Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 5d

#BalloonFiesta

Reposted by Marcel Harmon

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 10d

The president said, in a televised speech, that he's sending his new, less restrained, more violent military into US cities to practice their brutality on immigrants and minorities, to better train them to apply that brutality to other countries.

He said this out loud.

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 11d

“All of us, especially U.S. citizens, especially white, cisgender, heterosexual, male, U.S. citizens, need semi-regular experiences of being in places where our primary language, dialects, customs, norms, needs, privileges, etc., aren’t what’s dominant.”

open.substack.com/pub/marcelha...

Seeing Beyond Ourselves

How do we apply corrective lenses to the American vision of who we are and our place within the larger world? Dispatches from Oz, via Montreal

open.substack.com

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Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 11d

“All of us, especially U.S. citizens, especially white, cisgender, heterosexual, male, U.S. citizens, need semi-regular experiences of being in places where our primary language, dialects, customs, norms, needs, privileges, etc., aren’t what’s dominant.”

open.substack.com/pub/marcelha...

Seeing Beyond Ourselves

How do we apply corrective lenses to the American vision of who we are and our place within the larger world? Dispatches from Oz, via Montreal

open.substack.com

1 3

Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 11d

"Yes, the opening image is a controversial slap in the face that some may find offensive, but it effectively provides a cold water plunge into the underlying theme of this piece."

marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/seeing-bey...

Seeing Beyond Ourselves

How do we apply corrective lenses to the American vision of who we are and our place within the larger world? Dispatches from Oz, via Montreal

marcelharmon67.substack.com

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Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 14d

"The so-called 'war' over empathy reveals not only divided views of leadership but also deeper anxieties about how we connect with one another. These tensions raise important questions about the history, promise, pitfalls and future of empathy." 2/

theconversation.com/empathy-is-u...

Empathy is under attack — but it remains vital for leadership and connection

For decades, empathy was unequivocally viewed as an asset, but today, some view it as a liability. Two experts in management explain why it’s so important for leaders.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 18d

Empathy threatens authoritarians. If followers identify w/ outsiders or question the prescribed narrative, the leader’s grip weakens. Sympathy is safe – one can express brief pity w/out undermining the core belief that the in-group is morally superior.

marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/empathy-vs...

Empathy vs Sympathy in Our Current Political Climate

What are the impacts of "feeling with" vs "feeling for" on authoritarianism and bridging our political divides in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination?

marcelharmon67.substack.com

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 18d

"Kirk & like-minded adherents prefer sympathy because it keeps their ideological armor intact. Sympathy says I acknowledge your pain but on my terms. Empathy, however, asks, What are your terms? Can I suspend mine for a moment to truly understand?"

marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/empathy-vs...

Empathy vs Sympathy in Our Current Political Climate

What are the impacts of "feeling with" vs "feeling for" on authoritarianism and bridging our political divides in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination?

marcelharmon67.substack.com

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Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 18d

Empathy threatens authoritarians. If followers identify w/ outsiders or question the prescribed narrative, the leader’s grip weakens. Sympathy is safe – one can express brief pity w/out undermining the core belief that the in-group is morally superior.

marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/empathy-vs...

Empathy vs Sympathy in Our Current Political Climate

What are the impacts of "feeling with" vs "feeling for" on authoritarianism and bridging our political divides in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination?

marcelharmon67.substack.com

1 1 2

Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 18d

"Kirk & like-minded adherents prefer sympathy because it keeps their ideological armor intact. Sympathy says I acknowledge your pain but on my terms. Empathy, however, asks, What are your terms? Can I suspend mine for a moment to truly understand?"

marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/empathy-vs...

Empathy vs Sympathy in Our Current Political Climate

What are the impacts of "feeling with" vs "feeling for" on authoritarianism and bridging our political divides in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination?

marcelharmon67.substack.com

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 21d

I like this. Since under RFK Jr, Covid shots are now for people with underlying conditions that put them at risk, Michigan’s chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian states that not having the most recent Covid shot constitutes such an underlying condition.

www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside...

In her recommendation, Bagdasarian stated,
"Any person over the age of six months without contraindication who has not received a dose of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved or-authorized 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine may be considered to have an underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 and is thus eligible to receive an age-appropriate dose."

