Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Sande @sande0724.bsky.social · 4h

Because Republicans.

They have blocked EVERY attempt at significant gun legislation.

All the blood is on their hands.

1 5 4

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · 4h

21 150 350

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 3d

“America’s senior military officers, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, must approach Trump now and make clear to him that they will not obey illegal orders to act against American citizens or disrupt the American political process.”

www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...

The Civil-Military Crisis Is Here

The leaders of the U.S. military may soon face a terrible decision.

www.theatlantic.com

240 1.6K 4.9K

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Elise Wang @elisewang.bsky.social · 6h

For those not fluent in Catholic: refusing the Monstrance is not denying prisoners the Eucharist, it is refusing Christ himself, since Christ is present in the Monstrance.

If Portland’s blow up animals are the right language for Portland, this is the right language for Chicago.

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 10h

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

21 520 1.7K

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Captive @graceomalley.bsky.social · 4h

Awful op-ed but some very astute comments from the NYT readers.

Why isn’t Trump open to making deals on domestic policies with Democrats? I can think of a few reasons: (1) the GOP has demonized democrats so thoroughly over the past 20 or so years that to make a deal with democrats is to literally make a deal with the devil for many in Trump’s base; (2) Stephen Miller seems to control what domestic information Trump sees (he seems to only absorb information via television) and thus Miller pulls the strings on many domestic actions like ICE and sending troops to Portland (e.g., Trump being surprised when Oregon’s governor informed him that no, in fact, Portland is not on fire); and (3) GOP house and senate members have voluntarily rendered themselves utterly ineffective and so no pressure is put on Trump from anyone, anywhere to make a deal across the aisle. In other words, the broadly accepted goal of the GOP now is to punish Democrats. And Trump’s personal goal is for his family to make as much money as possible while President. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that.

1 3 11

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · 4h

Glad to speak to @neunion.bsky.social today. Public schools & educators in both countries are facing similar challenges. We talked about efforts to replace teachers, rising attacks from the far right & how to focus on what students need. I'm always happy to support our sisters & brothers in the UK

6 28

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Ify Nwadiwe @ifycomedy.com · 8h

I think we really should stop using antifa and just fully say anti-fascist and get them saying they are against anti fascism. Using antifa is giving them some distance and I genuinely think some of their base don’t even know that’s what it stands for.

300 4.1K 14K

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Willow @rockshrimp.bsky.social · 7h

The man has exhibited visible disgust for anyone with a disability for years. They’re eugenicists.

Even if this gets overturned by the courts what are parents supposed to do in the meantime if they live in a red state?

Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says

The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

bit.ly

1 36 110

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Abigail Spanberger @abigailspanberger.com · 14h

Right now, with the stroke of a pen, reproductive rights could be taken away in Virginia — if we elect Winsome Earle-Sears as Governor.

It’s unacceptable. Reproductive healthcare decisions should stay between a woman, her family, and her doctor. Full stop.

8 140 430

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 9h

“The administration did not like that CDC data did not support their narrative, so they got rid of them. They didn’t like that CDC policy groups would not rubber stamp their unscientific ideas, so they got rid of them”.

The damage to the CDC is “beyond repair”.

‘The damage is beyond repair’: The CDC faces another round of deep staff cuts | CNN

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suffered another round of deep staff cuts late Friday, with disease detectives, outbreak forecasters, policy and data offices among those impacted, ac...

edition.cnn.com

20 280 590

Reposted by Pat McDermott

HELLody SchreiBOO @melodyschreiber.com · 6h

This @lopatto.bsky.social banger completely changed my view of the Bari Weiss CBS takeover www.theverge.com/business/793...

