Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Prof. Carrie McDonough @carrieamcdphd.bsky.social · 4h

"Extorting our universities to comply with ideological demands and quell freedom of speech is not only anti-democratic; it threatens our ability to teach and study freely, and thus the very bedrock of academia in the United States of America." -- please sign if you agree...

University Administrations: Reject Trump's "Loyalty Oath" Compacts

The Trump administration is trying to blackmail schools to let him and his unqualified bureaucrats run our schools. They want to dictate what schools teach, who they admit and hire, what researchers s...

actionnetwork.org

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Prof. Carrie McDonough @carrieamcdphd.bsky.social · 16h

"The greatest crisis of American civil-military relations in modern history is now under way."

Adrienne LaFrance @adriennelaf.bsky.social · 16h

Must-read @radiofreetom.bsky.social: 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

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Daniel Knowles @dlknowles.bsky.social · 17h

Good reporting on the South Shore raid from South Side weekly here.

Confirms one thing I was told but didn't put in my own piece because I didn't have a second source and it seemed too insane: border agents segregated arrested residents by race

southsideweekly.com/federal-agen...

Federal Agents Storm South Shore Building, Detaining Families and Children

Families were woken by flashbangs and helicopters as hundreds of federal agents raided their homes. Days later, neighbors are still searching for the missing.

southsideweekly.com

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

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jeremymberg.github.io

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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 1d

California is the 4th largest economy in the world. It’s time it and other blue states used their economic clout to fight Trump’s agenda.

The latest from @clarajeffery:

It’s time for soft secession

How blue states can use their economic clout to stand up to Trump’s agenda—starting with California.

www.motherjones.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · 1d

JOIN us on 10/18 and stand up for science and democracy! There will be over 2300 events across the 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and internationally for you to make your voice heard!

Interested in speaking at a local event? We will be hosting a training on 10/14 — stay tuned for details!

Poster image with a large blue star and three red stripes, text reads: "No Kings Rally, Stand up for science and for democracy! Find and join your local no kings rally! October 18th, 2025, Nationwide" At the bottom is a URL which reads: www.nokings.org

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Prof. Carrie McDonough @carrieamcdphd.bsky.social · 1d

Join me in donating to get the word out big-time in PA!

@JanelleAnthro @janelleanthro.bsky.social · 1d

@pgh-health-science.bsky.social is working to get billboards up in the Pittsburgh area to educate about this issue. Please donate to maddogpac.com/cart if you want to help.

apnews.com/article/penn... supreme court battles move to Pennsylvania, where 3 Democratic justices hope to keep seats

State supreme court battles move to Pennsylvania, where 3 Democratic justices hope to keep seats

Republicans and Democrats have begun pouring money into an election this November for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

apnews.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · 2d

This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power by the President of the United States.

America is on the brink of martial law.

Do not be silent.

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 2d

This evening, President Trump is ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States. No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.

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Bryan Edward Stone (שָׁלוֹם) @bestonetx.bsky.social · 2d

What's to weigh? It's a no.

It doesn't even matter what the proposal says. It's entirely unacceptable for the president to be cutting side-deals with universities.

Say no reflexively, and if he pulls your funds, sue him.

www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

Colleges weigh whether to sign on to Trump plan or forgo federal benefits

A new proposal from the Trump administration would give colleges funding advantages if they adopt conservative priorities.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Prof. Carrie McDonough @carrieamcdphd.bsky.social · 3d

The way forward to protect academic freedom and scientific excellence: no university signs this, no university is given special treatment for the price of integrity

John Schwartz @jswatz.bsky.social · 5d

“No self-respecting university could ever accept something like this,” said Lee Bollinger, a First Amendment scholar and former Columbia University president. “Trying to protect conservative ideas against being ‘belittled’ — that’s about as violative of the First Amendment interests as you can get.”

Colleges weigh whether to sign onto Trump plan or forgo federal benefits

A new proposal from the Trump administration would give colleges funding advantages if they adopt conservative priorities.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

John Schwartz @jswatz.bsky.social · 5d

“No self-respecting university could ever accept something like this,” said Lee Bollinger, a First Amendment scholar and former Columbia University president. “Trying to protect conservative ideas against being ‘belittled’ — that’s about as violative of the First Amendment interests as you can get.”

