John Armenta
@johnarmenta.bsky.social
Not quite a failed academic.
I study US military veterans, gender, and patriotism...not necessarily in that order. I also teach public speaking to community college students...and no, I'm not good at that either.
I study US military veterans, gender, and patriotism...not necessarily in that order. I also teach public speaking to community college students...and no, I'm not good at that either.
Reposted by John Armenta
The Rational Protestant Vs. The Fanatical Catholic
January 21, 2026 at 2:59 PM
The Rational Protestant Vs. The Fanatical Catholic
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Something I deeply appreciate about @patrickwyman.bsky.social is that he hates Cicero as much as I do. The Alex Jones of Late Republican Rome.
January 21, 2026 at 6:28 AM
Something I deeply appreciate about @patrickwyman.bsky.social is that he hates Cicero as much as I do. The Alex Jones of Late Republican Rome.
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Out soon in @sociusjournal.bsky.social. Annabel Ipsen & I study how the executive orders in Trump's first 100 days use the logic of reactionary colorblindness to dismantle environmental protections. We see that the admin redefines discrimination to achieve revanchist & anti-environmental goals.
January 20, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Out soon in @sociusjournal.bsky.social. Annabel Ipsen & I study how the executive orders in Trump's first 100 days use the logic of reactionary colorblindness to dismantle environmental protections. We see that the admin redefines discrimination to achieve revanchist & anti-environmental goals.
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I grew up hearing stories from my father about how folks abducted by Franco’s secret police would routinely “escape” to the roof of police HQ and “commit suicide.” The obviousness of the lie was itself an intimidation tactic.
"agents told hospital staff that Castaneda Mondragon ... 'purposefully ran headfirst into a brick wall.'”
A Minnesota man received a life-threatening injury while in ICE custody. It's not clear how he got injured because his memory and ability to communicate are so severely impaired. Agents said "he got his shit rocked." Wild story from @katrinapross.bsky.social sahanjournal.com/health/ice-d...
January 20, 2026 at 10:58 PM
I grew up hearing stories from my father about how folks abducted by Franco’s secret police would routinely “escape” to the roof of police HQ and “commit suicide.” The obviousness of the lie was itself an intimidation tactic.
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Abolishing ICE truly is the moderate position
Independents are +12 on abolishing ICE
77 percent of Democrats want to abolish ICE.
January 21, 2026 at 2:09 AM
Abolishing ICE truly is the moderate position
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Writing is thinking, so why are universities signing partnerships with companies that outsource the task to LLMs; why are K-12 schools doing the same
Writing is thinking
Outsourcing the entire task of writing to LLMs will deprive us of the essential creative task of interpreting our findings and generating a deeper theoretical understanding of the world.
Outsourcing the entire task of writing to LLMs will deprive us of the essential creative task of interpreting our findings and generating a deeper theoretical understanding of the world.
January 21, 2026 at 1:35 AM
Writing is thinking, so why are universities signing partnerships with companies that outsource the task to LLMs; why are K-12 schools doing the same
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I remain awestruck that you can be chief WH correspondent of the New York Times while apparently accepting the version of history that you were taught in grade school in the 1970’s
January 20, 2026 at 10:59 PM
I remain awestruck that you can be chief WH correspondent of the New York Times while apparently accepting the version of history that you were taught in grade school in the 1970’s
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Actually I kind of find this interesting. They are trying very hard to manufacture consent and it is not working. And I think they're confused.
interesting environment, huh
Now, I’m no military historian. However, I’m pretty sure that’s not a common Revolutionary war tactic (and that’s ignoring the one guy firing into the air).
January 20, 2026 at 12:34 AM
Actually I kind of find this interesting. They are trying very hard to manufacture consent and it is not working. And I think they're confused.
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im sorry to any science fiction writer who i said was just being ridiculous with its villains. even the video game ones. i fucked up and thats on me
January 20, 2026 at 4:18 AM
im sorry to any science fiction writer who i said was just being ridiculous with its villains. even the video game ones. i fucked up and thats on me
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New — I wrote about ChongLy Scott Thao, the elderly Hmong American wrongly arrested and forced out of his home by ICE in his underwear during the punishing Minnesota winter, what witnesses saw, and DHS's racist claim that he fit the description of another Asian man they were looking for.
My story:
My story:
Behind the disturbing image of ICE snatching a half-naked, elderly Hmong American from his home
DHS has claimed without evidence that they were looking for someone else when they took ChongLy Scott Thao.
www.thehandbasket.co
January 20, 2026 at 12:29 AM
New — I wrote about ChongLy Scott Thao, the elderly Hmong American wrongly arrested and forced out of his home by ICE in his underwear during the punishing Minnesota winter, what witnesses saw, and DHS's racist claim that he fit the description of another Asian man they were looking for.
My story:
My story:
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Danish parliamentarian Rasmus Jarlov speaking to MS NOW on Stephen Miller comments regarding Greenland: "I hope he’s kept away from young women, because that’s the mentality of a rapist. You can’t defend yourself, so I’m going to take you. That’s basically what he’s saying."
January 19, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Danish parliamentarian Rasmus Jarlov speaking to MS NOW on Stephen Miller comments regarding Greenland: "I hope he’s kept away from young women, because that’s the mentality of a rapist. You can’t defend yourself, so I’m going to take you. That’s basically what he’s saying."
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The JBS has been saying that since 1960. Ronald Reagan was hesitant to sign the bill authorizing MLK Day because his good friend and Bircher, NH Governor Meldrim Thompson, told him MLK was a commie.
