Hugh Agnew

It was eloquent!

Republicans complain about Texas Democrats “fleeing”—yet just days ago, they themselves fled D.C. to avoid voting on the Epstein files.

Why? To protect a convicted felon sitting in the Oval Office.

One side dodges accountability.
The other fights for democracy.

Repost @djmelodie

July 22, 2025 First thing this morning, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X a statement from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying that under Bondi’s direction, he had talked to the lawyers for Ghislaine M...

July 22, 2025

“An Egalitarian Pressure”: Australia Has Been Requiring People to Vote for 100 Years As Australia compels voters to show up at the polls this weekend, a scholar lays out the genesis of

An Australian scholar explains the idea that drove Australia to adopt compulsory voting: "You would know that the government that was elected had the support of the majority of voters in the electorate—not just the majority of the people who turned up." boltsmag.org/compuls...

"I Know It When I See It”: Prof. Omer Bartov Says Israel Committing Genocide in Gaza We speak with leading Israeli American historian Omer Bartov about his latest essay for The New York Times, headlined “I’m a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It.” Bartov cites the United…

Genocide "doesn’t mean that you have to kill everyone," says historian and renowned Holocaust scholar Omer Bartov. "It means that the group will be destroyed and that it will not be able to reconstitute itself as a group. And to my mind, this is precisely what Israel is trying to do."

Trump’s National Guard Troops Are Questioning Their Mission in L.A.

“The moral injuries of this operation, I think, will be enduring,” one of the two Guard officials said. “This is not what the military of our country was designed to do, at all.” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/u...

Why We Don't Politicize the Military When I started working on this piece, it was in the context of Trump‘s announced decision to bring the National Guard and the Marines into Los Angeles to quell protests against ICE.

This is one of the most important pieces I've written and I hope you'll read it. Politicizing the military is dangerously destabilizing for democracy-learn more from the vantage point of people who have served. open.substack.com/pub/joycevan...

We grew up (1950s-60s) listening to a record of Pete Seeger singing various protests songs, and the “Song of the 15th Brigade” was right up there.

Fighting fascists in Spain: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Thousands left their homes in the United States to stand against Spanish General Franco and fascism. This is episode 58 of Stories of Resistance.

In 1936 & 1937, 35,000 people came from around the world to defend the democratically elected Spanish gov't against fascism. 3,000 volunteered from the U.S. They would found the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. #StoriesOfResistance @undertheshadow.bsky.social @globalexchange.bsky.social

The more ridicule that can be heaped on him, the better.

The 14th Amendment was ratified today in 1868—guaranteeing equal protection under the law.

157 years later, Trump’s trying to erase it like it was a typo.

No birthright citizenship. No due process. Just Trump doing what he does best—breaking the law.

No notes.

Russia’s frozen assets must be used to rebuild Ukraine, says Zelenskyy, as he hits out at ‘terrorism’ of daily attacks – Europe live Kyiv said Russia launched around 400 drones and 18 missiles against Ukraine overnight Zelenskyy also repeatedly thanks partners for their help so far, saying it is thanks to their help it was able to start building a modern air force. “We’ve done it in record time. No other country has switched from Soviet aircraft to F-16 and Mirages this quickly,” he says. I urge all our partners: increase your investments when Russia increases its attacks. Continue reading...

Russia’s frozen assets must be used to rebuild Ukraine, says Zelenskyy, as he hits out at ‘terrorism’ of daily attacks – Europe live

This looks fascinating! Thanks for the tip.

A detail from a window in Prague's St. Vitus cathedral, painted by Alphonse Mucha, showing the spread of Christianity among the Bohemian Slavs (Czechs). To the top are the two Apostles to the Slavs, Saints Cyril and Methodius, baptizing Borivoj. In the lower half Saint Ludmila prays with her grandson, Saint Wenceslas. Cyril wears a monk's habit in somber brown, while Methodius is garbed in a bishop's vestments. Ludmila arms outspread in prayer, is wearing a gown of light yellow-green, belted with gold, and a red apron, while young Wenceslas wears a vibrant red tunic and has his hands clasped in front of him.

Today is the feast day of SS Cyril and Methodius, the "Apostles to the Slavs." This is a section of the Alphonse Mucha window in Prague's St. Vitus cathedral. At the top are the two saints baptizing Borivoj, below is St. Ludmila and her grandson, St. Wenceslas (Vaclav).

What Mr. Ramirez Taught Me July Fourth means community.

Just read Charlotte Clymer's excellent 4th of July thread:
charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/what-mr-ra...

Fabulous news, and congratulations!

You are not alone, not that that’s any help.

No one wanted Trump’s devastating budget bill. Of course it passed | Moira Donegan The bill steals from the sick, elderly and hungry, and gives to billionaires and jackboots. But Republicans will follow their leader anywhere

No one wanted Trump’s devastating budget bill. Of course it passed | Moira Donegan

I don't think NYT should know peace until they divulge the full chain of decision making that led to the laundering of Nazi propaganda against a leading anti-fascist politician the same day fascism was codified in Congress.

The mental state is "terminal ass-holiness".

“Morph into a system”…? Shall we call it the GULAG archipelago?

Gee. Who could have predicted this?

Personally, this Sisyphus (who is a very privileged one) is having a hard time imagining himself happy.

And yet, and yet, the suicide attempts seem to be unsuccessful.

Spot on. This is the clearest explanation I’ve seen. It ‘s relatable, and humanizes the issue in a way everyone can understand.

Operation Stormy Daniels. Haha

Including mine and many of my colleagues'.

Anthropic Scores a Landmark AI Copyright Win—but Will Face Trial Over Piracy Claims While the startup has won its "fair use" argument, it potentially faces billions of dollars in damages for allegedly pirating over 7 million books to build a digital library.

While the startup has won its "fair use" argument, it potentially faces billions of dollars in damages for allegedly pirating over 7 million books to build a digital library.

Take note.