Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
@benjaminschultzfig.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at Seattle University. Author of The Celluloid Specimen: Moving Image Research into Animal Life available from UC Press here:
https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520342347/the-celluloid-specimen
https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520342347/the-celluloid-specimen
Pinned
The Celluloid Specimen
A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press’s Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. In The Celluloid Specimen, ...
www.ucpress.edu
Obligatory book promotion post for the new platform. Check out my @ucpress.bsky.social book THE CELLULOID SPECIMEN: MOVING IMAGE RESEARCH INTO ANIMAL LIFE for free here:
www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520...
www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520...
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Adding "explaining roving death squads" to the list of things I didn't anticipate would be a part of parenting.
January 24, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Adding "explaining roving death squads" to the list of things I didn't anticipate would be a part of parenting.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
I said this last time but their real position is “if you disagree with us we can kill you.”
January 24, 2026 at 11:56 PM
I said this last time but their real position is “if you disagree with us we can kill you.”
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Just read Lord of the Flies for the first time since middle school. Like Bockoven's novel, it is a great illustration of @vortexegg.com's theory of fascism as a form of play. Even after seeing multiple people murdered, characters continue to ask: "But, isn't this just a game?"
January 24, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Just read Lord of the Flies for the first time since middle school. Like Bockoven's novel, it is a great illustration of @vortexegg.com's theory of fascism as a form of play. Even after seeing multiple people murdered, characters continue to ask: "But, isn't this just a game?"
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
I am okay. Thank you for all the well wishes. We are in scary times. Please stay safe and do not let these people silence you. Onwards.
Congressman Maxwell Frost says he was punched in the face at Sundance Festival by a man who told him "Trump was going to deport" him
January 25, 2026 at 2:49 AM
I am okay. Thank you for all the well wishes. We are in scary times. Please stay safe and do not let these people silence you. Onwards.
Me and the buds watching the news. (I'm the freaked out skeleton, of course.)
January 25, 2026 at 4:26 AM
Me and the buds watching the news. (I'm the freaked out skeleton, of course.)
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Last week I wrote “The border crossed us. We’re gonna abolish it,” and this is exactly what I meant: most Americans are accustomed to ignoring the deep violence of the agencies that maintain US national borders. Border Patrol are trained to be murderous. They are teaching ICE to be likewise.
I just want to make it clear that it was *Border Patrol* agents who murdered Alex Pretti, and those fuckers murder people regularly here along the border.
Renee Good´s murderer is also a former Border Patrol agent (currently ICE).
Disband ALL the paramilitary groups and prosecute every member.
Renee Good´s murderer is also a former Border Patrol agent (currently ICE).
Disband ALL the paramilitary groups and prosecute every member.
January 25, 2026 at 4:11 AM
Last week I wrote “The border crossed us. We’re gonna abolish it,” and this is exactly what I meant: most Americans are accustomed to ignoring the deep violence of the agencies that maintain US national borders. Border Patrol are trained to be murderous. They are teaching ICE to be likewise.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Nur-D being arrested today
January 25, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Nur-D being arrested today
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
If you want a brief escape from today's horrors, look at this picture of a bear that they thought was hibernating (and thus they tried to change it's tracking collar) but it was actually awake!
January 24, 2026 at 4:31 PM
If you want a brief escape from today's horrors, look at this picture of a bear that they thought was hibernating (and thus they tried to change it's tracking collar) but it was actually awake!
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
🚨 SCHUMER just now: “Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”
January 24, 2026 at 11:57 PM
🚨 SCHUMER just now: “Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”
Nur-D being arrested today
January 25, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Nur-D being arrested today
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
the mood is not subtle
January 24, 2026 at 11:26 PM
the mood is not subtle
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
NYT says ICE shot him in the back:
An “agent aims his own firearm at Mr. Pretti’s back and appears to fire one shot at close range… A third agent unholsters a weapon. Both agents appear to fire additional shots into Mr. Pretti as he lies motionless… At least 10 shots appear to have been fired…”
🎁🔗
An “agent aims his own firearm at Mr. Pretti’s back and appears to fire one shot at close range… A third agent unholsters a weapon. Both agents appear to fire additional shots into Mr. Pretti as he lies motionless… At least 10 shots appear to have been fired…”
🎁🔗
Videos Show Moments in Which Agents Killed a Man in Minneapolis
www.nytimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 10:02 PM
NYT says ICE shot him in the back:
An “agent aims his own firearm at Mr. Pretti’s back and appears to fire one shot at close range… A third agent unholsters a weapon. Both agents appear to fire additional shots into Mr. Pretti as he lies motionless… At least 10 shots appear to have been fired…”
🎁🔗
An “agent aims his own firearm at Mr. Pretti’s back and appears to fire one shot at close range… A third agent unholsters a weapon. Both agents appear to fire additional shots into Mr. Pretti as he lies motionless… At least 10 shots appear to have been fired…”
🎁🔗
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
I hope Democratic senators and congressmen understand, out of pure lizard-brain self-interest if moral decency happens to be unavailable, what is at stake for them if they don't handle this the right way. This is a true "If not now, when?" moment.