January 20, 2026 at 3:43 AM
The JBS has been saying that since 1960. Ronald Reagan was hesitant to sign the bill authorizing MLK Day because his good friend and Bircher, NH Governor Meldrim Thompson, told him MLK was a commie.
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I love the way MLK Jr. basically told him to STFU 🤣
Young replies: ""Well, I don't know, Martin. It's not the entire system. It's only part of it, and I think we can fix that."
King's reply begins: "I don't need to hear from you, Andy," he said. "I've heard enough from you. You're a capitalist, and I'm not."
King's reply begins: "I don't need to hear from you, Andy," he said. "I've heard enough from you. You're a capitalist, and I'm not."
January 20, 2026 at 3:54 AM
I love the way MLK Jr. basically told him to STFU 🤣
Good story for MLK Day.
“But what deeply troubles me now is that for all the steps we've taken toward integration, I've come to believe that we are integrating into a burning house."
Dr. King said this famous quote on March 27th, 1968, mere days before his murder. But the context around the quote is interesting...
Dr. King said this famous quote on March 27th, 1968, mere days before his murder. But the context around the quote is interesting...
January 20, 2026 at 4:10 AM
Good story for MLK Day.
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“What does it mean to honor a man assassinated under state surveillance while refusing to protect civil liberties today?”
MLK’s Struggle Against Policing and Surveillance Is Still Alive in Memphis Today
From surveillance of racial justice organizing to terror under Trump’s Memphis task force, we face ongoing repression.
truthout.org
January 19, 2026 at 4:52 PM
“What does it mean to honor a man assassinated under state surveillance while refusing to protect civil liberties today?”
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Cops at her front door, holding a phone to her face, asking if that's her Facebook account.
What the fuck are we doing here?
What the fuck are we doing here?
A woman left a comment on Facebook criticizing the Mayor of Miami Beach,.
The Mayor of Miami Beach then sent the cops to her home.
The Mayor of Miami Beach then sent the cops to her home.
January 19, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Cops at her front door, holding a phone to her face, asking if that's her Facebook account.
What the fuck are we doing here?
What the fuck are we doing here?
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David Brooks: This is a war on blue states
Bill Kristol: Abolish ICE
Springsteen: ICE is the Gestapo
Dems in Congress: Let’s talk body cams and QR codes
Bill Kristol: Abolish ICE
Springsteen: ICE is the Gestapo
Dems in Congress: Let’s talk body cams and QR codes
January 19, 2026 at 11:34 AM
David Brooks: This is a war on blue states
Bill Kristol: Abolish ICE
Springsteen: ICE is the Gestapo
Dems in Congress: Let’s talk body cams and QR codes
Bill Kristol: Abolish ICE
Springsteen: ICE is the Gestapo
Dems in Congress: Let’s talk body cams and QR codes
Reposted by John Armenta
It is always worth remembering that the key facet of Trump's personality is he always assumes that everyone else is just as venal as he is.
TRUMP TELLS NBC NEWS "NORWAY TOTALLY CONTROLS IT DESPITE WHAT THEY SAY” OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE COMPETITION
January 19, 2026 at 5:11 PM
It is always worth remembering that the key facet of Trump's personality is he always assumes that everyone else is just as venal as he is.
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Cannot stress enough how *expensive* the pre-liberal international order was. States would sometimes spend upwards of 20% of GDP on their militaries.
also this:
"If Americans thought defending the liberal world order was too expensive, wait until they start paying for what comes next."
"If Americans thought defending the liberal world order was too expensive, wait until they start paying for what comes next."
Great Kagan piece, esp this:
"Perhaps more extraordinary than America’s ability and willingness to play the dominant role was the readiness of most other great powers to embrace and legitimize its dominance—even at the expense of their own potency."
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
"Perhaps more extraordinary than America’s ability and willingness to play the dominant role was the readiness of most other great powers to embrace and legitimize its dominance—even at the expense of their own potency."
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
January 19, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Cannot stress enough how *expensive* the pre-liberal international order was. States would sometimes spend upwards of 20% of GDP on their militaries.
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Have I mentioned that
January 18, 2026 at 7:14 PM
Have I mentioned that
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people reasonably concluded that trump was not an existential threat to the republic because biden did absolutely nothing to stop it
strongly believe the I think @theophite.bsky.social claim that the number one way that Biden could have impressed swingy Trump voters was by clapping Trump in irons
January 19, 2026 at 3:27 AM
people reasonably concluded that trump was not an existential threat to the republic because biden did absolutely nothing to stop it
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I’ll never get tired of this ad at our local indie theater 😂
January 19, 2026 at 1:45 AM
I’ll never get tired of this ad at our local indie theater 😂
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She may have a weird complex about AOC but she also definitely has a list of Republicans who she wants to put in the vault-within-a-vault at Langley where the CIA hides all the various Lovecraftian horrors the government has uncovered over the years.
January 17, 2026 at 12:03 AM
She may have a weird complex about AOC but she also definitely has a list of Republicans who she wants to put in the vault-within-a-vault at Langley where the CIA hides all the various Lovecraftian horrors the government has uncovered over the years.
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Spanberger is centrist but also clearly genuinely thinks Republicans are scum and for that she deserves plaudits
Wow
The night before Spanberger’s inauguration
She’s cleared house at UVA
Top Youngkin appointees resign
Spanberger should be able to easily replace them given Dem trifecta
The former CIA officer asserting her control
The night before Spanberger’s inauguration
She’s cleared house at UVA
Top Youngkin appointees resign
Spanberger should be able to easily replace them given Dem trifecta
The former CIA officer asserting her control
January 17, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Spanberger is centrist but also clearly genuinely thinks Republicans are scum and for that she deserves plaudits