Barry Schachter
@barryschachter.bsky.social
risk guy, interested in phil. sci., AI risks, general semantics, society&technology, objective truth, leadership, books that make me think & opinions that are not my own. Warning: highly fallible, but good natured
Our language structures the very way we see, and any significant change in our ways of talking can lead to a change in point of view.
—Neil Postman, “Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk”
—Neil Postman, “Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk”
January 19, 2026 at 3:33 AM
Our language structures the very way we see, and any significant change in our ways of talking can lead to a change in point of view.
—Neil Postman, “Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk”
—Neil Postman, “Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk”
We make things up to suit what we need to believe.
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat, by Sabahattin Ali
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat, by Sabahattin Ali
January 17, 2026 at 10:07 PM
We make things up to suit what we need to believe.
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat, by Sabahattin Ali
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat, by Sabahattin Ali
“People can only get to know each other up to a point, and then they make up the rest.”
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
January 17, 2026 at 7:15 PM
“People can only get to know each other up to a point, and then they make up the rest.”
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
“Some things we never know we need until we find them.”
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
January 17, 2026 at 7:13 PM
“Some things we never know we need until we find them.”
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
—character in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
Reposted by Barry Schachter
The Insurrection Act does require an actual insurrection. The violence in Minneapolis is almost exclusively one-sided. People yelling at you, calling you names, and recording you on a cell phone isn’t violence. And if the courts let Trump say it is, we’re in a lot of trouble.
January 16, 2026 at 2:32 PM
The Insurrection Act does require an actual insurrection. The violence in Minneapolis is almost exclusively one-sided. People yelling at you, calling you names, and recording you on a cell phone isn’t violence. And if the courts let Trump say it is, we’re in a lot of trouble.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
the only good thing about this part of the horrible shooting story is that it may turn out to be a gut shot for the carcass of @cbsnews.com and that's great. and unlike the ICE goon CBS has real internal bleeding.
January 16, 2026 at 4:20 PM
the only good thing about this part of the horrible shooting story is that it may turn out to be a gut shot for the carcass of @cbsnews.com and that's great. and unlike the ICE goon CBS has real internal bleeding.
Why, when we are reluctant even to describe a wedge of cheese we are seeing for the first time, do we draw our final conclusions from our first encounters with people, and happily dismiss them.
—narrator, Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
—narrator, Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
January 14, 2026 at 10:21 PM
Why, when we are reluctant even to describe a wedge of cheese we are seeing for the first time, do we draw our final conclusions from our first encounters with people, and happily dismiss them.
—narrator, Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
—narrator, Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
Reposted by Barry Schachter
It would take a two-word amendment to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to subject ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officers to the same liability for constitutional violations that local and state officers currently face.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
January 12, 2026 at 10:56 PM
It would take a two-word amendment to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to subject ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officers to the same liability for constitutional violations that local and state officers currently face.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
White supremacist talking points.
No dog whistles.
No dog whistles.
January 13, 2026 at 12:10 AM
White supremacist talking points.
No dog whistles.
No dog whistles.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
I am, in fact, triggered by someone being murdered by the Gestapo and our government lying about it and celebrating the murder. It’s time for decent people to decide where they stand — with the Gestapo and its supporters, the juvenile shitposting government, or with America.
In response to a quote tweet of DHS that says “you guys killed an American citizen,” Greg Bovino replies: “Triggered much?”
January 12, 2026 at 5:11 PM
I am, in fact, triggered by someone being murdered by the Gestapo and our government lying about it and celebrating the murder. It’s time for decent people to decide where they stand — with the Gestapo and its supporters, the juvenile shitposting government, or with America.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
Disguising yourself as a civilian in order to carry out a lethal attack is called perfidy and it’s one of the most serious of war crimes. The usual punishment is execution.
U.S. Attacked Boat With Aircraft That Looked Like a Civilian Plane
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:31 AM
Disguising yourself as a civilian in order to carry out a lethal attack is called perfidy and it’s one of the most serious of war crimes. The usual punishment is execution.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
The cool thing about Pete Hegseth is he's going to break every single law on the books, no matter how old or obscure.
Breaking NYT:
The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane in its first boat attack, according to officials briefed on the matter.
The laws of armed conflict forbid combatants from feigning civilian status.
That is a war crime called "perfidy."
The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane in its first boat attack, according to officials briefed on the matter.
The laws of armed conflict forbid combatants from feigning civilian status.
That is a war crime called "perfidy."
U.S. Attacked Boat With Aircraft That Looked Like a Civilian Plane
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:39 AM
The cool thing about Pete Hegseth is he's going to break every single law on the books, no matter how old or obscure.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
Whatever groups Good may or may not have been a part of have no bearing on what happened the day she was killed. Nor would her membership in any group justify her killing.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
F.B.I. Inquiry Into ICE Shooting Is Examining Victim’s Possible Ties to Activist Groups www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/u...