Memo to Bari Weiss Re: CBS News: You’re doomed

Bari Weiss has sold her company, The Free Press, to manage the decline of broadcast news at CBS. How many ways can it go wrong?

www.theverge.com

1 10 31

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Heidi Li Feldman @heidilifeldman.bsky.social · 4h

On a rainy, raw morning, we had more @indivisiblesantafe.org members today at our second Speakers’ Corner session than we had last week! Here’s one of my favorite clips. (Mike Johnson thinks she’s somebody who hates America. 🙄) cc @indivisible.org #NoKings #NewMexico

2 3 5

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 14h

I know Trump and his minions all have sneering contempt for kids with special needs, but trust me when I say that their parents will absolutely fucking destroy anyone who messes with the special education supports to which they are entitled by law.

Sara Partridge, Ph.D. @sarapartridge.bsky.social · 14h

There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.

America’s children deserve better than this.

140 950 3.4K

Reposted by Pat McDermott

ProPublica @propublica.org · 4h

A policy expert described Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s push in favor of private schools as a “great American heist,” funneling money from public schools: “It’s a strategic theft of the future of our country, our kids and our democracy.”

By @megomatz.bsky.social & @jsmithrichards.bsky.social

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

www.propublica.org

46 400 960

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 6h

You're fired!

Oops, please come back!
bsky.app/profile/mike...

Mike Madden @mikemadden.bsky.social · 6h

CDC lays off, then rapidly un-lays off, the people in charge of responding to measles www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

More than 1,000 CDC staff receive layoff notices during government shutdown

Another round of mass layoffs has struck CDC. The agency had already been cut during a reorganization this year, and more employees are now being shed amid the government shutdown.

www.washingtonpost.com

2 22 79

Reposted by Pat McDermott

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 5h

ICYMI — Trump lied that Chicago had “4000” murders, when it’s projected to have 380 this year (way down from last year)

If it’s so bad there why does he have to keep lying about it?

87 490 1.6K

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Lynn Becker @cmgiulini.bsky.social · 5h

After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

300 3.5K 6.7K

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

9. The recent removal of “bisexual” from official Pride histories is a warning: attacks on transgender people will never stop with us. They are part of a broader effort to narrow the scope of who is allowed to belong, to be seen, and even to be remembered.

3 150 680

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

8. Likewise, bisexual people played a pivotal role in the Pride movement. Brenda Howard, a bisexual rights activist often referred to as “the mother of Pride,” helped organize the rally that became the Christopher Street Liberation Day March on the first anniversary of the uprising.

Brenda Howard | Legacy Project Chicago

Bronx born Brenda Howard discovered activism in the 1960s movement against the Vietnam War. Like many women in the era, she grew critical of patriarchy and became involved in the Feminist Movement. He...

legacyprojectchicago.org

1 43 410

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

7. The erasure is historically inaccurate. Stonewall was heavily led by transgender and gender-nonconforming leaders like Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P Johnson, and Zazu Nova.

2 38 460

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

6. In one glaring example, Sylvia Rivera’s section originally stated, “At a young age, Sylvia began fighting for gay and transgender rights.” The revised version read, “gay and rights,” with the word “transgender” removed entirely, rendering the sentence nonsensical:

2 51 480

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

5. Likewise, the page now reads that living “openly as a member of the Stonewall comunity |SIC| was a violation of law,” rather than living as an openly LGBTQ+ person, as it had previously read.

1 31 380

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

4. The changes were not limited to the front page. In “History and Culture”, the page once indicated “Stonewall was a milestone for LGBTQ civil rights that provided momentum for a movement."

That changed to LGB and now, it says "gay and lesbian"

1 30 400

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

3. Stonewall National Monument once said "before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) person was illegal.”

That was changed to LGB early in Trump 2.

Now, it reads "gay or lesbian."

3 82 470

Reposted by Pat McDermott

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jul 10

2. Earlier this year, the Trump admin erased transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument, scrubbing them from the history they helped shape. The decision sparked protests at the civil rights landmark and raised alarm about broader efforts to censor trans people from the public record.

Protests Erupt At Stonewall After Trump Removes Trans People From Monument Website

At least one reporter counted the attendees of the protest to number over 1,000 people.

www.erininthemorning.com

1 39 420