January 24, 2026 at 10:00 PM
I hope Democratic senators and congressmen understand, out of pure lizard-brain self-interest if moral decency happens to be unavailable, what is at stake for them if they don't handle this the right way. This is a true "If not now, when?" moment.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Democrat leaders should be in Minnesota right now, standing side by side with Walz and Frey and the community.
They need to show solidarity and a united front.
They must say Abolish ICE.
They won't but they should. Trump is going to unleash hell on that state.
They need to show solidarity and a united front.
They must say Abolish ICE.
They won't but they should. Trump is going to unleash hell on that state.
January 24, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Democrat leaders should be in Minnesota right now, standing side by side with Walz and Frey and the community.
They need to show solidarity and a united front.
They must say Abolish ICE.
They won't but they should. Trump is going to unleash hell on that state.
They need to show solidarity and a united front.
They must say Abolish ICE.
They won't but they should. Trump is going to unleash hell on that state.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
That 30-40% who still support Trump will never stop because doing so would be tantamount to admitting they love murder. They will do all they can to never let the fever break.
January 24, 2026 at 4:11 PM
That 30-40% who still support Trump will never stop because doing so would be tantamount to admitting they love murder. They will do all they can to never let the fever break.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Hurry @schumer.senate.gov, you dessicated scrotum. Write an email. Word it strongly.
January 24, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Hurry @schumer.senate.gov, you dessicated scrotum. Write an email. Word it strongly.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
People got so uncomfortable about that Ta-Nehisi Coates quote about how if you didn't draw the line at Gaza, you can't draw the line at democracy
I would argue there is a throughline here with every Palestinian in Gaza being called a terrorist
Stephen Miller calls the deceased “a domestic terrorist.”
January 24, 2026 at 8:49 PM
People got so uncomfortable about that Ta-Nehisi Coates quote about how if you didn't draw the line at Gaza, you can't draw the line at democracy
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Memory is a fragile thing in this moment, so it is important to keep in mind that Hakeem Jeffries refused to whip his caucus against ICE funding earlier this week.
January 24, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Memory is a fragile thing in this moment, so it is important to keep in mind that Hakeem Jeffries refused to whip his caucus against ICE funding earlier this week.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Alex from our time working together, while he was in nursing school. Later, he moved to ICU, working as a nurse to support critically ill Veterans. He had such a great attitude. We’d chat between patients about trying to get in a mountain bike ride together. Will never happen now
January 24, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Alex from our time working together, while he was in nursing school. Later, he moved to ICU, working as a nurse to support critically ill Veterans. He had such a great attitude. We’d chat between patients about trying to get in a mountain bike ride together. Will never happen now
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
Alex Pretti was a colleague at the VA. We hired him to recruit for our trial. He became an ICU nurse- I lover working with him. He was a good kind person who lived to help and these fuckers executed him.
White. Hot. Rage.
White. Hot. Rage.
January 24, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Alex Pretti was a colleague at the VA. We hired him to recruit for our trial. He became an ICU nurse- I lover working with him. He was a good kind person who lived to help and these fuckers executed him.
White. Hot. Rage.
White. Hot. Rage.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
ICE is now responsible for 66% of the homicides in Minneapolis this year.
January 24, 2026 at 4:51 PM
ICE is now responsible for 66% of the homicides in Minneapolis this year.
Reposted by Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa
HAPPENING NOW: Protesters forced federal police to retreat from the intersection where they were concentrated. They’ve totally barricaded the street with dumpsters.
January 24, 2026 at 7:28 PM
HAPPENING NOW: Protesters forced federal police to retreat from the intersection where they were concentrated. They’ve totally barricaded the street with dumpsters.