revspecksway

This is my church! So proud!

ICE Wants to Know If You’re Posting Negative Things About It Online ICE wants to hire contractors to monitor social media for threats. Those who criticize the agency could be pulled into the dragnet.

The posting indicates that ICE isn’t merely looking to detect direct threats of violence, but also online criticism of the agency.

A photo of King Abdullah II of Jordan, Donald Trump, and Marco Rubio during a meeting in the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 11, 2025, overlaid with the headline, "Trump Is Bullying Jordan and Egypt to Help in Ethnic Cleansing of Gaza. It Isn’t Working."

“When you get into a zero-sum space, and when the zero-sum thing being posited is ethnic cleansing … it’s a really stupidly dangerous place to go." https://interc.pt/4gFprBj

Private Prison CEO on Trump Deportation Surge: “One of the Most Exciting Periods in My Career” CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger could barely contain his excitement about the Laken Riley Act and Trump’s anti-immigration executive orders.

Damon Hininger, CEO of private prison giant Core Civic, just told investors: " I've worked at CoreCivic for 32 years, and this is truly one of the most exciting periods in my career ... we're anticipating .. the most significant growth in our company's history."

theintercept.com/2025/02/11/c...

Air Force says new recruits will again learn about Tuskegee Airmen The head of the service's San Antonio-based training command said a video about the pioneering Black aviators would remain in the basic training curriculum.

Thank goodness: after an outpouring of public dissent, Lackland reversed its terrible decision and will thankfully be teaching recruits about the Tuskegee airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots again. A reminder that we must always push back: www.expressnews.com/news/article...

How We Make Progress Now Part 1: Some Limits We Need to Work Around

Every @billmckibben.bsky.social post arrives in my inbox like a little ray of hope in a bleak sky. More precious now than ever. billmckibben.substack.com/p/how-we-mak...

Not a perfect analogy, but in one sense I think DeepSeek may be the solar power of computing: relatively cheap, relatively simple, and effective--and thus a huge threat to the people making huge money from the status quo.
OpenAI and Meta as Exxon and Chevron.

Do you know why a president would do all the most evil and heinous shit via Executive Order? Because his party can't easily make it law. And if they can't make it law, they can't make it last.

Don't let anyone make you feel like this is The End. Do not let them demoralize you. Live to see them die.

We strongly urge you not to resign and recommend seeking legal counsel!

A graphic with a teal background on the lower half and a bright blue background on the upper half. At the top left, there is a small circular photo of author Deepa Iyer with a pink top, accompanied by the text in white reading "Deepa Iyer, Author of Social Change Now!" To the top right is the UU World logo in white text on a navy blue rectangular background. In the center, bold white text reads: "Tips to Anchor Yourself for Social Change and Avoid Burnout." In the bottom right corner, the Unitarian Universalist Association's white chalice logo is displayed, with "UUWorld.org" in smaller white text to left of it. A thin white border frames the entire graphic.

A graphic with a teal background on the lower half and a bright blue background on the upper half. At the top left, there is a small circular photo of author Deepa Iyer wearing a bright pink top, next to white text reading: "Deepa Iyer, Author of Social Change Now!" In the top right corner, the number "01" is displayed in white. The bold white text in the center reads: "CLARIFY YOUR VALUES AND ROLES." Below, smaller white text reads: "Focus on the values that ground you. Identify your role—Caregiver, Disrupter, Visionary—and embrace it. You don’t have to do it all." At the bottom left is the UU World logo in white on a navy blue rectangular background. On the bottom right, the Unitarian Universalist Association's chalice logo is displayed in white. A thin, white horizontal line extends between the two logos under which he text "UUWorld.org" appears in white.

A graphic with a teal background on the lower half and a bright blue background on the upper half. At the top left, there is a small circular photo of author Deepa Iyer wearing a bright pink top, next to white text reading: "Deepa Iyer, Author of Social Change Now!" In the top right corner, the number "02" is displayed in white. The bold white text in the center reads: "CONNECT WITH YOUR ECOSYSTEM." Below, smaller white text reads: "Build strong connections within your ecosystem. Mutual aid groups, faith communities, and local movements thrive on shared values." At the bottom left is the UU World logo in white on a navy blue rectangular background. On the bottom right, the Unitarian Universalist Association's chalice logo is displayed in white. A thin, white horizontal line extends between the two logos under which he text "UUWorld.org" appears in white.

