Angus Johnston
@angus.bsky.social
CUNY prof. Historian of, and advocate for, student organizing. @studentactivism from Twitter.
Pinned
The risk of malfeasance in the November election is real, and serious. But the Trump administration doesn't have a magic wand.
It has tools of repression. And we have tools of resistance.
It has tools of repression. And we have tools of resistance.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
By the way, if I didn’t make it clear enough: of COURSE white supremacy is core to this, because for the same reasons, they can’t conceive of genuine multiracial solidarity
“It never occurred to them that an Alex Pretti existed” is inextricable from his whiteness
“It never occurred to them that an Alex Pretti existed” is inextricable from his whiteness
January 26, 2026 at 6:14 PM
By the way, if I didn’t make it clear enough: of COURSE white supremacy is core to this, because for the same reasons, they can’t conceive of genuine multiracial solidarity
“It never occurred to them that an Alex Pretti existed” is inextricable from his whiteness
“It never occurred to them that an Alex Pretti existed” is inextricable from his whiteness
Schwalm is right about one thing: What's unfolding in Minnesota is resistance, not protest.
It's peaceful resistance, but it's resistance. And it's growing.
It's peaceful resistance, but it's resistance. And it's growing.
MAGA military geniuses are talking about Minnesota protestors like they are the Iraqi insurgency, the Taliban, and the Viet Cong all rolled into one.
January 26, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Schwalm is right about one thing: What's unfolding in Minnesota is resistance, not protest.
It's peaceful resistance, but it's resistance. And it's growing.
It's peaceful resistance, but it's resistance. And it's growing.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
"And when you at war, you need a fucking enemy. And pretty soon, damn near everybody on every corner is your fucking enemy. And soon the neighborhood that you're supposed to be policing, that's just occupied territory"-Bunny Colvin, The Wire.
MAGA military geniuses are talking about Minnesota protestors like they are the Iraqi insurgency, the Taliban, and the Viet Cong all rolled into one.
January 26, 2026 at 6:03 PM
"And when you at war, you need a fucking enemy. And pretty soon, damn near everybody on every corner is your fucking enemy. And soon the neighborhood that you're supposed to be policing, that's just occupied territory"-Bunny Colvin, The Wire.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
With that, Judge Menendez adjourns and says a ruling might take time, not because it's unimportant.
"It's because it's extremely important that I'm going to do everything in my power to get it right."
"It's because it's extremely important that I'm going to do everything in my power to get it right."
January 26, 2026 at 5:50 PM
With that, Judge Menendez adjourns and says a ruling might take time, not because it's unimportant.
"It's because it's extremely important that I'm going to do everything in my power to get it right."
"It's because it's extremely important that I'm going to do everything in my power to get it right."
Reposted by Angus Johnston
Judge:
"I have all of these quotes in the record. You're telling me that I'm reading them wrong."
That the surge isn't to coerce a change of the policies but to make up for the policies' harm
"What do I have in the record to show that the surge is to make up for the harms caused by the policies?"
"I have all of these quotes in the record. You're telling me that I'm reading them wrong."
That the surge isn't to coerce a change of the policies but to make up for the policies' harm
"What do I have in the record to show that the surge is to make up for the harms caused by the policies?"
January 26, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Judge:
"I have all of these quotes in the record. You're telling me that I'm reading them wrong."
That the surge isn't to coerce a change of the policies but to make up for the policies' harm
"What do I have in the record to show that the surge is to make up for the harms caused by the policies?"
"I have all of these quotes in the record. You're telling me that I'm reading them wrong."
That the surge isn't to coerce a change of the policies but to make up for the policies' harm
"What do I have in the record to show that the surge is to make up for the harms caused by the policies?"
Lawyer for the Trump admin, in federal court, deploying the "I haven't seen that post" line when confronted with Trump's lawless statements.
Judge Menendez asks about Trump's quote: "Your day of retribution is here." She asks what she's supposed to do with that.
Mayers says he hasn't seen that Truth Social post.
Mayers says he hasn't seen that Truth Social post.
January 26, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Lawyer for the Trump admin, in federal court, deploying the "I haven't seen that post" line when confronted with Trump's lawless statements.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
sir or ma'am, not considering things that suck is not a problem I'm suffering from
January 26, 2026 at 5:13 PM
sir or ma'am, not considering things that suck is not a problem I'm suffering from
Reposted by Angus Johnston
Another question I came here with was: how effective are the whistles and honking? Does it stop abductions? And the answer is, surprisingly to my cynical self, yes, and often. I have talked to so many people who have successfully interrupted kidnappings.
January 23, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Another question I came here with was: how effective are the whistles and honking? Does it stop abductions? And the answer is, surprisingly to my cynical self, yes, and often. I have talked to so many people who have successfully interrupted kidnappings.
Me: *exhortatory post*
Folks in my mentions: Have you considered that everything sucks?
Me: Yes. Yes I have.
Folks in my mentions: Have you considered that everything sucks?
Me: Yes. Yes I have.
January 26, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Me: *exhortatory post*
Folks in my mentions: Have you considered that everything sucks?
Me: Yes. Yes I have.
Folks in my mentions: Have you considered that everything sucks?
Me: Yes. Yes I have.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
every place they go will be more organized, more agile and more connected than the last. and will also have a uniqueness to its' city and people that will create a sense of community and connection that can be built on
January 26, 2026 at 4:55 PM
every place they go will be more organized, more agile and more connected than the last. and will also have a uniqueness to its' city and people that will create a sense of community and connection that can be built on
Reposted by Angus Johnston
A stark moment in this morning's hearing in Minnesota when an attorney for the state is staying this:
Carter: If this is not stopped, right here, right now, I don't think anyone who is seriously looking at this can have much faith in how our republic is going to go in the future.
