Erika Wittekind's Avatar

Erika Wittekind

@erikalyn.bsky.social

Freelance writer. News junkie. Former nonfiction editor. She/her. Believer in democracy, science, gun control, local journalism, and empathy. Mom to two cats and two teen boys. Dane County, WI

1,540 Followers  |  1,569 Following  |  2,347 Posts  |  Joined: 17.11.2023  |  2.1456

Latest posts by erikalyn.bsky.social on Bluesky

Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

The end of federal enforcement of special ed laws. Some states - including MN - will likely be ok. But a lot of disabled kids in a lot of states are going to lose the education that federal law and decades of jurisprudence say they are owed.

11.10.2025 22:50 β€” πŸ‘ 2006    πŸ” 890    πŸ’¬ 57    πŸ“Œ 72

Nah, I think it's going to be a turnout election. Trump voters aren't going to be won over by messaging; they're going to stay home. The strategy should be lighting a fire under blue voters, and you don't do that by going Republican-lite.

09.10.2025 11:40 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

If her fetus is "in her placenta," that woman is in a ton of pain and the pregnancy's a nonstarter anyway. Good lord, don't take medical advice from this man.

09.10.2025 17:21 β€” πŸ‘ 1358    πŸ” 240    πŸ’¬ 60    πŸ“Œ 11

Why doesn't everyone believe me that we have a super secret healthcare plan that totally exists and I just can't talk about it yet when it would matter most?

09.10.2025 15:21 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

People are not going to get all of these separate shots. They're going to say, "What's rubella? Never heard of it. The internet says it leads to mild illness in most people."

And then we get an increase in preventable stillbirths and serious birth defects.

09.10.2025 14:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Leo questioned a world where the wealth of the elite grows
"exponentially" while many "millions of people die of hunger or survive in conditions unfit for human beings." He also criticized "ideologies that defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation,"
with false promises "that a free-market economy will automatically solve the problem of poverty."

Leo described a "new tyranny," which shuns any kind of oversight and where the economy is structured "in such a way that sacrifices are demanded of the masses in order to serve the needs of the powerful." The poor, he wrote, are only allowed "drops that trickle down."

The pope openly challenged "prosperity theology" and called Christians to the practice of giving charity. "It will not solve the problem of world poverty, yet it must still be carried out, with intelligence, diligence and social responsibility," he wrote.

Popular movements that challenge "the empire of money," invite people to take on the cause to combat poverty alongside the poor, instead of on their behalf, and "make history," the pope said. It our duty, Leo said, to "make their voices heard, albeit in different ways, in order to point out and denounce such structural issues, even at the cost of appearing foolish or naΓ―ve."

Leo questioned a world where the wealth of the elite grows "exponentially" while many "millions of people die of hunger or survive in conditions unfit for human beings." He also criticized "ideologies that defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation," with false promises "that a free-market economy will automatically solve the problem of poverty." Leo described a "new tyranny," which shuns any kind of oversight and where the economy is structured "in such a way that sacrifices are demanded of the masses in order to serve the needs of the powerful." The poor, he wrote, are only allowed "drops that trickle down." The pope openly challenged "prosperity theology" and called Christians to the practice of giving charity. "It will not solve the problem of world poverty, yet it must still be carried out, with intelligence, diligence and social responsibility," he wrote. Popular movements that challenge "the empire of money," invite people to take on the cause to combat poverty alongside the poor, instead of on their behalf, and "make history," the pope said. It our duty, Leo said, to "make their voices heard, albeit in different ways, in order to point out and denounce such structural issues, even at the cost of appearing foolish or naΓ―ve."

Pope Leo is spitting.

www.npr.org/2025/10/09/n...

09.10.2025 13:25 β€” πŸ‘ 5646    πŸ” 1698    πŸ’¬ 108    πŸ“Œ 289

I grieve for the Post that used to be. This rag is a shameful impostor.

09.10.2025 13:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

tl;dl:

isportlandburning.com

09.10.2025 01:58 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
ICE is hounding Chicago area locals with excessive chemical munitions Agents are firing tear gas and pepper balls on lawful protesters, lawsuits say, sickening even uninvolved residents.

So much tear gas that people who aren't even protesting are getting sick when they leave their homes to run errands: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

08.10.2025 20:02 β€” πŸ‘ 316    πŸ” 193    πŸ’¬ 12    πŸ“Œ 13

This is the episode you have been waiting for.

09.10.2025 11:39 β€” πŸ‘ 37    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Nah, I think it's going to be a turnout election. Trump voters aren't going to be won over by messaging; they're going to stay home. The strategy should be lighting a fire under blue voters, and you don't do that by going Republican-lite.

09.10.2025 11:40 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

A window into how policy is made in this White House

08.10.2025 21:26 β€” πŸ‘ 869    πŸ” 175    πŸ’¬ 27    πŸ“Œ 8

🚨THIS IS A BIG DEAL. Chicago journalists are suing the Trump administration for using excessive force against reporters & protestors in violation of the 1A.
The press here is doing astounding work documenting how ICE is out of control. The violence they face in doing so is obscene.

