Paul Slimin'
@legendsofthepaul.bsky.social
Law, politics, media, philosophy, hot takes, etc. | he/him | All lies and jest
Pinned
This is exactly how I wish everyone would think about the criminal justice system
January 9, 2026 at 7:14 PM
This is exactly how I wish everyone would think about the criminal justice system
I would encourage others to do their own reading on the history here, because this claim is on shaky ground. Historians don't seem to agree whether the US was responsible for regime change in 1953 Iran.
"Show me a US regime change that's gone well. Libya? Iraq? Afghanistan? ...they want to do regime change in Iran...the regime in Iran exists because the US did regime change in Iran, in 1953, they toppled the elected prime minister." - me
Full discussion: zeteo.com/p/the-venezu...
Full discussion: zeteo.com/p/the-venezu...
January 8, 2026 at 10:36 PM
I would encourage others to do their own reading on the history here, because this claim is on shaky ground. Historians don't seem to agree whether the US was responsible for regime change in 1953 Iran.
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
We need our own machinery. www.gofundme.com/f/the-libera...
January 7, 2026 at 9:01 PM
We need our own machinery. www.gofundme.com/f/the-libera...
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
Today once again proved that everyday citizens protesting their government are braver than the titans who own the largest media corporations, run the biggest law firms and lead the most powerful technology companies.
January 7, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Today once again proved that everyday citizens protesting their government are braver than the titans who own the largest media corporations, run the biggest law firms and lead the most powerful technology companies.
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
I have nothing but contempt for this kind of thinking or political advocacy; anyone who joins this man's campaign is taking up with the opposition.
He waves no battle standard, his white flag is ironed, clean, unimprovised, and ready to be unfurled.
He waves no battle standard, his white flag is ironed, clean, unimprovised, and ready to be unfurled.
January 7, 2026 at 1:51 PM
I have nothing but contempt for this kind of thinking or political advocacy; anyone who joins this man's campaign is taking up with the opposition.
He waves no battle standard, his white flag is ironed, clean, unimprovised, and ready to be unfurled.
He waves no battle standard, his white flag is ironed, clean, unimprovised, and ready to be unfurled.
I think this points at a serious issue in media: portrayal of something ostensibly for the sake of criticism can spill over into functionally venerating it. “Antihero” stories supposedly offer a negative example of how to behave—but they also enjoy the viewership of those who like the antihero.
This is honestly why I find a lot of these shows kind of exhausting.
Like, yes, I am aware that you are not supposed to like the protagonist, the writers understand that and are telling you not to like the protagonist, he sucks, etc.
But maybe we could have a likable protagonist? Who doesn't suck?
Like, yes, I am aware that you are not supposed to like the protagonist, the writers understand that and are telling you not to like the protagonist, he sucks, etc.
But maybe we could have a likable protagonist? Who doesn't suck?
January 5, 2026 at 6:55 PM
I think this points at a serious issue in media: portrayal of something ostensibly for the sake of criticism can spill over into functionally venerating it. “Antihero” stories supposedly offer a negative example of how to behave—but they also enjoy the viewership of those who like the antihero.
I don’t think it’s widely appreciated the level of misery that drives people to regularly protest under a regime that regularly kills them for doing so.
Three children dead in Iran protests as security forces accused of ‘indiscriminate targeting’
Three children dead in Iran protests as security forces accused of ‘indiscriminate targeting’
Escalating protests sparked by economic chaos have seen at least 20 people killed and nearly 1,000 arrested, say human rights groups
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:44 PM
I don’t think it’s widely appreciated the level of misery that drives people to regularly protest under a regime that regularly kills them for doing so.
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
“”State forces are firing directly at gatherings and protests without regard for whether those targeted are children or adults. The crackdowns are brutal: teargas and military-grade weapons are being used, and detainees are severely beaten before being transferred to undisclosed locations.””
Three children dead in Iran protests as security forces accused of ‘indiscriminate targeting’
Three children dead in Iran protests as security forces accused of ‘indiscriminate targeting’
Escalating protests sparked by economic chaos have seen at least 20 people killed and nearly 1,000 arrested, say human rights groups
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:09 PM
“”State forces are firing directly at gatherings and protests without regard for whether those targeted are children or adults. The crackdowns are brutal: teargas and military-grade weapons are being used, and detainees are severely beaten before being transferred to undisclosed locations.””
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
I wrote about unit self defense in this piece in a very different context. It’s always been a slippery slope. But whatever the contours, unit self defense is not an available defense to invading a country without legal cause. A state can’t use it to backfill a defense to their armed attack.
Legally Sliding into War
"We need to grapple with the legal mechanisms through which presidential administration after administration has legally justified escalating, elongating, and expanding conflicts over the last two dec...
www.justsecurity.org
January 3, 2026 at 11:08 AM
I wrote about unit self defense in this piece in a very different context. It’s always been a slippery slope. But whatever the contours, unit self defense is not an available defense to invading a country without legal cause. A state can’t use it to backfill a defense to their armed attack.
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
Saying personhood is "realized through participation in the community's social life" is exactly Vermeule's position
For instance, in a society where each community decides who counts as a person, one shudders to imagine what level of personhood queer people may receive.