A graphic with a teal background on the lower half and a bright blue background on the upper half. At the top left, there is a small circular photo of author Deepa Iyer wearing a bright pink top, next to white text reading: "Deepa Iyer, Author of Social Change Now!" In the top right corner, the number "03" is displayed in white. The bold white text in the center reads: "RECOGNIZE BOUNDARIES AND BARRIERS." Below, smaller white text reads: "Know your limits. Set boundaries and reflect on what sustains you to avoid burnout and keep contributing effectively." At the bottom left is the UU World logo in white on a navy blue rectangular background. On the bottom right, the Unitarian Universalist Association's chalice logo is displayed in white. A thin, white horizontal line extends between the two logos under which he text "UUWorld.org" appears in white.

Feeling the strain of activism? Deepa Iyer offers practical ways to prevent burnout by aligning with your values, embracing your role, and fostering meaningful connections.

💡 Swipe for tips!

Read more: bit.ly/UUWorldTips
Her book: bit.ly/SocialChangeNowBook

A graphic with a light red background featuring a darker red silhouette of a person holding a megaphone in the bottom right corner. on the left side. Dark red butterflies are emerging from the megaphone and are scattered across the graphic On the left is an excerpt from the poem “The Butterfly Effect” written in white text: …This is how we rise. This day is polluted with a mistrust of truth, fertile and warm medium for unchecked cruelty and power. You must choose to scream the truth until every leaf and stone bears unrepentant witness. to what happens when you try to cage and smash, to pin and frame a butterfly and their thousands and thousands of fabulous, flamboyant friends. At the bottom, smaller white font is the attribution: Excerpted from “The Butterfly Effect” in Spilling the Light, by UU Rev. Julián Jamaica Soto. In the top-right corner, the "UU World" logo is displayed in white within a blue rectangle, accompanied by the website URL: UUWORLD.ORG.

Rev. Julián Jamaica Soto’s “The Butterfly Effect” reminds us that small actions shape the world—a truth reflected in Dr. King’s legacy. On MLK Day, we honor his bold dream of justice, equality, and love, carried forward by collective action. Read the full poem at bit.ly/4jlWJrM. #MLK #UU

A digital graphic with the quote "IT'S GO TIME" at the top center in large bold white text with blue quotation marks on either side. Below in smaller white text is the quote attribution: “UU Rev. Laura Randall, a Pink Haven co-coordinator." On the left side of the image, white text reads: "Support the thriving of trans, two-spirit, and gender-expansive people. Contribute to the Pink Haven Coalition." Beneath this text is a magenta button-shaped banner with white text that says "Learn More & Donate." Below it, another magenta text box contains the URL "http://bit.ly/pink-haven " in white letters. On the right side of the graphic, there is a photograph of a hand holding a flag in the colors of the transgender pride flag (light blue, pink, and white). Written on the flag in black marker is the phrase "TRANS PEOPLE TO THE FRONT." At the bottom right corner, there is a Unitarian Universalist Association flaming chalice logo in rainbow colors.

🚨 Final Call: The Pink Haven Coalition's Faithify fundraiser closes Jan. 24! Help provide life-saving aid to trans, Two-Spirit, & gender-expansive people under attack in the U.S. Donate now: faithify.org/campaign/402/pink-haven-coalition #TransRights #PinkHaven

ynicism is first of all a style of presenting oneself, and it takes pride more than anything in not being fooled and not being foolish. But in the forms in which I encounter it, cynicism is frequently both these things. That the attitude that prides itself on world-weary experience is often so naïve says much about the triumph of style over substance, attitude over analysis. Maybe it also says something about the tendency to oversimplify. If simplification means reducing things to their essentials, oversimplification tosses aside the essential as well. It is a relentless pursuit of certainty and clarity in a world that generally offers neither, a desire to shove nuances and complexities into clear-cut binaries. Naïve cynicism concerns me because it flattens out the past and the future, and because it reduces the motivation to participate in public life, public discourse, and even intelligent conversation that distinguishes shades of gray, ambiguities and ambivalences, uncertainties, unknowns, and opportunities. Instead, we conduct our conversations like wars, and the heavy artillery of grim confidence is the weapon many reach for.

I'm exhausted by all the people out there who are trying to prove they're each the most cynical world-weary disillusioned person who's not gonna ever do a fucking thing ever except dump on everything and expect to be admired for that. Wrote about that in 2016:

Sec. 4. Defunding Chemical and Surgical Mutilation. The head of each executive department or agency (agency) that provides research or education grants to medical institutions, including medical schools and hospitals, shall, consistent with applicable law and in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that institutions receiving Federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children. Sec. 5. Additional Directives to the Secretary of HHS. (a) The Secretary of HHS shall, consistent with applicable law, take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children, including regulatory and sub-regulatory actions, which may involve the following laws, programs, issues, or documents: (i) Medicare or Medicaid conditions of participation or conditions for coverage; (ii) clinical-abuse or inappropriate-use assessments relevant to State Medicaid programs; (iii) mandatory drug use reviews; (iv) section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; (v) quality, safety, and oversight memoranda; (vi) essential health benefits requirements; and

