Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 4h

A WGN-TV video editor and producer was roughly detained by two Border Patrol agents on Friday morning during a highly visible rush hour enforcement action in Lincoln Square.

WGN-TV producer detained during ICE enforcement action in Lincoln Square

A WGN-TV video editor and producer was roughly detained by two Border Patrol agents on Friday morning during a highly visible rush hour enforcement action in Lincoln Square.

trib.al

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 2d

Law enforcement needs to rein in ICE's anti-press abuses and investigate ICE attacks on independent journalists in Chicagoland.

A coalition of Chicago and national press freedom orgs explained why in a letter to the Broadview Police Department and Illinois State Police today.

Independent journalists must be protected from ICE attacks

Letter calls on local authorities to investigate all attacks on journalists

freedom.press

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 3d

NEW: I spoke to clergy and faith leaders who've joined protests at the Chicago-area ICE facility.

Three say they've been shot with pepper balls, sometimes while praying.

All say ICE is also violating their religious freedom, and one is arguing it in court. religionnews.com/2025/10/07/i...

Religious protesters say ICE threatens religious freedom in Chicago

(RNS) — Despite potential danger, religious leaders and faith activists have been a visible presence at Chicago-area ICE protests, some waving signs with slogans such as ‘Love thy neighbor’ and ‘Who w...

religionnews.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 3d

Can’t decide what to buy on Prime Day?

Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 6d

Hey, whistleblowers: Exposing corruption is vital but comes with its own risks. If you’re sharing sensitive information, make sure to protect your identity — use encrypted tools like @securedrop.org.

Stay safe, stay anonymous.

How to share sensitive leaks with the press

🚨 Whistleblowers are crucial in exposing government and corporate abuse, but sharing sensitive information can be risky. Whether because of a nondisclosure agreement or a legal contract, leaking can come with serious consequences. If you’re considering reaching out to the press, make sure you take

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Brian Grubb @briancgrubb.bsky.social · 7d

probably the most fun i've had reading something online in weeks

defector.com/name-a-28-ye...

Name A 28-Year-Old | Defector

Here is the challenge before you: Name a famous person who is 28 years old. Go ahead. No cheating, no looking it up. Off the dome. Pure, uncut 28-year-old naming. I bet you can’t do it. Zendaya? 29. ...

defector.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Ursula K. Le Guin Bot @leguinbot.bsky.social · 7d

The end justifies the means. But what if there never is an end? All we have is means.

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Roosevelt Institute @rooseveltinstitute.org · 8d

One hundred billionaire donors poured a record $2.6 billion into the 2024 elections—1 of every 6 dollars spent.

New analysis from @rfunkfordham.bsky.social on the last 15 years of #CitizensUnited’s impact on democracy. 2/3 rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...

Graph showing breakdown of top 100 billionaire donor spending on outside political spending groups.

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

The Boston Globe @bostonglobe.com · 8d

🧵 Nearly 250 patients have filed civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by Dr. Derrick Todd, a renowned doctor at top Boston hospitals. He also faces two criminal charges of rape.

A @globespotlight.bsky.social report found he could have been stopped earlier.

Dr. Derrick Todd has been accused of abusing patients. He could have been stopped sooner.

Hundreds of women allege Dr. Derrick Todd sexually abused them over a decade. A Globe Spotlight investigation found the state’s medical establishment missed key warning signs.

apps.bostonglobe.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Andy Carvin @acarv.in · 8d

The Saudi government murdered Jamal Khashoggi seven years ago today. His editor @karenattiah.bsky.social wrote this two years ago.

Opinion | The moment I knew the world would try to move on from Jamal Khashoggi

I could see it coming at Time’s 2018 Person of the Year celebration.

wapo.st

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 10d

“Bots or likely bots authored 44.5% of X posts mentioning Cracker Barrel in the 24 hours after the new logo gained attention on Aug. 20, according to research for ⁦‪@WSJ‬⁩ by PeakMetrics. That number rose to 49% among posts calling for a boycott.”

Bot Networks Are Helping Drag Consumer Brands Into the Culture Wars

AI tools have made coordinated attacks targeting corporations much more common, researchers say.

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Chip Mitchell @chipmitchell1.bsky.social · 11d

Today I spoke with Greg Bovino, a top U.S. Border Patrol chief, as he led dozens of feds in military gear through downtown Chicago.

He said they were arresting folks based on “how they look.”

“How do they look compared to, say, you?” he said, referring to me.

chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Feds march into downtown Chicago; top border agent says people are arrested based on ‘how they look’

Immigration agents wearing tactical gear and carrying long guns made arrests in downtown Chicago and the River North neighborhood Sunday. “This is not making anybody safer — it’s a show of intimidatio...

chicago.suntimes.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Moby Dick @mobydickatsea.bsky.social · 13d

I came here to hunt whales, not my commander’s vengeance.

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Orion Rummler @oriion.bsky.social · 15d

A growing number of Americans believe that gender-affirming care will become less accessible in their lifetime, a new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll finds — reflecting a political landscape that has become increasingly hostile toward transgender people and their health care.

More Americans see a future where gender-affirming care will be harder to access

A new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll shows that the share of people who think gender-affirming care will get less accessible jumped to 38% from 20% in 2024.

19thnews.org

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Vittoria Elliott @telliotter.bsky.social · 15d

NEW! A Senate report claims that DOGE has put *every* American’s social security number at risk; that staff at GSA, OPM, and SSA wouldn’t or couldn’t say what DOGE was doing; and that agencies claimed that DOGE actually doesn’t exist at all.