January 2, 2026 at 1:20 AM
Saying personhood is "realized through participation in the community's social life" is exactly Vermeule's position
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
leftists stop getting mesmerized by "steven miller but with more Theory" challenge level Nightmare+
For instance, in a society where each community decides who counts as a person, one shudders to imagine what level of personhood queer people may receive.
January 1, 2026 at 11:44 PM
leftists stop getting mesmerized by "steven miller but with more Theory" challenge level Nightmare+
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
There is more than just a tension between liberalism and traditional European modes of thinking. Sometimes we forget as much though because Liberalism thrashed a lot of those modes into submission
The author here persuasively asserts a tension between liberalism and traditional African modes of thinking. I remain unconvinced, however, to prefer a world where liberalism yields to traditional thought rather than the other way around.
aeon.co/essays/decol...
aeon.co/essays/decol...
Decolonise political thought: Africa’s alternatives to liberalism | Aeon Essays
Liberalism hasn’t delivered on its promises in Africa. The alternative will be found in ideas rooted in Africa’s own soil
aeon.co
January 1, 2026 at 11:32 PM
There is more than just a tension between liberalism and traditional European modes of thinking. Sometimes we forget as much though because Liberalism thrashed a lot of those modes into submission
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
not to be snide, but eeeeeverybody hates gesellschaft until it's time to actually live in gemeinschaft
January 1, 2026 at 8:50 PM
not to be snide, but eeeeeverybody hates gesellschaft until it's time to actually live in gemeinschaft
The author here persuasively asserts a tension between liberalism and traditional African modes of thinking. I remain unconvinced, however, to prefer a world where liberalism yields to traditional thought rather than the other way around.
aeon.co/essays/decol...
aeon.co/essays/decol...
Decolonise political thought: Africa’s alternatives to liberalism | Aeon Essays
Liberalism hasn’t delivered on its promises in Africa. The alternative will be found in ideas rooted in Africa’s own soil
aeon.co
January 1, 2026 at 8:25 PM
The author here persuasively asserts a tension between liberalism and traditional African modes of thinking. I remain unconvinced, however, to prefer a world where liberalism yields to traditional thought rather than the other way around.
aeon.co/essays/decol...
aeon.co/essays/decol...
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
And I think liberals should stop taking the bait and ceding ground on immigration.
Immigration is good. Multiculturalism is good. Free trade is good. Stop being embarrassed to say so.
Immigration is good. Multiculturalism is good. Free trade is good. Stop being embarrassed to say so.
December 31, 2025 at 11:31 PM
And I think liberals should stop taking the bait and ceding ground on immigration.
Immigration is good. Multiculturalism is good. Free trade is good. Stop being embarrassed to say so.
Immigration is good. Multiculturalism is good. Free trade is good. Stop being embarrassed to say so.
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
The conditions in Central Islip were so inhumane that even the Trump administration has admitted they were wrong. That says a great deal about how bad things really were.
December 31, 2025 at 10:30 PM
The conditions in Central Islip were so inhumane that even the Trump administration has admitted they were wrong. That says a great deal about how bad things really were.
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
pound for pound this might be the funniest thing ever written
December 31, 2025 at 6:15 PM
pound for pound this might be the funniest thing ever written
Honestly how they actually did it is not far off from this
December 31, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Honestly how they actually did it is not far off from this
The author makes some important points here, but also some very wrong ones, most notably the tiring canard that Democrats “abandoned the working class.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Why is the Democratic party hiding its 2024 autopsy report? | Norman Soloman
If the DNC isn’t open and transparent about why they lost, then how can we be sure they will learn their lesson this time?
www.theguardian.com
December 30, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The author makes some important points here, but also some very wrong ones, most notably the tiring canard that Democrats “abandoned the working class.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
Political parties are a coordination mechanism. They are not your Emotional Support Dog. If you don't like the direction of the Party, get in there and turn the ship around.
December 29, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Political parties are a coordination mechanism. They are not your Emotional Support Dog. If you don't like the direction of the Party, get in there and turn the ship around.
Interesting anecdote for those who like to insist class/economic conditions explains all.
December 29, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Interesting anecdote for those who like to insist class/economic conditions explains all.
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
New, from me: The NYT reporter who specializes in profiles of beleaguered right-wingers on campus went to New College...and found out that things were going ok!
So let me explain some pretty massive errors of omission: 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-nyt-re...
So let me explain some pretty massive errors of omission: 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-nyt-re...
The NYT Recruiting Brochure for New College
A failing Ron DeSantis higher ed experiment gets a boost
donmoynihan.substack.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:50 PM
New, from me: The NYT reporter who specializes in profiles of beleaguered right-wingers on campus went to New College...and found out that things were going ok!
So let me explain some pretty massive errors of omission: 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-nyt-re...
So let me explain some pretty massive errors of omission: 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-nyt-re...
The Hunt (2012)
Give me a list of movies that are holiday movies despite not being holiday movies.
Let’s call the genre the Die Hardlike.
Let’s call the genre the Die Hardlike.
December 24, 2025 at 11:42 PM
The Hunt (2012)
Reposted by Paul Slimin'
The metric system makes more sense overall but Americans are correct on floor naming conventions and temperature. “I’m on floor 0” No. You are on floor 1.
December 24, 2025 at 11:22 PM
The metric system makes more sense overall but Americans are correct on floor naming conventions and temperature. “I’m on floor 0” No. You are on floor 1.