Sec. 6. TRICARE. The Department of Defense provides health insurance, through TRICARE, to nearly 2 million individuals under the age of 18. As appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of Defense shall commence a rulemaking or sub-regulatory action to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children from TRICARE coverage and amend the TRICARE provider handbook to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children. Sec. 7. Requirements for Insurance Carriers. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall: (a) include provisions in the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) programs call letter for the 2026 Plan Year specifying that eligible carriers, including the Foreign Service Benefit Plan, will exclude coverage for pediatric transgender surgeries or hormone treatments; and (b) negotiate to obtain appropriate corresponding reductions in FEHB and PSHB premiums.

Trump issues a sweeping executive order purporting to (a) defund medical institutions that provide gender-affirming care to patients under 19 and (b) revoke coverage for such care under federal insurance plans. This is illegal and will be challenged. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Pete Hegseth and the Pornhub–Purity Culture Coalition What explains today’s political alliance of worldly bros and high-minded theobros? Start with the presumptive SecDef’s views on women and sex.

"Pete Hegseth, the 'family man' of three wives and numerous mistresses, and an alleged rapist"—who said as recently as November that women don't belong in combat roles—is "a catastrophic choice to lead an institution with a sexual assault epidemic."

Sharp Bulwark debut, @hollybfletcher.bsky.social

Pre-Dead Social Club invites Vermonters to talk in monthly 'Die-A-Logues' It happens to all of us, but isn't a topic that's easy to broach: death. Then New Hampshire entrepreneur Laura Cleminson founded a social club to do just that.

Laura Cleminson wanted to embrace the inevitable — while forgoing morbidity. So the New Hampshire entrepreneur founded the Pre-Dead Social Club, an open and free group that meets regularly in Brattleboro and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Delayed winter shelter to open in Burlington Shelters across Vermont are generally full, as is the state’s motel voucher program, which acts as a backstop when shelters are at capacity.

The Committee on Temporary Shelter plans to welcome its first guests at the new 30-bed shelter at 58 Pearl Street on Wednesday night. Officials estimate roughly 300 people are living unsheltered in Chittenden County during the depths of winter.

Trump wants to annex Canada, which means that somewhere in Canada right now, a nun with an amazing singing voice has taken the job as a nanny for a widowed naval Captain and his 7 children.

Boston’s poet laureate opens ‘first of its kind’ independent bookstore in Dorchester - The Boston Globe ‘People do rest as a political act, but I’m arguing for leisure and fun and joy as a kind of political act,’ says bookshop cofounder Porsha Olayiwola.

With book bans on the rise, I'm grateful to Porsha and the team at justBook-ish for working to preserve representative literature.

We need safe spaces like these.

We need stories and authors and images that foster empathy and understanding, especially now.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/01/04/a...

The anger is real, y'all.

Inspired by NAture Sustaining Movement How can movements soar for the long haul? Look to the sky! Migratory bird show us the way!

Parable of the choir A choir sings a note impossibly long because singers drop out to breathe yet the note continues. Activism can be like that: we must take turns to rest, so the fight lives on.

Migratory Birds wisdom In a V-formation rotate leadership sharing the hardest roles and allowing rest. Together, they travel 70% farther than flying solo. Teamwork in flight!

📣 New in the Beautiful Trouble Toolbox: V-Formation 🌟

Just like geese rotate leadership in flight, this strategy encourages activists to share burdens, rotate roles, and prioritize rest without guilt.

✨ Read more: beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool...

#activism

Imagine if we truly came to know this ourselves. Imagine if we came to understand ourselves, not as apart from nature observing it, but a part of nature, in fact, nature ourselves together with the rest of the living biome. Imagine the transformation- the awe, the coherence, and even the joy.

This amazing friend lives in my neighborhood

I am so tired of waiting, aren’t you, For the world to become good and beautiful and kind? Let’s take a knife and cut the world in two- And see what worms are eating At the rind. Langston Hughes

If we are not a country of laws, what are we?

A cult of personality?
A falling empire?
An island of misfits?

This needs to be said, loud, and often.

UU JETPIG | Bonfire Justice. Equity. Transformation. Pluralism. Interdependence. Generosity. 21st century UU.. As we refine and redefine Unitarian Universalism for the 21st century, we can...

www.bonfire.com/uu-jetpig/

One of my sheroes. And a religious ancestor, to boot. For 2 years, she lived in the village in Western MA where I raised my kiddos. She chose her middle name and pronounced it like "Mariah," and preferred to be called it over her given name.