For @wired.com

www.wired.com/story/armed-...

Armed Guards and Muscle Milk: Senate Investigation Reveals DOGE Takeover Details

A new Senate report claims DOGE put every American's Social Security number at risk—and that officials at federal agencies essentially obstructed an investigation, all but denying DOGE even exists.

www.wired.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Vivian McCall @vivmccall.bsky.social · 17d

Earlier this month, three trans women were beaten by a group of young men in Seattle's gay neighborhood.

According to the county prosecutor's office, there's been at least four more group beatings since June 2024. In one case, strangers joined in. The kicker?

www.thestranger.com/news/2025/09...

Seattle Area Trans Women Are Being Attacked by Groups of Men

Warning: This story contains descriptions of violence. “Go to Pony, go to Pony, go to Pony—there’s more people there,” said a frantic woman as she approached Madison Carstens and her friends next to t...

www.thestranger.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 17d

For over 100 days, journalist Mario Guevara has been detained by U.S. law enforcement for his livestream reporting.

He is the only journalist behind bars for his journalism, and he could be deported for doing his job.

We demand his immediate release.

freedomformario.com

Letter demanding release of journalist Mario Guevara

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Christina Prignano Deering @christinaprignano.com · 17d

Very cool interactive playoff scenario simulator by the great @daigofuji.bsky.social: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/23/s...

Which teams will make the American League playoffs? Use our simulator to see the possibilities. - The Boston Globe

The teams fighting for playoff spots have six games remaining. Our simulator allows you to see how the outcomes of those games will affect the playoff race.

www.bostonglobe.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 17d

The NYT’s digital investigations are invaluable and unparalleled by any other news org. This one proves ICE murdered a man, and lied about what led up to that murder. (Gift link) www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

How an Attempted ICE Arrest Near Chicago Turned Deadly (Gift Article)

The New York Times analyzed surveillance, police body-camera footage and bystander videos to understand what happened when an immigration agent shot and killed a motorist in a Chicago suburb.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Apoorva Mandavilli @apoorvanyt.bsky.social · 18d

Icymi the first time this ran, here’s a refresher: Vaccines today are more efficient and contain far fewer stimulants to the immune system than some used decades ago

www.nytimes.com/2024/12/14/h...

Are Childhood Vaccines ‘Overloading’ the Immune System? No.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Prisonculture @prisonculture.bsky.social · 19d

In Those Years
Adrienne Rich

In those years, people will say, we lost track
of the meaning of we, of you
we found ourselves
reduced to I
and the whole thing became
silly, ironic, terrible:
we were trying to live a personal life
and yes, that was the only life
we could bear witness to

But the great dark birds of history screamed and plunged
into our personal weather
They were headed somewhere else but their beaks and pinions drove
along the shore, through the rags of fog
where we stood, saying I

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Ursula K. Le Guin Bot @leguinbot.bsky.social · 20d

This is. And thou art. There is no safety. There is no end. The word must be heard in silence. There must be darkness to see the stars. The dance is always danced above the hollow place, above the terrible abyss.

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 25d

We can’t produce fearless investigative journalism without job security and a fair contract. After almost two years of bargaining, we need your help.

Show your support for @propublica.org workers by adding your name to our petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

Fair Contract Now for ProPublica Guild

We, the workers of ProPublica, provide our readers with deeply researched, unbiased news that holds power to account. This work is more important now than ever, but our staff can’t properly contribute...

actionnetwork.org

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Lex McMenamin (they/them) @leximcmenamin.com · 25d

from my latest: "The trans-shooter myth largely began circulating in 2023 around the Nashville shooting, 'as the right began rolling back LGBTQ rights in earnest'... Two years later, and just a decade after the so-called trans tipping point, anti-trans harassment and violence is all the rage."

The trans-shooter myth, reports the Trace, a newsroom focused on gun violence, largely began circulating in 2023 around the aforementioned Nashville shooting, “as the right began rolling back LGBTQ rights in earnest.” As I’ve explained previously, trans people are over four times more likely than cis people to be victims of violent assault. Conversely, over the past decade, according to the Gun Violence Project, less than a tenth of one percent of shootings were committed by someone who identified as trans or nonbinary. Nonetheless, last week the Justice Department was reportedly considering how to ban trans people from buying guns.

Two years later, and just a decade after the so-called trans tipping point, anti-trans harassment and violence is all the rage. Trans people are afraid to leave the country, let alone leave their houses. The right-wing ecosystem has gladly spent years creating these conditions, while Democrats have by turns avoided saying anything about them at all or, like in the past week, spending more time mourning the death of a guy who gleefully mocked Nancy Pelosi’s husband being attacked with a hammer than urging caution to protect a population that voted for Kamala Harris second only to Black women. It would almost be surprising, considering those numbers, how quickly 2028 hopeful Gavin Newsom praised Kirk, if Kirk hadn’t been Newsom’s first podcast guest.

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Reposted by Peter Bailey-Wells (he/him)

Jacob Soboroff @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social · 25d

NEW: Recently we reported on L.A. honor student and track star Nory Sontay Ramos and her mom Estela, deported after a routine immigration check-in. Weeks after we met them in Guatemala, where they were in hiding, Estela died suddenly. www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...

The death of Estela Ramos Baten

Nory Sontay Ramos and her mother Estela were deported after a routine check-in. Two months later, Estela was buried with Guatemalan and U.S. flags draped over her coffin.

www.msnbc.com

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