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Michael Leo Owens

@milophd.bsky.social

1.3K followers 1.7K following 1.9K posts

A pluviophile, melomaniac, gardener, karaoke fiend, & academic, punching above his weight in any ring and on any street. Atlantan by labor; New Yorker by birth. Coauthor of Deadly Force: Police Shootings in Urban America (Princeton University Press, 2025).

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Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · Jan 20

“A further step in mastering fear is to remember that it always involves the misuse of the imagination…” - MLK Jr. kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/...

The Mastery of Fear

kinginstitute.stanford.edu

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 5h

The authoritarian threat is not just at the federal level

Robert Downen @robertdownen.bsky.social · 16h

Citing the “martyrdom” of Charlie Kirk, Texas AG Ken Paxton says his office is pursuing sweeping undercover investigations into “leftist” groups. “To those demented souls who seek to kill, steal, and destroy our country, know this: you cannot hide, you cannot escape, and justice is coming."

"Leftist political terrorism is a clear and present danger. Corrupted ideologies like transgenderism and Antifa are a cancer on our culture and have unleashed their deranged and drugged-up foot soldiers on the American people," said Attorney General Paxton. "The martyrdom of Charlie Kirk marks a turning point in America.
There can be no compromise with those who want us dead. To that end, I have directed my office to continue its efforts to identify, investigate, and infiltrate these leftist terror cells. To those demented souls who seek to kill, steal, and destroy our country, know this: you cannot hide, you cannot escape, and justice is coming."
The radical Left has incubated an environment where political violence is not only justified but celebrated and praised. In July, nearly two dozen armed leftists connected to various Texas-based Antifa-like groups ambushed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") facility in Alvarado, Texas. On September 10, 2025, a leftist assassin connected to the radical transgender movement murdered Charlie Kirk because of Kirk's bold support for truth, love of country, and unshakable faith. Two weeks later, another deranged leftist opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas.
President Donald Trump has officially designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization and instructed his administration to "utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations — especially those involving terrorist actions — conducted by Antifa." Building on President Trump's bold actions, Attorney General Paxton has instructed his office to initiate sweeping investigations into radical leftist organizations engaged in or providing support to those performing political violence.

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Khashoggi's Ghost @urocklive1.bsky.social · 11h

This is not going to end well. Sooner or later an American citizen is going to get killed.

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Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 5h

👁️👁️

Pat Bagley @bagleycartoons.bsky.social · 20h

Thugs

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Jonathan V. Last @jvl.bsky.social · 6h

As alarmed as people may be, they aren't alarmed enough. Trump just escalated this crisis from a fight between the federal government and a state, to a situation where one state is deploying armed forces to impose its will on another state. www.thebulwark.com/p/emergency-...

Emergency Triad: The Chicago Rubicon and What Comes Next

We aren’t at the worst-case scenario yet. But if you squint, you can see it looming out there, just over the horizon.

www.thebulwark.com

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Peter Sterne @petersterne.com · 6h

I know it's just a pepper ball and not live ammunition, but this feels very, very bad. Look, I went to Jesuit high school, and one of the most formative influences on me was the story of Archbishop Oscar Romero. When the fascists start shooting priests...

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 9h

Gonna be thinking about this lede for a minute.

(RNS) — Last month, the Rev. David Black stood in front of a Chicago-area U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and spread his arms wide. Adorned in all black and wearing a clerical collar, the pastor looked up at a group of masked, heavily armed ICE agents on the roof and began to pray.

“I invited them to repentance,” Black, a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), said in an interview. “I basically offered an altar call. I invited them to come and receive that salvation, and be part of the kingdom that is coming.”

But when Black began to lower his arms a few seconds later, the agents responded to his spiritual plea by firing pepper balls, or chemical agents that cause eye irritation and respiratory distress, video footage shows. One struck Black in the head, exploding into a puff of white pepper smoke and forcing him to his knees. Fellow demonstrators rushed to his aid, and as the pastor rubbed his face in pain, the agents continued to fire.

“We could hear them laughing,” Black said.

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John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 6h

Um, ICE just coldly shot an unarmed PRIEST in the head w a pepper ball when he (and everyone around him) clearly posed no threat.

For the crime of … complaining about government policy.

Core 1A speech.

With cameras rolling, they’re sniping priests for sport.

Kurt @flglchicago.bsky.social · 8h

Here’s video of the incident

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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 9h

Thirty paintings created by the bushy-haired, soft-spoken Bob Ross will soon be up for auction to defray the costs of programming for small and rural public television stations suffering under cuts in federal funding. https://to.pbs.org/4nEQMrw

Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support public TV stations after federal funding cuts

All profits will help public TV stations with licensing fees for popular programs that include "The Best of Joy of Painting" and "America's Test Kitchen."

www.pbs.org

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Mickey Kuhns @mickeykuhns.bsky.social · 9h

“Dearest Mary, I have lost all sense of time in the Battle of Portland. A tense calm lingers. With supply lines cut, we are reduced to rations of doughnuts—yet no one dares light a fire for coffee, lest the smoke betray our camp to the Portland rebels.”

