Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Danny K @dannykpolitics.bsky.social · 3d

WATCH: ‘Portland Frog’ pepper balled by ICE agents

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Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 13h

As the Supreme Court term begins, keep this framework in mind: Autocratic Legalism.

Instead of “rule of law” (law constrains the power), we get “rule by law” (law as a weapon for power).

Authoritarians usually have to install allies. Trump started his second term with that step already complete.

The only effective opposition is through the language of morality and documented harm—not legal technicalities that can be swept away with a 6–3 vote.” The text is centered on a neutral background, with “morality” and “documented harm” slightly emphasized to underscore the moral and empirical contrast with “legal technicalities.”

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Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 15h

My gosh. After the US bombed multiple boats in the middle of the ocean, murdering people on grounds that they were allegedly "carrying drugs," the US Attorney General says "Just like we did with cartels, we're going to take the same approach, President Trump, with Antifa."

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Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 14h

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.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

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."

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 14h

The White House Antifa Roundtable is one of the best displays I’ve seen of this-is-how-bad-it’s-gotten — just a sewer of open fascism, dementia, morons and freaks, and incoherent rage.

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jeff computers @helldude.bsky.social · 18h

i wonder if a sufficient number of viable democrats have it in them to effectively counter a narrative of "i am tanking the economy, firing everyone i can, and sending soldiers to push you around if i dont like the way you think, and also lee greenwood is the only music allowed"

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Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 1d

This has nothing to do with crime. This is an attempt to crush political dissent.

Never before, in our entire 250 year history, has the military or immigration agents been used like this. It's dystopian, illegal, and it should stop.

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Zach Halper @zanath.bsky.social · 15h

"We took freedom of speech away" should be in every campaign ad moving forward.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

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."

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Chris Person @papapishu.bsky.social · 19h

For @aftermath.site, I wrote about the crucible of beating the Manbreaker in Baby Steps, a brutal challenge that the game actively tells you not to do. I am happy that I did it. aftermath.site/baby-steps-m...

Baby Steps' Manbreaker Did Not Break Me - Aftermath

Baby Steps' Manbreaker is an optional yet brutal challenge that is as much a test of your humility as it is your skill.

aftermath.site

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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 19h

ICE is not only chasing down every random brown person in Chicago, they have a cameraman following them to film this for social media. Cruelty and inhumanity as content.

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Ian Boudreau @ianboudreau.com · 17h

Doing crowd work from notes. Pitiful

The Daily Beast @thedailybeast.bsky.social · 22h

Close-up photos have revealed the prepared list of put-downs that Pam Bondi brought to use against senators during her Epstein hearing.

Bondi Accidentally Reveals Her Burn Book for Fiery Epstein Hearing

The attorney general chose to lash out rather than answer questions from lawmakers about the late pedophile.

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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 21h

We’re not dealing with brilliant strategists cleverly laying traps, we’re dealing with impulsive whiners whose advantage is contempt for laws, norms, and morality.

They’re not pulling some elaborate trick, they’re just willing—even eager—to do things regular, principled people consider off limits.

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 22h

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Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 1d

Stephen Miller said the quiet part out loud. Trump has “plenary authority,” then suddenly went silent. Their plan wasn’t to be public yet. Clearly, someone hit the panic button in his earpiece.

It gets weirder: CNN uploaded the interview with the “plenary authority” comment edited out.
1/2

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 21h

The elimination of USAID is a moral atrocity and all involved made a choice to enable, and then lie about, ending the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

MAE SOT, Thailand (AP) - Mohammed Taher clutched the lifeless body of his 2-year-old son and wept. Ever since his family's food rations stopped arriving at their internment camp in Myanmar in April, the father had watched helplessly as his once-vibrant baby boy weakened, suffering from diarrhea and begging for food.
On May 21, exactly two weeks after Taher's little boy died, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat before Congress and declared: "No one has died" because of his government's decision to gut its foreign aid program. Rubio also insisted: "No children are dying on my watch."
That, Taher says, "is a lie."

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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 1d

What's it like living in Chicago today? This image gives us a strong sense of the fear that Chicagoans fear from Trump's secret police.

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John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 1d

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 · 1d

Here’s video of the incident

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 1d

We’re getting very used to this but the statement is unusually unhinged.

Robert Downen @robertdownen.bsky.social · 1d

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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Materialist Gnostic @walmsley.bsky.social · 1d

it is fucking sickening that these people go on TV and boast about their campaign of terror against civilian fishermen

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump: "We call them the water drugs. The drugs that come in through water. They're not coming. There are no boats anymore. Frankly, there are no fishing boats. There are no boats out there period, if you want to know the truth. Does anybody go fishing anymore?"

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Harper Jay @dreamcastaway.bsky.social · 2d

More words from me. Kicking off this week working with my old coworkers over at Aftermath; talkin' about Silent Hill f!

Let's talk about one of the game's most memorable puzzles. It's about tricking yourself because "did something just move?"

It's also about leaning close and getting intimate...

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Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 2d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 2d

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.

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Tauriq Moosa @tauriq.bsky.social · 1d

God this is vile.

Once we just understand they're arresting people for being non-White, you understand warrants, identifiers and other proper legal procedures are irrelevant. They don't care about the rule of law, justice, or procedure. They're there to rid America of non-White people.

Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · 3d

This is how ICE detains individuals without any warrants, even in the presence of a lawyer making requests.

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 2d

It’s important to flood social media and news channels with news about how ICE lies, so that potential jurors see it.

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 2d

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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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 2d

Back in the land of reality, here's what one of the Black people whose home was smashed into during the apartment raid last week said about his Venezuelan neighbors: "They were cool people."

Mr. Jones, a U.S. citizen, was dragged out in handcuffs and held outside for hours.

Jones, who lives on the fourth floor, said most of his neighbors were Venezuelan and often took turns cleaning the hallway because the property owners did little to maintain it.

“They were cool people,” Jones said as he looked into his next door neighbor’s unit. “They didn’t speak a lick of English, but we used translator apps to talk to each other.”

Jones wondered what would happen to his neighbor’s young children.

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Sarah McLaughlin @sarahemclaugh.bsky.social · 2d

“They are deliberately blurring the line between speech protected by the First Amendment and violence or other unlawful activity, and they seem to be quite explicitly listing viewpoints that they don’t like as predicates for an all-of-government crackdown."

Trump’s Directive on ‘Organized Political Violence’ Could Lead to Increased Surveillance of His Critics

The president issued a directive that could make dissent riskier for people and nonprofits.

www.notus.org

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