F.B.I. Inquiry Into ICE Shooting Is Examining Victim’s Possible Ties to Activist Groups
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:58 AM
Whatever groups Good may or may not have been a part of have no bearing on what happened the day she was killed. Nor would her membership in any group justify her killing.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
« Can there be any sweeter intoxication than exerting power and authority over one of your own kind? »
-narrator, « Madonna in a Fur Coat » by Sabahattin Ali
-narrator, « Madonna in a Fur Coat » by Sabahattin Ali
January 12, 2026 at 11:53 AM
« Can there be any sweeter intoxication than exerting power and authority over one of your own kind? »
-narrator, « Madonna in a Fur Coat » by Sabahattin Ali
-narrator, « Madonna in a Fur Coat » by Sabahattin Ali
David Knopfler:
January 11, 2026 at 10:08 PM
David Knopfler:
Worth a read: Jennifer Szalai’s NY Times Book Review essay (Jan 11, 2026) on Hannah Arendt’s political philosophy, attending to the evidence of your eyes, and not embracing « structure that discouraged [independent, critical] thought. »
@jenszalai.bsky.social
@jenszalai.bsky.social
January 11, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Worth a read: Jennifer Szalai’s NY Times Book Review essay (Jan 11, 2026) on Hannah Arendt’s political philosophy, attending to the evidence of your eyes, and not embracing « structure that discouraged [independent, critical] thought. »
@jenszalai.bsky.social
@jenszalai.bsky.social
“Robbery, slaughter, plunder, they give the lying name of empire; they make a desert and call it peace.”
—Tacitus (Agricola ch. 30, trans.
Church and Brodribb (1877))
—Tacitus (Agricola ch. 30, trans.
Church and Brodribb (1877))
January 11, 2026 at 3:47 AM
“Robbery, slaughter, plunder, they give the lying name of empire; they make a desert and call it peace.”
—Tacitus (Agricola ch. 30, trans.
Church and Brodribb (1877))
—Tacitus (Agricola ch. 30, trans.
Church and Brodribb (1877))
Reposted by Barry Schachter
The MAGA regime is currently doubling down on its tactical stance of “we will kill women like dogs for merely displeasing us.”
January 10, 2026 at 12:12 AM
The MAGA regime is currently doubling down on its tactical stance of “we will kill women like dogs for merely displeasing us.”
Reposted by Barry Schachter
I broke the story yesterday that masked ICE agents (not DOJ) were removing items including a personal computer from the home of Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot Renee Good. I have yet to see a single news outlet cover this or an elected official even acknowledge it.
NEW: These are ICE agents removing evidence from the shooter's home. They are not DOJ, they are Jonathan Ross's friends and coworkers, not DOJ.
This agent removing Ross's personal computer was reported yesterday Jan 9 for boxing in a volunteer and telling them "I'll dedicate my next arrest to you"
This agent removing Ross's personal computer was reported yesterday Jan 9 for boxing in a volunteer and telling them "I'll dedicate my next arrest to you"
January 10, 2026 at 7:32 PM
I broke the story yesterday that masked ICE agents (not DOJ) were removing items including a personal computer from the home of Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot Renee Good. I have yet to see a single news outlet cover this or an elected official even acknowledge it.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
Jonathan Ross worked for Border Patrol before ICE
January 10, 2026 at 9:47 PM
Jonathan Ross worked for Border Patrol before ICE
Reposted by Barry Schachter
losing my mind at the "she should have followed directions" people
really? really? you're cool with "if you don't follow directions, they get to kill you"? that seems like a good state of affairs to you? that seems like how law enforcement ought to work: instant obeisance or death?
really? really? you're cool with "if you don't follow directions, they get to kill you"? that seems like a good state of affairs to you? that seems like how law enforcement ought to work: instant obeisance or death?
January 7, 2026 at 6:25 PM
losing my mind at the "she should have followed directions" people
really? really? you're cool with "if you don't follow directions, they get to kill you"? that seems like a good state of affairs to you? that seems like how law enforcement ought to work: instant obeisance or death?
really? really? you're cool with "if you don't follow directions, they get to kill you"? that seems like a good state of affairs to you? that seems like how law enforcement ought to work: instant obeisance or death?
Reposted by Barry Schachter
Video makes clear almost every word of this is a lie.
January 7, 2026 at 6:13 PM
Video makes clear almost every word of this is a lie.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
Masked ICE agents, it seems, are now killing American citizens on American streets.
Any Democrat who doesn’t support abolishing ICE should be instantly primaried and run out of the party.
This is non negotiable. You cannot support the continued existence of this fascist murderous secret police.
Any Democrat who doesn’t support abolishing ICE should be instantly primaried and run out of the party.
This is non negotiable. You cannot support the continued existence of this fascist murderous secret police.
January 7, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Masked ICE agents, it seems, are now killing American citizens on American streets.
Any Democrat who doesn’t support abolishing ICE should be instantly primaried and run out of the party.
This is non negotiable. You cannot support the continued existence of this fascist murderous secret police.
Any Democrat who doesn’t support abolishing ICE should be instantly primaried and run out of the party.
This is non negotiable. You cannot support the continued existence of this fascist murderous secret police.
Reposted by Barry Schachter
If officials can’t bring themselves to arrest someone who is captured on camera from multiple angles killing someone in cold blood, they should just step aside so someone with a backbone can lead
Arrest the murderer and arrest Bovino. Not complicated.
January 7, 2026 at 7:01 PM
If officials can’t bring themselves to arrest someone who is captured on camera from multiple angles killing someone in cold blood, they should just step aside so someone with a backbone can lead
Reposted by Barry Schachter
Remember: Federal officials do not enjoy categorical, absolute immunity from state-level prosecutions. They are entitled to removal to federal court. But conduct that is unreasonable or unnecessary for the execution of their law enforcement duties is susceptible to criminal prosecution.
January 7, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Remember: Federal officials do not enjoy categorical, absolute immunity from state-level prosecutions. They are entitled to removal to federal court. But conduct that is unreasonable or unnecessary for the execution of their law enforcement duties is susceptible to criminal prosecution.