Gerard Ciepielewski
@gciepielewski.bsky.social
Quantum foundations & philosophy of physics. Nonlocality, Bell. I stress-test arguments and make videos; cats decide cadence.
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
The story was always already about an impoverished unmarried couple facing a pitiless bureaucracy, having a baby in a barn, and then having to hide from a tyrant. The baby grew up to say that the poor were blessed and the neighbor is he who shows mercy. You can’t hide from the politics of all that.
This year, statues of tall men clad in all black with masks drawn up to hide their faces are disrupting the serenity of a Charlotte church's Nativity scene.
The figures are depicted approaching the Holy Family and the Wise Men with handcuffs as if preparing to make an arrest.
The figures are depicted approaching the Holy Family and the Wise Men with handcuffs as if preparing to make an arrest.
As anti-ICE Nativity scenes spark outrage, faith leaders grapple with politics at the pulpit | CNN
As Nativity scenes depicting ICE draw attention and outrage, faith leaders are grappling with politics in religion and urging a closer reading of the Christmas story.
www.cnn.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:32 PM
The story was always already about an impoverished unmarried couple facing a pitiless bureaucracy, having a baby in a barn, and then having to hide from a tyrant. The baby grew up to say that the poor were blessed and the neighbor is he who shows mercy. You can’t hide from the politics of all that.
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
Indiana’s Senate has voted AGAINST the GOP gerrymander that’d have locked in a 9-0 map.
This keeps the 7-2 map in place, saving two Democratic seats heading into 2026.
The vote failed big, 19/31.
The MAJORITY of the GOP senators opposed it!
This keeps the 7-2 map in place, saving two Democratic seats heading into 2026.
The vote failed big, 19/31.
The MAJORITY of the GOP senators opposed it!
December 11, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Indiana’s Senate has voted AGAINST the GOP gerrymander that’d have locked in a 9-0 map.
This keeps the 7-2 map in place, saving two Democratic seats heading into 2026.
The vote failed big, 19/31.
The MAJORITY of the GOP senators opposed it!
This keeps the 7-2 map in place, saving two Democratic seats heading into 2026.
The vote failed big, 19/31.
The MAJORITY of the GOP senators opposed it!
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
The baroque corruption schemes playing out in America and Russia completely outclass the kickback scandal in Ukraine.
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Trumpian Corruption Is Worse Than Ukrainian Corruption
The people of Ukraine want an honest government, even as American and Russian kleptocrats circle their country.
www.theatlantic.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:15 PM
The baroque corruption schemes playing out in America and Russia completely outclass the kickback scandal in Ukraine.
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
The stupid person’s idea of how people in the humanities write.
December 5, 2025 at 8:51 AM
The stupid person’s idea of how people in the humanities write.
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
How it started / where it goes / how it ends up
December 1, 2025 at 12:20 PM
How it started / where it goes / how it ends up
“I received military orders as a soldier, and my purpose naturally was to carry out these military tasks. Whether the leadership of the State was thereby politically waging an aggressive war or not, or whether they were protective measures, was not for me to decide…”
—
an actual Nazi
—
an actual Nazi
November 30, 2025 at 6:56 AM
“I received military orders as a soldier, and my purpose naturally was to carry out these military tasks. Whether the leadership of the State was thereby politically waging an aggressive war or not, or whether they were protective measures, was not for me to decide…”
—
an actual Nazi
—
an actual Nazi
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
They are aware that Russians quite literally wrote the capitulation document that some people in the White House and sadly many people in the media refer to as a peace plan.
Congressional Republicans including Senator Mitch McConnell are openly blasting President Trump’s team of appeasing Russia, warning that doing so would not lead to lasting peace.
Republicans Fight With Trump’s Team Over Ukraine Talks
Senator Mitch McConnell and several other lawmakers accused President Trump’s team of appeasing the Kremlin, warning that doing so would not lead to lasting peace.
nyti.ms
November 26, 2025 at 5:20 PM
They are aware that Russians quite literally wrote the capitulation document that some people in the White House and sadly many people in the media refer to as a peace plan.
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
After I'm done bleaching my eyeballs I'll post about how this is all to do with disordered discourse or something.
November 22, 2025 at 8:26 AM
After I'm done bleaching my eyeballs I'll post about how this is all to do with disordered discourse or something.
Autumn in Łazienki, Warsaw.
November 3, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Autumn in Łazienki, Warsaw.
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
This is the asymmetry in our politics and media. If this was the other way around, Biden had pardoned someone then charged with trying to kill Trump, it would be the biggest story in America and every Republican commentator, congressman, news outlet, would be screaming about it in unison.
Pardoned Capitol rioter charged with threatening to kill Hakeem Jeffries at NYC event this week
A pardoned Capitol rioter was arrested last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill the top House Democrat.
www.cbsnews.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:56 PM
This is the asymmetry in our politics and media. If this was the other way around, Biden had pardoned someone then charged with trying to kill Trump, it would be the biggest story in America and every Republican commentator, congressman, news outlet, would be screaming about it in unison.
