Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Preorder Read This When Things Fall Apart @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 1d

Y'all who keep lecturing protesters to "not give them an excuse" need to pause for a minute. Imagine yourself telling a DV victim, "Be sure not to mouth off or make any mistakes so he won't hit you. Don't give him an excuse! It's what he wants!" That's what you fools sound like.

14 1.3K 4.8K

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Steve Randy Waldman @interfluidity.com · 1d

a way to understand Bari Weiss’ ascendance is that capital absolutely does not want to “turn down the temperature” on culture war, au contraire they understand culture war to be their most successful media project and want more more more.

39 250 1.2K

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Joshua Holland @joshuaholland.bsky.social · 11d

If these people aren’t fascists then that word just has no meaning.

1 180 670

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Jeffrey Vagle @jvagle.me · 13d

“Show me the man, and I’ll find you the crime.”

— Lavrentiy Beria

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 13d

They’re literally giving prosecutors the names of people and organizations, and telling them to go find crimes. It’s clear from the NYT that the directive came from Trump.

This is a direct consequence of Roberts explicitly immunizing weaponization of DOJ in Trump v. US.

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 13d

We’ve created a system in which there’s no disincentive stopping a shameless, power mad administration from doing this. At worst, they get struck down in court and they get to ruin a lot of people in the process. But civil, criminal liability for this sort of abuse of power are nonstarters.

2 94 400

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

This definitely feels like something. We’ve hit the tipping point into fascism.

1

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

The antidote is to build community, invest in care, imagine a world without capitalism , organize, and resist.

1

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

Glad to know he’s safe out of the country. Was hoping that was the case as I read today’s news.

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

It doesn’t matter. The more he says this crap the more it’s repeated and normalized. It becomes common sense.

David Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 13d

Do most Americans realize this is total bullshit? He is just making stuff up.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13d

Trump: "They go to Uber. Young ladies in the White House. They'd call Uber for protection. They'd run to the car because they were petrified."

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Markus Pössel @mpoessel.de · 13d

Heading in the direction of Nazi Germany after Hitler took power 30 January 1933 and put his political,opponents in concentration camps. But instead of having historians reconstruct events in retrospective, it‘s on live television.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13d

Patel on left-wing groups: "We are properly going to chase them down like the domestic terrorists that they are."

64 410 1.2K

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

Agreed. Don’t be divided and conquered

Benji, the Jack of Hearts 🔆🏳️‍🌈🇵🇸🇺🇦🌹 @destroytime.bsky.social · 13d

amen. #TransRightsAreHumanRights, full stop. you cannot claim to care about marginalized communities of any kind if you do not stand up for the trans community.

www.thenation.com/article/poli...

The Right Wants to Exterminate Trans People. Liberals Are Helping.

After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the conservative movement has accelerated its war against trans people. And too many centrist Democrats have kept up their trans bashing.

www.thenation.com

2

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

State licensed violence against it’s citizens

Brad Lander @bradlander.bsky.social · 13d

I was back at 26 Federal Plaza today, where an ICE agent violently threw this bereft woman to the ground in front of her kids. She had not touched him. She did not pose any threat. She had to be taken to the hospital. (🎥: Elias Eliahu)

1

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

Today’s events, including this terror memo, suggest we’ve tipped over into fascist terrain

Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 13d

Another big move in Trump terror memo that must be explicitly named: expanding from “antifa” to “anti-fascist,” then naming state monopoly on violence—that’s the wonk term for its armed forces—as immune from charges of fascism. To call a cop a fascist, this says, is itself a crime.

There are common recurrent motivations and indicia uniting this pattern of violent and terroristic activities under the umbrella of self-described “anti-fascism.” These movements portray foundational American principles (e.g., support for law enforcement and border control) as “fascist” to justify and encourage acts of violent revolution.

1

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

That’s because there’s a transnational far right movement sharing their playbook

Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 13d

This move in the Trump terror memo is very similar to the means Putin used to destroy NGO critics (I reported specifically on targeting of LGBTQ+ groups). I’m not saying Putin is a puppet master. But we’re seeing similar consolidations of power.

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 13d

The move appears targeted at left-leaning progressive nonprofit groups, which Trump days ago vowed to dismantle, falsely claiming they fund and support political violence and terrorism in the U.S. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

In Dangerous Attack on Left-Leaning Nonprofits, Trump Orders Government to Go After ‘Domestic Terrorism Networks’

Read more here.

www.democracydocket.com

110 640 1.4K

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

This is less about individuals and more about spreading fear and obstructing support for any opposition.

Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 13d

From the Trump Terror Memo. Have you ever donated to a left org with a credit card? Get ready. This doesn’t mean they’re coming for you. It means if they want to come for you, you’re already cooked.

The Secretary shall provide guidance for financial institutions to file Suspicious Activity Reports and investigate indicia of illicit funding streams to ensure such activity is rooted out at the source and referred for law enforcement action, as appropriate.

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 13d

From the Trump Terror Memo. Have you ever donated to a left org with a credit card? Get ready. This doesn’t mean they’re coming for you. It means if they want to come for you, you’re already cooked.

8 45 120

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

Never underestimate your enemy. This is early random and when it is that’s also a strategy. Shock and awe anyone?

Joey Politano🏳️‍🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 13d

Not even 20 minutes later and I guess we’re doing 50% tariffs on IKEA for some reason. He’s a man with a plan to make life more expensive and he can’t be stopped.

We will be imposing a 50% Tariff on all Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities, and associated products, starting October 1st, 2025. Additionally, we will be charging a 30% Tariff on Upholstered Furniture. The reason for this is the large scale “FLOODING” of these products into the United States by other outside Countries. It is a very unfair practice, but we must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 13d

I think that’s pretty conservative. With national donors already being considered for terrorism charges I would think we will be there within a year.

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 13d

Speculation, but I don’t think it’s off the table that within a year or two state Democratic Party orgs could be designated terror orgs according to Trump’s terror memo. The point will be to make examples, and compel submission.

. Department of Justice Designation. In the course of and as a result of the investigations directed by section 2 of this memorandum, the Attorney General may recommend that any group or entity whose members are engaged in activities meeting the definition of “domestic terrorism” in 18 U.S.C. 2331(5) merits designation as a “domestic terrorist organization.”

11 70 200

Denise M. Walsh @feministpoliprof.bsky.social · 18d

From authoritarian populism to fascism: 1) crises take center state, 2) illusion of violent threat of the left, 3) activated mass base, 4) bourgeoisie no longer believe they can democratically control the state, 5) assault on the state and 6) terror against all subordinate classes.

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Dr. Nyasha @drnyasha.bsky.social · 22d

Against the New McCarthyism: Organizing Resistance in Higher Education | via @haymarketbooks.org www.youtube.com/live/AokV9UO...

Against the New McCarthyism: Organizing Resistance in Higher Education

YouTube video by Haymarket Books

www.youtube.com

11 28

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Chad Loder @chadloder.bsky.social · 24d

ICE claimed the father tried to hit them with his car or that he "dragged" one of the agents. Then bystander video was released showing this was completely false.

ICE executed a man on the street in broad daylight.

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 24d

Hi

ICE killed a single dad at a traffic stop here on Friday

Today they are disappearing people again in broad daylight, they are everywhere

If you have any national platform at all

Chicago is fucking begging you, please help us

41 2.2K 4.6K

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Sarah Lazare @sarahlazare.bsky.social · 25d

Willian Gimenez was abducted by ICE yesterday in Chicago. He had been part of a lawsuit against off-duty police and Home Depot employees for abusing day laborers. Latino Union says he was targeted for advocating for his rights as a worker. @bloomekatz.bsky.social and I report.

ICE Abducts Man Suing Off-Duty Police for Abusing Day Laborers

“The Department of Homeland Security has become the department of state terror,” said Rep. Delia Ramirez.

inthesetimes.com

8 700 1.3K

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Ida Bae Wells @nhannahjones.bsky.social · 28d

The MSNBC commentator saying that most political violence has historically come from the left just once again showed how we suffer from failing to learn history. Lynching, pogroms, race riots, the political violence that ended Reconstruction, and against the Civil Rights Movement. Come on.

1.4K 10K 42K

Reposted by Denise M. Walsh

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 27d

When you publish a website that posts the names and photos of scholars who have written or said things you disagree with and encourage people to surveil and harass them, you are not, in fact, a “free speech” organization.

Ted McCormick @tedmccormick.bsky.social · 27d

It is quite simply dishonest to describe TPUSA as a “free speech” organization and not even mention the “Professor Watchlist,” as NPR just did. Reporting on a crime does not entail adopting the victim’s views.

100 4.7K 18K