Jesse Williams
@jbwilliams.bsky.social
Recently participated in a panel on the future of the NC economy, and a point I wish I'd made is that we regularly assume our "modern" industries (biotech, finance) are long-term guarantors of growth & jobs. But the same assumption was made in earlier eras, & global forces proved it unfounded.
January 18, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Recently participated in a panel on the future of the NC economy, and a point I wish I'd made is that we regularly assume our "modern" industries (biotech, finance) are long-term guarantors of growth & jobs. But the same assumption was made in earlier eras, & global forces proved it unfounded.
Reposted by Jesse Williams
8th Cir.: because officer was trying to shoot a 9-pound Pomeranian mix when he missed and shot the dog's owner instead, he did not intend to restrain owner, he intended to restrain the dog, which means there was no seizure so no 4A violation.
QI for officer.
ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/26/01...
QI for officer.
ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/26/01...
![The undisputed facts in this case all point to the absence of a seizure. See UnitedHealth Grp. Inc. v. Wilmington Tr. Co., 548 F.3d 1124, 1127–28 (8th Cir. 2008) (reviewing de novo the “purely legal questions” left by the “undisputed” facts). Perhaps the most important one is that, as Hight concedes, “Deputy Williams fired his county[-]issued service weapon at [the] Pomeranian.” His words matched his actions, given that each of his statements was about getting the dogs under control, including ordering them to “get back!” And finally, the bodycam video shows that he fired downward toward the dog as it approached, which supports the conclusion that it was his target, not Hight. Hitting her was an unfortunate accident. See Brower v. County of Inyo, 489 U.S. 593, 596 (1989) (explaining that the Fourth Amendment does not address “the accidental effects of . . . government conduct”).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:24vva42nxim6zbcmnozegoef/bafkreihl3vieqx3pwzqtiivrlqqxkngbahqnx4n3i2mbcmp5ouwvdonkom@jpeg)
January 13, 2026 at 5:09 PM
8th Cir.: because officer was trying to shoot a 9-pound Pomeranian mix when he missed and shot the dog's owner instead, he did not intend to restrain owner, he intended to restrain the dog, which means there was no seizure so no 4A violation.
QI for officer.
ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/26/01...
QI for officer.
ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/26/01...
Reposted by Jesse Williams
there's a self-protective instinct that causes so many people to defend the state in moments of terror. it's so much easier to think renee good had nefarious intentions — or even made an unfortunate mistake — than it is to think "they will kill without reason, and they would kill me too."
January 8, 2026 at 7:04 PM
there's a self-protective instinct that causes so many people to defend the state in moments of terror. it's so much easier to think renee good had nefarious intentions — or even made an unfortunate mistake — than it is to think "they will kill without reason, and they would kill me too."
In jest of course but it's worth pointing out that half of America grew up with grandpas spouting exactly this take; always a bit uncomfortable but the reasons for discomfort -- that awe at power can is never apolitical / is always a basis for authoritarian politics -- become clearest in retrospect
Agree or disagree with the merits of the operation, you can't help but be in awe of the Wehrmacht's Blitzkrieg of Poland
January 4, 2026 at 11:43 PM
In jest of course but it's worth pointing out that half of America grew up with grandpas spouting exactly this take; always a bit uncomfortable but the reasons for discomfort -- that awe at power can is never apolitical / is always a basis for authoritarian politics -- become clearest in retrospect
Imagine explaining to a scholar in Alexandria that in the future we'd actually just close libraries voluntarily
December 31, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Imagine explaining to a scholar in Alexandria that in the future we'd actually just close libraries voluntarily
Reposted by Jesse Williams
Once again, I’m wondering why Democrats aren’t running with a straightforward message of “despotism is un-American and unaffordable” right now and all the way into the midterms.
October 8, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Once again, I’m wondering why Democrats aren’t running with a straightforward message of “despotism is un-American and unaffordable” right now and all the way into the midterms.
Reposted by Jesse Williams
If I was a Congressional Democrat I'd be publicly asking whether or not it's possible the SecDef blasting out tactical details on non-secure devices is responsible for this.
So the Houthis spooked a US carrier into dropping a fighter jet in the drink.
UPDATE: A US official said that initial reports from the scene indicated that the Truman made a hard turn to evade Houthi fire, which contributed to the fighter jet falling overboard. www.cnn.com/2025/04/28/p...
April 28, 2025 at 7:31 PM
If I was a Congressional Democrat I'd be publicly asking whether or not it's possible the SecDef blasting out tactical details on non-secure devices is responsible for this.