January 26, 2026 at 4:12 PM
A stark moment in this morning's hearing in Minnesota when an attorney for the state is staying this:
Reposted by Angus Johnston
“Abolish ICE” - ICE www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
January 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM
“Abolish ICE” - ICE www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
Reposted by Angus Johnston
listen, we are going to do BEAUTY and we're going to do it TOGETHER and we are NOT leaving anyone behind and it's going to take real work and we are going to get tired but the end (there is no end) will be more life and more beauty and more of everyone and we are going to do it
October 24, 2025 at 10:22 PM
listen, we are going to do BEAUTY and we're going to do it TOGETHER and we are NOT leaving anyone behind and it's going to take real work and we are going to get tired but the end (there is no end) will be more life and more beauty and more of everyone and we are going to do it
A component of what's happening now is that the people of Minnesota found a high-profile, highly effective way to resist the Trump administration's policies—to thwart them, rather than just protesting against them.
January 26, 2026 at 4:09 PM
A component of what's happening now is that the people of Minnesota found a high-profile, highly effective way to resist the Trump administration's policies—to thwart them, rather than just protesting against them.
A thread of Minnesota's argument in federal court right now that the Trump administration's deployment is violating the Tenth Amendment.
(This is a VERY high bar to reach, but read the thread.)
(This is a VERY high bar to reach, but read the thread.)
Judge: most of the complexity rests of legal issues, that will be our focus.
Lindsey Middlecamp, special counsel for MN, wants to make opening statement.
Judge will permit it.
LM: MN shouold not have to withstand another month, week, or day of unlawful occupation ...
/9
Lindsey Middlecamp, special counsel for MN, wants to make opening statement.
Judge will permit it.
LM: MN shouold not have to withstand another month, week, or day of unlawful occupation ...
/9
January 26, 2026 at 3:36 PM
A thread of Minnesota's argument in federal court right now that the Trump administration's deployment is violating the Tenth Amendment.
(This is a VERY high bar to reach, but read the thread.)
(This is a VERY high bar to reach, but read the thread.)
Reposted by Angus Johnston
The first one becomes the context for the second one, too, so that the pattern/story that media wants to use as a framing kind of creates itself
January 26, 2026 at 3:27 PM
The first one becomes the context for the second one, too, so that the pattern/story that media wants to use as a framing kind of creates itself
One thing that I've seen over and over with mass protest is that media, politicians, and public opinion tend to react a lot more strongly, more dramatically, and more quickly, to the SECOND big news story than the first.
And I think we're seeing that really clearly with Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
And I think we're seeing that really clearly with Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
January 26, 2026 at 3:22 PM
One thing that I've seen over and over with mass protest is that media, politicians, and public opinion tend to react a lot more strongly, more dramatically, and more quickly, to the SECOND big news story than the first.
And I think we're seeing that really clearly with Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
And I think we're seeing that really clearly with Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
This is a good catch, yeah.
“all of us who believe in the promise of American democracy” vs “citizens” too
January 26, 2026 at 4:39 AM
This is a good catch, yeah.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
literally yes
is the cure for male loneliness showing up early and setting up chairs?
A lot of the Male Loneliness Epidemic can be traced back to the fact that most cis dudes don’t participate in communal logistics.
January 26, 2026 at 4:32 AM
literally yes
Reposted by Angus Johnston
And probably a good sign. I think Obama is a lagging indicator but tempered by a sense of caution. Clinton has a real talent for discerning the direction of any wind.
January 26, 2026 at 4:16 AM
And probably a good sign. I think Obama is a lagging indicator but tempered by a sense of caution. Clinton has a real talent for discerning the direction of any wind.
It's a bit surprising to me that Clinton's statement goes much farther than the one released by the Obamas.
Can’t believe I‘m saying this, but Bill Clinton put out a pretty powerful statement about the killings in Minneapolis.
January 26, 2026 at 4:11 AM
It's a bit surprising to me that Clinton's statement goes much farther than the one released by the Obamas.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
Putting this one in my back pocket for when ICE gets its shit together to mess with NYC
January 26, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Putting this one in my back pocket for when ICE gets its shit together to mess with NYC
Reposted by Angus Johnston
Of course, she encouraged me to avoid getting murdered, and I reminded her that it’s not a super easy thing to control.
January 25, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Of course, she encouraged me to avoid getting murdered, and I reminded her that it’s not a super easy thing to control.
Reposted by Angus Johnston
I actually had the “If masked agents of the government murder me, please politicize the fuck out of it” conversation with my mom today.
January 25, 2026 at 11:42 PM
I actually had the “If masked agents of the government murder me, please politicize the fuck out of it” conversation with my mom today.
Extremely cautious, extremely measured statement from the Obamas on what's going on in Minnesota.
Notable to me: There's no chiding or warning of protesters here. The opposite, in fact.
Notable to me: There's no chiding or warning of protesters here. The opposite, in fact.
The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
January 25, 2026 at 8:30 PM
Extremely cautious, extremely measured statement from the Obamas on what's going on in Minnesota.
Notable to me: There's no chiding or warning of protesters here. The opposite, in fact.
Notable to me: There's no chiding or warning of protesters here. The opposite, in fact.