Osiris Rankin
@osirisrankin.bsky.social
2.8K followers 3K following 250 posts
Clinical psychology PhD student at Harvard. Community college graduate. Current resident of Nova Scotia. I study people’s ideas about life, death, suicide, & seeking support | Science of science | Diversity
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osirisrankin.bsky.social
I created a feed for people who are interested in suicidology, or research on suicide, self harm, and related topics. It also tends to pick up other public reports, like newspaper articles, and job postings, which feels like more of a feature than a bug.

bsky.app/profile/did:...
#suicideresearch
osirisrankin.bsky.social
But we risk losing more, and we risk these shifts in power becoming permanent, if we stay silent.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
We’re in the #RichLivesMatter era.

To disagree with power, to do anything short of worship the presently powerful, to dare to note the racism of the powerful, to dare to correct the record, to dare to produce facts, to not be seen as one of them, to dissent, to be is to be at risk.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
The same goes for late night tv shows.

Canceling was the worst and cancel culture went too far, according to critics, until it did not.

Hate speech was necessary until it was not.

Clarifying facts or being anti-authoritarianism or anti-fascist became “terrorism.”
osirisrankin.bsky.social
To have a museum that is anything less than congratulatory in every way of folks resembling those currently in power… it’s just not allowed.

To have a museum that doesn’t elevate them above all others… it’s just not allowed.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
Those stories of striving must go.

But, help us if we dare to change the name of military bases from the names of people who killed American soldiers and civilians to those who instead honored the country.

But, somehow, renaming bases after Civil War generals is necessary not divisive.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
Even now, entire museums and histories are threatened. Long standing legacies of scholarships named for folks who devoted their lives to helping others uplifting communities “the right way” are being destroyed.

What about the memories of those lives and sacrifices?
osirisrankin.bsky.social
The pattern keeps playing out again and again. Folks claim that “Facts don’t care about your feelings,” when it favors their leanings. The “your” is doing a lot of work there.

If people accurately quote and condemn racist statements, suddenly sensitivity matters. Rationality must yield to decorum.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
Folks campaigned on being anti-anti-racist and they won.

It was a freedom of speech issue, a necessary evil, and a key tradition when it came to the need for us to invite folks to say racist things.

But policies emerged to remove our abilities to discuss the harms of racism & how to address them.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
But, if folks dared to bring up facts of history, such as slavery or Jim Crow, then that was a bridge too far. We were told that it may be too distressing to some students to hear stories of how our country came to be.

It was and divisive to explore the history of racism or how to address it.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
To not have racist speech, and related ideas, on campus was somehow argued as being a bad thing.

After all, traditions, ancients, and market places, and so on.

(As if we had nothing better to do than review and refute ideas such as whether slavery was a bad thing.)
osirisrankin.bsky.social
Students’ feelings were particularly irrelevant. People talked about the “marketplace of ideas” and extolled the virtues of the Ancient Greeks. It was for our own good, somehow, and for the good of society to invite speakers bringing hateful and already refuted claims.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
The patterns have been consistent.

When students protest against racist speech on campus, they’re labeled as coddled snowflakes who need to welcome outdated modes of thought on campus. It’s a free speech issue when folks are defending others rights to say racist or similar ideas.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
Wish I was subscribed so I could cancel.
osirisrankin.bsky.social
Really good work. Thanks!
Reposted by Osiris Rankin
mayorwu.boston.gov
Last week, Boston received a letter from AG Bondi threatening to prosecute officials and withhold funds unless we cooperate with carrying out mass deportations.

The US Attorney General asked for a response by today, so here it is: stop attacking our cities to hide your administration’s failures.
Reposted by Osiris Rankin
larryglickman.bsky.social
It is not “deal-making.” It is extortion built on Christopher Rufo’s idea of “taking down” one or more elite university.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/u...
Trump’s Deal-Making With Other Elite Schools Scrambles Harvard Negotiations
www.nytimes.com
osirisrankin.bsky.social
Great explanation! Thank you for doing what you do.
Reposted by Osiris Rankin
csrp.bsky.social
The Center for Suicide Research and Prevention invites you to the 2nd Annual CSRP Conference!

💻 Free & virtual
📅 Sept 9, 2025 | 9AM–2PM EST
🌍 Open to all: scientists, clinicians & community leaders
🔗 Register now: bit.ly/csrp-2nd-conf
osirisrankin.bsky.social
I added it to one of the lists that I use to filter things. I hope that takes effect and makes a difference. Thanks.