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Apoorva Mandavilli @apoorvanyt.bsky.social · 21d

The chaos from the first day of a meeting of the federal vaccine committee appointed by RFK Jr. bled into the second day, as the panel reversed one decision and indefinitely postponed a vote on a hepatitis B vaccine they had already deferred once.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/h...

Vaccine Panel Postpones One Vote and Reverses Another Amid Confusion

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 23d

He must be fired or impeached. Plain and simple.

NPR @npr.org · 23d

Susan Monarez says RFK Jr. told her to commit to decisions in advance, without reviewing evidence and to dismiss vaccine experts.

Ousted CDC director testifies on why she was fired

Susan Monarez says RFK Jr. told her to commit to decisions in advance, without reviewing evidence and to dismiss vaccine experts.

n.pr

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

KMUW @kmuw.bsky.social · 24d

Toxic bacteria shut down this town's water supply. Fertilizer runoff is fueling the issue
www.kmuw.org/2025-09-15/a...

Toxic bacteria shut down this town's water supply. Fertilizer runoff is fueling the issue

Quick-growing blooms of bacteria and algae have long been a hazard in lakes and rivers, because of the toxins they produce. Fueled in part by agricultural runoff, these blooms are also threatening…

www.kmuw.org

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · 25d

Some personal news:

I've been fired from the Washington Post in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting.

Thread incoming.

substack.com/@karenattiah...

The Washington Post Fired Me — But My Voice Will Not Be Silenced.

I spoke out against hatred and violence in America — and it cost me my job.

substack.com

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Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 27d

Charlie Kirk Didn’t Shy Away From Who He Was. We Shouldn’t Either. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/o...

Opinion | Charlie Kirk Didn’t Shy Away From Who He Was. We Shouldn’t Either.

www.nytimes.com

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Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · 27d

Social Media Reduced Two Horrific Killings to Cheap Snuff Films www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/o...

Opinion | Social Media Reduced Two Horrific Killings to Cheap Snuff Films

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 29d

“Kirk & I were on different sides of most political arguments. We were on the same side of the continued possibility of American politics.”

So it’s personal? B/c if you were a Black woman or transgender, Kirk would not imagine you having any role in the future of American politics.

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · Sep 10

For everyone saying political violence has no place in this country…

Remember two Democratic legislators were shot in Minnesota just this year.

And America shrugged and moved on.

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

anthrofuentes.bsky.social @anthrofuentes.bsky.social · Sep 8

"Agustín Fuentes's book on human sex biology is a timely and valuable contribution...grounding in evolution and comparative biology, as well as its extensive references to the most recent research on this topic." Review in #AJHB @humbioassociation.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

rideshareotter.bsky.social @rideshareotter.bsky.social · Sep 6

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · Sep 4

Because Trump's architectural mandates and actions definitely come out of the authoritarian / strongman playbook.

Maybe the title for the What Next episode should have been Dictator/Decorator-In-Chief. 2/

marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/who-gets-t...

Who Gets to Shape Federal Architecture?

The Trump regime is making a play to dictate federal architecture as part of their effort to remake the federal government and create an authoritarian state. Will we let them?

marcelharmon67.substack.com

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Reposted by Marcel Harmon

silverlinks.bsky.social @silverlinks.bsky.social · Sep 5

I’m a High Schooler. AI Is Demolishing My Education.

The end of critical thinking in the classroom

www.theatlantic.com

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Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · Sep 5

Wouldn’t be surprised.

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Marcel Harmon @mjharmon67.bsky.social · Sep 5

Of course Kobach is going to waste time, resources, & valuable Kansas taxpayer dollars suing the governor again. Sounds about right.

It really bothers this little snowflake of a man that he lost the governor's race to a female democrat. #ksleg

kansasreflector.com/2025/09/04/k...

Kansas AG, speaking at GOP panel in Alaska, says he plans to sue the governor again • Kansas Reflector

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach plans to sue Gov. Laura Kelly, he said during a panel with Republican attorneys general in Alaska last week, but he did not specify what for.

kansasreflector.com

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