Colleges weigh whether to sign onto Trump plan or forgo federal benefits

A new proposal from the Trump administration would give colleges funding advantages if they adopt conservative priorities.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Simon ⚒️⛩️🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴‍☠️🇪🇺 @sulaco68.bsky.social · 4d

The view from an ANTIFA landing craft June 6th 1944

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 4d

This is the post I'm going to send UNC when they write to ask for an alumni donation.

Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 4d

Bill Belichick is being paid $10 million per year.

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Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 4d

Shared how the greater shutdown of NIH science has been underway since January on @msnbc.com today.

We need Congress to stand firm to protect science, democracy and the American people.

www.msnbc.com/katy-tur/wat...

Furloughed NIH worker: Left office with 'pit' in my stomach about future of our country

On day three of the government shutdown, around 750,000 federal employees are furloughed as the White House threatens mass firings as early as today. Furloughed NIH Program Director Jenna Norton joins...

www.msnbc.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 4d

Attn Black people, stop scrolling.

This is not a drill: Chicago

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Prof. Carrie McDonough @carrieamcdphd.bsky.social · 4d

Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/o...

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Prof. Carrie McDonough @carrieamcdphd.bsky.social · 4d

"Good scientists are intimate with the limits of what they know and stand ready to learn in domains outside their expertise. They don’t just claim they are right. Instead, they know the cure for their ignorance is to actively and rigorously test their own assertions."

Gavin Schmidt @climateofgavin.bsky.social · 4d

Interesting opinion piece from @adamfrank4.bsky.social on trying to link ‘manosphere’ virtues to real science. Unusually, the comments are also worth perusing!

🎁
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/o...

Opinion | Why Young Men Are Losing Faith in Science

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · 5d

Here’s my take on why beef matters for climate change:

“Nothing else on a pound for pound basis, except maybe refrigerants, comes close to the polluting power of beef.”

That “doesn’t mean everyone has to be vegan tomorrow,” but the goal should be to trim back…

apnews.com/article/plan...

Want to eat more plant-based meals? Maggie Baird, Billie Eilish's mom, has some ideas

Have you heard replacing meat with plant-based foods is better for the planet and can be better for your health too, but you don’t know where to start?

apnews.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 4d

I said what I said.

The Briefing with Jen Psaki @briefingwithpsaki.bsky.social · 4d

IL Congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh: "I think Kristi Noem should have consequences. I think she should be tried at The Hague."

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Prof. Carrie McDonough @carrieamcdphd.bsky.social · 4d

Exactly this

Ann Monster Lipton @annmlipton.bsky.social · 4d

oof
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/o...

Today, when I mention to former colleagues that I am writing this essay, they tell me I am brave. And there lies the problem. We are not Russia yet, thankfully. It’s not actually courageous to write this. The risk is in not speaking out, because silence enables future cycles of censorship and fear. However, it’s increasingly clear to me that the assets accumulated in the tech boom have silenced many of us. Affluence and courage have become negatively correlated; the wealthy have too much to lose. Thus, their fortune makes them less, not more, secure.

Rather than speak up, a lot of Silicon Valley denizens are instead looking for a safer harbor. People with enough money are buying citizenship in New Zealand or Portugal.

Reposted by Prof. Carrie McDonough

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d

DOKOUPIL: Republicans says what you're really fighting for is taxpayer dollars for illegal aliens. I know that's not strictly true--

ELIZABETH WARREN: Excuse me, not strictly true? It is a flat out lie!

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Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 5d

According to eyewitnesses, armed ICE agents dragged kids out of their beds in the middle of the night, zip tied them and put them in rented vans while raiding an * entire apartment building* on the South Side of Chicago.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOXO...

‘F--- them kids’: ICE agents drag children out of bed, ransack Chicago building

YouTube video by MSNBC

www.youtube.com

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Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 5d

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

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

HIGHER ED EXTORTION: Trump offers “compact” to top universities—including Vanderbilt. Grants in exchange for: fewer foreign students, conservative gender policies, protected GOP ideology & speech limits on staff.

Will Vandy to submit to bullying for a bag of cash? www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...

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Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 6d

New York City, I can see a future with you. And it’s one we can afford.

Our new ad just aired during The Golden Bachelor.

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