live, whose primary employers are a zinc/lead smelter and a pulp mill, just elected amazing queer hero, Birkley Valks, to the local school board of trustees. He soundly won the election against a hate-mongering anti-trans bully. Love wins! 🎉🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️