06.10.2025 14:17 β€” πŸ‘ 1106    πŸ” 432    πŸ’¬ 12    πŸ“Œ 10

"we took the freedom of speech away"

08.10.2025 19:54 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Pritzker: "I think it's important to recognize that the Trump administration does not seem to respect any laws in the United States. They just do what they want to do and they'll keep doing it unless someone stops them. Here in Illinois we're stopping them."

08.10.2025 17:39 β€” πŸ‘ 4721    πŸ” 1233    πŸ’¬ 64    πŸ“Œ 53
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Pritzker: "He wants to militarize major cities because he wants us to get used to the idea of troops on the streets. I believe he's gonna post people outside of polling places and if he needs to in order to control those elections, he'll assume control of the ballot boxes & count the votes himself"

08.10.2025 17:41 β€” πŸ‘ 16005    πŸ” 5676    πŸ’¬ 460    πŸ“Œ 401

Racist, wrong, and irrelevant, all in one soundbite. Quite an accomplishment.

08.10.2025 18:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

This! We do not have to nominate Gavin Newsom to get his social media person. Someone who isn't terrible in multiple critical ways can hire her away! (Her name is Camille Zapata.)

08.10.2025 16:24 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I was completely unprepared for the threat posed by the Antifa super soldiers.

08.10.2025 04:05 β€” πŸ‘ 843    πŸ” 212    πŸ’¬ 17    πŸ“Œ 5
Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!

Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!

Trump calls for Brandon Johnson and JB Pritzker to be imprisoned

08.10.2025 12:21 β€” πŸ‘ 2320    πŸ” 799    πŸ’¬ 311    πŸ“Œ 170
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I.... do not understand how electricity works

11.05.2023 00:41 β€” πŸ‘ 1537    πŸ” 372    πŸ’¬ 45    πŸ“Œ 14
soybean farmers are panicking over loss of Chinese buyers, declare possible 'bloodbath'

soybean farmers are panicking over loss of Chinese buyers, declare possible 'bloodbath'

Trump assault on wind projects hits red states hardest

Trump assault on wind projects hits red states hardest

businesses that depend on government contracts are already feeling the pain of the shutdown

businesses that depend on government contracts are already feeling the pain of the shutdown

no official jobs numbers during shutdown means Wall Street is turning to alternative measures -- and they show the situation is bad

no official jobs numbers during shutdown means Wall Street is turning to alternative measures -- and they show the situation is bad

If the economy could be represented by a giant dashboard of lights, they'd all be flashing red

08.10.2025 12:20 β€” πŸ‘ 109    πŸ” 36    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1

Try to imagine if federal agents under a Democratic administration had fired pepper balls at conservative clergy protesting--- let's just say --- abortion.

They've litigated and won Supreme Court cases over much less.

bsky.app/profile/jack...

08.10.2025 12:15 β€” πŸ‘ 909    πŸ” 286    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 6

Bookmark this video. It should be an everyday reminder of what Donald Trump is doing to chicago and the country overall. Stay outraged.

08.10.2025 12:21 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 3
Preview
Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said β€œno one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.

Horrific reporting from the AP on the Myanmar families watching their kids starve to death from Trump and Musk’s aid cuts apnews.com/article/myan...

08.10.2025 10:41 β€” πŸ‘ 2349    πŸ” 1401    πŸ’¬ 55    πŸ“Œ 160
Preview
Religious protesters say ICE threatens religious freedom in Chicago (RNS) β€” Despite potential danger, religious leaders and faith activists have been a visible presence at Chicago-area ICE protests, some waving signs with slogans such as β€˜Love thy neighbor’ and β€˜Who w...

NEW: I spoke to clergy and faith leaders who've joined protests at the Chicago-area ICE facility.

Three say they've been shot with pepper balls, sometimes while praying.

All say ICE is also violating their religious freedom, and one is arguing it in court. religionnews.com/2025/10/07/i...

07.10.2025 23:15 β€” πŸ‘ 3172    πŸ” 1265    πŸ’¬ 57    πŸ“Œ 123

This chef literally catered events for President Bush in the 2000s. That's how little of a threat he was.

08.10.2025 00:34 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

This chef literally catered events for President Bush in the 2000s. That's how little of a threat he was.

08.10.2025 00:34 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.

07.10.2025 23:29 β€” πŸ‘ 56143    πŸ” 21110    πŸ’¬ 1723    πŸ“Œ 1245

US military action is done with the American people’s money in the American people’s name, as is DOJ. The people’s elected representatives in Congress have oversight authority. They are 100% entitled to this info.

You know who doesn’t have to disclose legal advice? Personal attorneys and advisors.

07.10.2025 20:30 β€” πŸ‘ 603    πŸ” 176    πŸ’¬ 10    πŸ“Œ 4

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