Who the fuck writes this?
President Trump’s declaration that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker should be jailed is the latest clash between two feuding billionaires.
The Bad Blood Between Trump and Pritzker Goes Back Decades
President Trump’s declaration that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker should be jailed is the latest clash between two feuding billionaires.
on.wsj.com
October 9, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Who the fuck writes this?
A good read on why we need a good model for what’s happening in the U.S. right now to fight back against authoritarianism.
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
Inside Stephen Miller’s Secret Plan to Normalize Trump’s Dictator Rule
He wants to supercharge searing civil tensions to get low-information voters to embrace their inner authoritarian. Exactly two Democrats appear to fully grasp this.
newrepublic.com
October 9, 2025 at 6:13 AM
A good read on why we need a good model for what’s happening in the U.S. right now to fight back against authoritarianism.
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.
October 7, 2025 at 11:29 PM
I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.
I’m sure all the free speech absolutists will rush to condemn this… right?
Trump: "We took the freedom of speech away because that's been through the courts and the courts said you have freedom of speech, but what has happened is when they burn a flag it agitates and irritates crowds."
October 8, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I’m sure all the free speech absolutists will rush to condemn this… right?
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
BREAKING: Apple removed an app for preserving TikToks, Instagram reels, news reports, and videos documenting abuses by ICE
🔗 www.404media.co/apple-banned...
🔗 www.404media.co/apple-banned...
Apple Banned an App That Simply Archived Videos of ICE Abuses
Eyes Up's purpose is to "preserve evidence until it can be used in court." But it has been swept up in Apple's crackdown on ICE-spotting apps.
www.404media.co
October 8, 2025 at 7:12 PM
BREAKING: Apple removed an app for preserving TikToks, Instagram reels, news reports, and videos documenting abuses by ICE
🔗 www.404media.co/apple-banned...
🔗 www.404media.co/apple-banned...
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
Our authoritarianism is run on clichés borrowed from the Eastern Europe of twenty years ago. Paid protestors, disloyal cities, evil Soros, vast conspiracies — it was all tiresome then and there, and now it’s pathetic.
Trump: "They're, like, insurrectionists, they're terrible people. But you really wonder why. Why are they doing it? What are they gaining? Other than they're obviously paid. They're paid a lot of money."
October 8, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Our authoritarianism is run on clichés borrowed from the Eastern Europe of twenty years ago. Paid protestors, disloyal cities, evil Soros, vast conspiracies — it was all tiresome then and there, and now it’s pathetic.
So, where are all the anti-fascists who protested Biden’s presidency now that there’s an actual fascist trying to grab all the power he can?
October 5, 2025 at 2:16 AM
So, where are all the anti-fascists who protested Biden’s presidency now that there’s an actual fascist trying to grab all the power he can?
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
Two people very much worth listening to, in an important conversation.
newrepublic.com/article/2013...
newrepublic.com/article/2013...
Transcript: Chris Murphy’s Dark and Unnerving New Warning about Trump
The Democratic senator has taken the lead in drawing attention to Trump’s authoritarianism. In an interview, he offers a stark new warning that should galvanize his fellow Democrats before it’s too la...
newrepublic.com
October 4, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Two people very much worth listening to, in an important conversation.
newrepublic.com/article/2013...
newrepublic.com/article/2013...
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
I wrote about the challenges American social media poses to European democracy earlier this year
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Europe’s Elon Musk Problem
He and other tech oligarchs are making it impossible to conduct free and fair elections anywhere.
www.theatlantic.com
October 4, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I wrote about the challenges American social media poses to European democracy earlier this year
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
President Macron:
“We were very naive to leave our public space to social media networks controlled by US or Chinese companies that don’t share our interests and not interested in survival of our democracies.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggN...
“We were very naive to leave our public space to social media networks controlled by US or Chinese companies that don’t share our interests and not interested in survival of our democracies.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggN...
French President Macron Speaks at German Unity Day Ceremony | WION LIVE
YouTube video by WION
www.youtube.com
October 4, 2025 at 3:59 AM
President Macron:
“We were very naive to leave our public space to social media networks controlled by US or Chinese companies that don’t share our interests and not interested in survival of our democracies.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggN...
“We were very naive to leave our public space to social media networks controlled by US or Chinese companies that don’t share our interests and not interested in survival of our democracies.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggN...
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
Harassing the mods into banning someone has never worked. And harassing people in general has never changed their mind.
October 3, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Harassing the mods into banning someone has never worked. And harassing people in general has never changed their mind.
Seeing how jay.bsky.team has dealt with constant bullies has really strengthened my trust in Bluesky.
jay.bsky.team
October 4, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Seeing how jay.bsky.team has dealt with constant bullies has really strengthened my trust in Bluesky.
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
honestly it would be better if they all were.
October 4, 2025 at 4:40 AM
honestly it would be better if they all were.
Reposted by Gerard Ciepielewski
