Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 1h

Absolute losers.

Phil Mandelbaum @philmandelbaum.bsky.social · 13h

We’re Being Ruled Over by the World’s Biggest Losers

They effectively control our fates, but deep down, they know they’re sniveling, pathetic, and inadequate, and it eats them up.

www.thenation.com

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

Freedom to Read Project @freedomreadproject.bsky.social · 1d

The real danger of censorship isn’t just the books we lose today, but the stories that will never be written tomorrow.

When fear silences creativity, we all lose, especially young readers searching for connection, comfort, and truth. Let’s make sure every story still has a chance to be told.

Judy Blume quote: it’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.

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Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 1h

💔💔💔

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 2h

For nearly 250 years, America promoted freedom and equality abroad, even when it failed to live up to those ideals itself, @anneapplebaum.bsky.social writes. Not anymore.

The Beacon of Democracy Goes Dark

For nearly 250 years, America promoted freedom and equality abroad, even when it failed to live up to those ideals itself. Not anymore.

bit.ly

Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 10h

💛💛💛

Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 17h

On Saturday, we wear yellow. ❌👑

Reposted by Beth Foraker

Nicole Holliday @mixedlinguist.bsky.social · 16h

One surprisingly heartbreaking thing about living in these times is seeing young people who finally made it to college/graduated/got a job/achieved the thing they’ve worked so hard for… just watch their opportunities disappear. And it’s even worse because absolutely none of this had to be happening.

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

Prisonculture @prisonculture.bsky.social · 11h

The Regime's goal is to grind everyone down. Plain & simple. Our goal is to refuse this by taking turns to fight where and how we can. When one group needs to bow out, then another group needs to step in and so on. We don't all have to do everything. We can all do something though. Stay in the fight

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Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 11h

🚨🚨🚨

Phil Plait @philplait.bsky.social · 17h

Holy crap. This is terrible.

The article states it's "not related to the current U.S. government shutdown". But of course it is: they are both connected by the GOP destroying everything good about this country from the top down and the bottom up.

Reuters @reuters.com · 19h

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lay off about 550 workers reut.rs/4302N2L

Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 12h

💙💙💙

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · 17h

California is proud to congratulate FIVE California university-affiliated scholars among this year's Nobel laureates.

From quantum computing to clean energy and medical breakthroughs, these trailblazers reflect the strength, innovation, and creativity that define our state.

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

Kieran Healy @kjhealy.co · 18h

A couple of parking signs for anyone who wants to print them out for this coming Saturday.

Parking Signs

If you want to print out a poster for October 18th, here are two; fully-guaranteed countrywide but maybe especially suitable for in and around New York. No King Anytime sign ...

kieranhealy.org

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Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 17h

“A vast network of moral resistance.”

Yes, please.

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 19h

Living a moral life in an age of bullies requires collective action; it cannot be done alone. Each of us must organize and participate in a vast network of moral resistance. From this solidarity we will grow stronger. This is what our current moment requires.

Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 18h

Wow.

Do everything you can to avoid #Covid.

Data Report @datareport.bsky.social · 1d

COVID's Surprising Effect on Sperm May Impact Future Generations.
www.sciencealert.com/covids-surpr...

COVID's Surprising Effect on Sperm May Impact Future Generations

COVID-19 infection causes changes to sperm in mice that may increase anxiety in their offspring, a study released Saturday said, suggesting the pandemic's possibly long-lasting effects on future gener...

www.sciencealert.com

Reposted by Beth Foraker

James Martin, SJ @jamesmartinsj.bsky.social · 1d

From Kevin Clarke at America: "Eucharistic procession turned back by feds at Broadview ICE detention facility"
www.americamagazine.org/dispatches/2...

Eucharistic procession turned back by feds at Broadview ICE detention facility

Jesuits and other Catholic and Christian clergy were turned back by ICE when they tried to bring the Eucharist to detained immigrants in Broadview, Ill.

www.americamagazine.org

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Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 18h

Remembering Matthew today.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 1d

On this date, Matthew Shephard died 27 years ago. He was beaten, tortured, and left for dead on fence for being gay. Please keep him and his wonderful mother Judy in your thoughts. And let's all work for a world where such horrific things do not happen to anyone. ❤️🏳️‍🌈

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

Misa on Wheels @misaonwheels.bsky.social · 23h

Wheelchairs and mobility aids are not optional luggage.

They are a person’s legs, stability, safety, and often only way of getting around.

Yet, they are considering not holding airlines accountable for damaging them.