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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 9h

Gonna be thinking about this lede for a minute.

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Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 12h

We are governed by ghouls.

Katie (she/her) @librariankqm.bsky.social · 12h

"The Trump Administration abruptly ended federal support for a highly effective intervention that helps disabled people experiencing or at risk of homelessness access benefits to help them stabilize their lives."

www.cbpp.org/blog/trump-a...

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🎃 public HELLth guy 🎃 @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 19h

they just slapped a surgeons general warning on RFK like he’s a pack of cigarettes

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 21h

“Secretary Kennedy is entitled to his views. But he is not entitled to put people’s health at risk.”

Six former surgeons general condemn RFK Jr.

Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans

It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 15h

Right on. And I appreciate reading good news re higher education, especially a philanthropic investment in it like this one.

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G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 20h

Why most polls overstate support for political violence
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/most-polls...

Why most polls overstate support for political violence

Misperceptions about the popularity of violence increase public support for it — but you can help change that.

www.gelliottmorris.com

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McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 15h

"This book was crafted to live within any library in America. It was written by a team specializing in what is most important in good books: that it appeals to conservative politicians and that one mom on the PTA."
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/fin...

Finally, a Book That Cannot Be Banned

This is a good book. It has a cover and many pages. This book is endorsed by parents and is church-friendly. It is clean and full of Grace, as in i...

www.mcsweeneys.net

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Guy Grossman @guygrossman.bsky.social · 23h

@carotorreblanca.bsky.social , Will Dinneen, and my paper entitled "Political Science Under Pressure: Competition and Collaboration in a Growing Discipline, 2003-2023" has been (conditionally) accepted at @poppublicsphere.bsky.social.

This paper has been a labor of love. osf.io/preprints/os...

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Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 15h

Hour by hour so many words are wasted by would-be and seasoned "thought leaders" to push so much nonsense to set so many tongues wagging to so little or no end.

Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 15h

BTW much of what's pitched, published, and promoted as "thought leadership" is pure trash.

Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 16h

Who coined the phrase "thought leadership"?

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Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 18h

What's that, Speaker Johnson? Come on, son! Just stop.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 18h

Johnson: "It's true that in previous shutdowns, many or most furloughed employees have been paid for the time they were furloughed, but there is new legal analysis - I don't know the details, I just saw a headline - but there are some legal analysts saying that might not be appropriate or necessary"

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Lizzie O'Leary @lizzieohreally.bsky.social · 20h

This picture is from 1992 in LA and using it in this post and story shows terrible news judgment.

CNN @cnn.com · 1d

"President Donald Trump and his top aides are using the word 'insurrection' more frequently to describe anti-ICE protests in places like Portland," writes Zachary B. Wolf. https://cnn.it/4pWYmzr

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Urban Affairs Association (UAA) @uaanews.bsky.social · 20h

📣🏆🌸 Help us celebrate your colleagues! Nominate someone for the Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs by 10/17/25 urbanaffairsassociation.org/awards/contr...

Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 19h

Oh? If that change is implemented it would be unlawful and create financial ruin for many families, while further discouraging many from seeing federal jobs as good jobs and shrinking the federal government even more from people departing it because they can’t trust it as an employer.

GovExec @govexec.bsky.social · 19h

OMB quietly removed language from its #shutdown guidance that referenced the 2019 law guaranteeing retroactive pay to furloughed federal employees. buff.ly/P0AsxeZ

OMB deletes reference to law guaranteeing backpay to furloughed feds from shutdown guidance

An Office of Management and Budget FAQ document now states that only excepted employees forced to work without pay are guaranteed backpay at the conclusion of a lapse in appropriations.

www.govexec.com

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lastpositivist.bsky.social @lastpositivist.bsky.social · 1d

John Stuart Mill failed to consider that creepy loser men would not react well to other people's liberty.

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Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 1d

eventually politicians need to start advocating for criminal and civil penalties for people involved in fabricating stories to get citizens incarcerated.

or, put another way: a society that would like to keep functioning has to discourage baldfaced lying, especially by authorities

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 1d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Michael Leo Owens @milophd.bsky.social · 1d

“A clear visual clue that the photograph was not taken in Portland was that the first officer’s shield is marked “Policia”, the Spanish or Portuguese word for police.”

🧘🏾‍♂️🧘🏾‍♂️🧘🏾‍♂️

Robert Mackey @robertmackey.bsky.social · 1d

The Oregon Republican Party tried to help Donald Trump make the case for military intervention in Portland with an image of a fiery protest — but since Portland is calm, they had to fabricate one by merging old photos of police in Ecuador and protesters in Brazil www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Republicans post fake image of Oregon protest – using photos of South America

A federal judge had blocked Trump’s request to deploy California national guard to Portland

www.theguardian.com

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