Lisa Cumming

Masterful questioning

Glad you enjoyed it too! Did you ever see Pete Seegar in person?

How Chicago Protest Music Is Meeting The Political Moment "Antifascist movements attract artists," one expert said. And Chicago has a long list of musicians who fit the bill, with a protest music history that goes back decades.

“I write about the politics of the heart and the soul more than I talk about the politics of politics,” he said. “But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t write these observational songs.”

blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/09/h...

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We’re expanding our global research team and hiring three researchers across Europe/North America, Southeast Asia and South Asia to support our work on digital harms, extremism, and influence operations.

Applications are now open.

More details: www.csohate.org/work-with-us/

This is so wonderful. Recommend reading the nearly 4000 year old customer complaint out loud to yourself or whoever is sat nearest you.

Tourists to US would have to reveal five years of social media activity under new Trump plan Plan would apply to countries not currently required to get visas to the US, including Britain and France

Right to bear arms not attitudes.

'...the US president called for restrictions to ensure visitors to the US “do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles”.'

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Palestine Action hunger strikers call for urgent meeting with ministers Lawyers for eight remand prisoners waiting to go on trial say they could die in prison as part of their protest.

"We are concerned that, should this situation be allowed to continue without resolution, there is the real and increasingly likely potential that young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence."

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Aerial photograph of Malmesbury town today looking west showing houses surrounded by rivers and green fields

Reconstruction painting of a hillfort from the air looking west with interior roundhouses surrounded by rivers and fields

Beneath the #Wiltshire Medieval hilltop town of Malmesbury lies a 9ha Iron Age hillfort

Here looking east:

Now (© Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard) and then (© Athelstan Museum)

A wee thread for #HillfortsWednesday 🧵👇

More than 9,000 children in Gaza hospitalised for acute malnutrition in October, UN says Aid agencies say Israel is still restricting their aid shipments despite ceasefire announced two months ago

9000 children.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

Find out more about the work of the Peace Pledge Union here.

www.ppu.org.uk?fbclid=IwVER...

Find out more about the work of AfpB here.

afpb.net/en/conscient...

Find out more about the work of the Peace and Service Network here.

#Quakers

fwccemes.org/emes/peace-a...

I was so struck by how incredibly young two of the speakers were today. It's heartbreaking that young men are forced to flee their homes and families to exercise their right to refuse to kill. And equally heartbreaking that so few are granted asylum in safe countries.

And we also heard from a Ukrainian who'd left the frontline. He described having to buy his own food & equipment and that many people in poverty have no choice but to fight.

One young man who has been waiting for three years for safe & secure status, wanted organisations who claim to work in this field to listen to conscientious objectors and assist them.

Another said, "The regime in Russia is criminal. Putin is a war criminal who should be brought to justice. Ukraine should recover their land and Russia should ask the Ukrainian people for forgiveness.

One said, "We're ordinary people who refuse to accomplish orders of commanders, often criminal orders. I refuse to fight. I refuse to kill others...We are people with families and we want to start a new life. I want people not to be afraid of us & to realise we are just like them."

Given it is too unsafe to share their own stories publicly, they were asked what they wanted other people to know and what those of us listening could share.

"I refuse to fight. I refuse to kill others."

Just attended a Peace Pledge Union event where we heard from Russians risking everything after refusing to fight and to kill for the Russian regime.

Ancient Egyptian pleasure boat found by archaeologists off Alexandria coast First-century luxury vessel matches description by the Greek historian Strabo, who visited city around 29-25BC

What a find & what a thing.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

'To the End of the Land', a text & audio collaboration between Martin Heslop & Helen Tookey, in pamphlet and CD editions.

Three copies of Steve Ely's collection 'Eely' arranged against an orange background.

A seasonal reminder that you can order our titles from our website; orders are despatched within 24 hours (last dates for Christmas orders: UK: 17 Dec. Sheffield: 23 Dec). Recent hardbacks inc. Steve Ely's 'Eely' and Angelina D'Roza's 'The Blue Hour'. Order here:
longbarrowpress.com/current-publ...

New UATC Guidance Note to Help Document/Expose Misuse of Police… Protests and public gatherings are a vital part of any democratic society. Yet, in recent years, demonstrations around the world have too often been met…

🆕 The #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium new ‘Guidance Note on Addressing the Misuse of Police Weapons in Protests’ provides practical tools for monitors to assist in identifying, documenting, and challenging such misuse in a protest context.

🔗 Download the guide: bit.ly/49ZlZBS

I also think there are many beautiful & valuable contributions people make outside of paid work too.

Absolutely! (I'm in the UK & the thought I shared was in response to UK Government messaging & some responses.)

I shared this thought after UK Government messaging & responses. Sad it obviously resonates (& challenges prevailing narratives) where you are too.

The Home Office continues to use language that its own data refutes

Sounds really awful over there.

Absolutely. And people doing valuable & beautiful things outside of work too.

Exactly that.

I understand those sharing that their grandparents migrated here with very little & the children and grandchildren ended up doing highly valued jobs. I also hope we don't just value one another according to income or job. There are so many other ways people contribute to society and communities.