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

Digital Warrior - Combat Disinfo @digitalwarrior.bsky.social · 1d

Librarians in Texas formed secret lending networks to circulate banned books and keep young readers informed. You can’t silence truth with a ban list. 📚

#FightBack #ReadBannedBooks #FreedomToRead

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

George Gantsoudes @pedsortho.bsky.social · 1d

Please remember that the disgust people have over Christopher Columbus is not based on some modern, 21st century “woke” ideology, but rather on contemporaneous accounts of atrocities that make many modern genocides appear quaint in comparison.

Below, are the accounts of Bartlomé de las Casas.

But too many of the slaves died in captivity. And so Columbus, desperate to pay back dividends to those who had in-vested, had to make good his promise to fill the ships with gold. In the province of Cicao on Haiti, where he and his men imagined huge gold fields to exist, they ordered all persons fourteen years or older to collect a certain quantity of gold every three months. When they brought it, they were given copper tokens to hang around their necks. Indians found without a copper token had their hands cut off and bled to death.
The Indians had been given an impossible task. The only gold around was bits of dust garnered from the streams. So they fled, were hunted down with dogs, and were killed.

After each six or eight months' work in the mines, which was the time required of each crew to dig enough gold for melting, up to a third of the men died.
While the men were sent many miles away to the mines, the wives remained to work the soil, forced into the excruciating job of digging and making thousands of hills for cassava plants.
Thus husbands and wives were together only once every eight or ten months and when they met they were so exhausted and depressed on both sides... they ceased to pro-create. As for the newly born, they died early because their mothers, overworked and fam-ished, had no milk to nurse them, and for this reason, while I was in Cuba, 7000 children died in three months. Some mothers even drowned their babies from sheer desper-ation.... In this way, husbands died in the mines, wives died at work, and children died from lack of milk ... and in a short time this land which was so great, so powerful and fer-tile... was depopulated... My eyes have seen these acts so foreign to human nature, and now I tremble as I write....

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Mike Levin @mikelevin.org · 20h

Every single kid—no matter their needs—deserves a fair shot at learning.

Gutting the Education Department’s special education office does the exact opposite.

Despicable and cruel.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...

Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says

The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

www.usatoday.com

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

AltStateGov @altstategov.altgov.info · 1d

Here is your simplified explanation of how healthcare cuts are directly linked to this authoritarian power grab articulated perfectly by @mcbride.house.gov.

Nothing is a distraction for something else. It's all part of the plan and connected.

This is their plan and each needs to be countered

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

Senator Scott Wiener @scottwiener.bsky.social · 1d

The level of kleptocratic corruption in this regime is breathtaking, e.g.:

—Selling off Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae to big banks

—Bribes from ABC & CBS

—TikTok sale to Ellison

—Everything Qatar: the plane gift, the Idaho military base

—Whoever has bribed him by buying his scam meme coins

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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 1d

We should mandate a work requirement for House Republicans to get their health care. How about they have to work at least one week a month to keep their government health insurance?

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Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 1d

Get an e-bike and go car-free!

WRI Climate @wriclimate.bsky.social · 1d

🚲🥗🚗 Small choices matter, but big change happens when systems support them.

WRI Climate ranked 19 climate-friendly behaviors to show which ones cut the most emissions and why policies & businesses must make them accessible.

See the list 👉 bit.ly/4q0pWvC

Reposted by Beth Foraker

maga-crime-watch.bsky.social @maga-crime-watch.bsky.social · 1d

When you control all three branches of government like the GOP does and you pass legislation to give tax breaks to the rich who do not need it. And to help pay for it, you cut social services the middle class and poor desperately need. Given that reality, you own the shutdown.

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Reposted by Beth Foraker

Eric Michael Garcia @ericmgarcia.bsky.social · 1d

Some disabled journalists to follow amid the gutting of OSERS:
@slooterman.bsky.social @juliametraux.bsky.social and @bethhawkins.bsky.social (among others)

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Beth Foraker @inclusionchick.bsky.social · 1d

#Vouchers don’t work.

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 2d

‼️ CHATTANOOGA - Public school kids outperform voucher kids AGAIN

As @GovBillLee steers more and more taxpayer funds away from public schools to private (mostly Christian) schools for wealthy families who are already there.

More: www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/oc...

Reposted by Beth Foraker

Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 2d

“I spent three nights and three days in federal custody. During that time, I was never told what I was charged with, was not allowed to shower despite being covered in tear gas and pepper spray, had no phone call to my family, and no access to an attorney.” - George Retes, U.S. citizen and veteran.

I’m a US citizen and a veteran. ICE arrested me for no reason.

Jailed for three days without an explanation or ability to notify anyone, George Retes argues the only path to healing starts with the government taking accountability for its actions.

newsletter.ofthebrave.org

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