Avatara Smith-Carrington

UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera

In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.

As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.

UPDATE: Judge Perry issued an opinion explaining why she blocked the Texas National Guard deployment in Chicago.

She begins with Alexander Hamilton’s rejection of a “preposterous” idea that the Constitution lets a President deploy a State’s militia to a different State for political retribution. 🧵

The Virginia Senate just told UVA it’s not getting state funding if it accepts the compact since UVA exists to serve Virginia, its residents, & their interests—not be a tool of the federal govt. Scoop from our student newspaper, who’ve been doing vital reporting www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...

My first thought was “wow I hope this guy didn’t give out his name because he could absolutely be charged” and yup, he is correct to stay anonymous.

This man’s account is shocking. His neighbors’ situation is shocking. The entire Chicago raid is shocking.

One of the things I took away from the 60s and Richard Nixon, first mentioned by Hunter Thompson, but I believe to be true, is the fact that we believed, at time, that all our protesting, marching and sign waving was futile and pointless when in fact, it drove Richard Nixon to alcohol fueled madness

Israel accused of detaining Greta Thunberg in infested cell and making her hold flags Activist tells Swedish officials she has been subjected to harsh treatment, including insufficient food and water

““They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others,” the Turkish activist ErsinÇelik, a participant in the Sumud flotilla, told Anadolu news agency.”+

ICE says I cause assaults on ICE by reciting facts about ICE’s recent shooting but refuses to link to the thread. Only posting a picture. ICE lies and ICE hides. You can read the facts for yourselves

BREAKING: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard members to Portland over the governor's objections.

This decision reinforces one of our country's core principles: The military has no place policing our communities.

Request: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Order: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Abughazaleh: I think Kristi Noem should be tried at The Hague. And if the response from ICE to people exercising their first amendment right is to drive vehicles through them, they should not be an agency in the US.

BREAKING: US President Trump says Israel "temporarily stopped bombing" Gaza as 17 Palestinians killed in new Israeli attack in Gaza City.

🔴 LIVE updates: aje.io/a1y8rg

The Unconstitutional Conditions Doctrine and the Compact for Excellence Members of the Trump administration love to say that federal funding is a privilege not a right and therefore something that can be granted or withheld based on changing administrative priorities.

The Trump Administration’s “Compact of Excellence” for Universities is... far from excellent! Indeed, it’s unconstitutional. In this post, let me count the ways.

blog.dividedargument.com/p/the-uncons...

We contacted more than 40 Planned Parenthood affiliates for this story on the state of care now that the GOP budget law is fully in effect. Service journalism with @garnethenderson.com:

Judge William Young's ruling against Rubio and Noem is a lesson for all in the Trump era Young lays bare the unconstitutionality of the Trump administration's student deportation efforts — and issues a challenge to America. Also: More court pushback.

NEW: Judge William Young's ruling against Rubio and Noem is a lesson for all in the Trump era.

Young lays bare the unconstitutionality of the Trump administration's student deportation efforts — and issues a challenge to America.

Today, at Law Dork:

I think we underestimate the extent to which the right wing has eroded civil society simply by pulling stunts like this that make any public participation extremely unpleasant.

Look at what the United States Government is citing in the birthright citizenship case.

Non-expert legal scholarship and work done hastily in service of their political goals.

Ms. Halligan, who took over on Monday after her predecessor quit rather than prosecute James B. Comey with what he believed was insufficient evidence, had a little trouble with the first two tasks. At one point, she entered the wrong courtroom. When she found the right one, she stood on the wrong side of the judge, then appeared confused about the paperwork she just had signed.

Ladies and gentlemen, the meritocracy

Texas to become the 20th state with a transgender bathroom law The bill, which Texas first attempted to pass in 2015, will require transgender people to use restrooms in public schools and government buildings in accordance with their birth sex.

Texas to become the 20th state with a law restricting what bathrooms transgender people can use

For @nbcnews.com:
www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-...

Texas Gov. Abbott Signs Trans Bathroom Bill Into Law With $125,000 Fines The legislation covers government-owned buildings, public schools, prisons, and domestic violence shelters.

Including a new law in Texas, 1 in 3 transgender people now live in the 20 states with a bathroom ban, though they vary in scope.

🔗 Learn more via our map: bit.ly/3LOIUSw

Note: TX's law does not go into effect until December 4, 2025, and it will likely be challenged.
www.them.us/story/texas-...

Court Rules That NEA 'Gender Ideology' Rule Violates the 1st Amendment A new policy that required applicants to make supposed anti-"woke" declarations has been struck down.

At a time when the Trump administration is trying to force people to conform to their ideology, last week's ruling is an important reminder that the government can't restrict speech based on its political agenda.

As easy as it is to dunk on the acetaminophen announcement today, I just can't stop thinking about how all this claim of a "cure" for autism plays into a fundamentally eugenicist way of looking at the world. Those who diverge are to be cured or purged.

White Parents Rallied to Chase a Black Educator Out of Town. Then, They Followed Her to the Next One. Cecelia Lewis was asked to apply for a Georgia school district’s first-ever administrator job devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion. A group of parents — coached by local and national anti-CRT gr...

I want you to read one of my 2022 investigations again + understand that the response you’re seeing from your children’s school boards-the harassment + firing of teachers, administrators & staff-is tied to a network of folks who have been in this game for years: www.propublica.org/article/geor...

Today, the president of the United States of America said that the country's current pediatric vaccine schedule was "too much liquid... going into that baby" and then issued a decree announcing that anti-fascism is terrorism

‘Most complaints filed in federal courtrooms do not spend dozens of pages recounting the plaintiff’s “singular brilliance” and “history-making media appearances” in programs like Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson.’ 🤣

Receipts. Receipts galore.

Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is imposing strict new rules that would severely limit the ability of journalists to report on the Pentagon.

NEW: The Pentagon told journalists it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. @washingtonpost.com

DOJ Deletes Study Documenting Frequency Of Far-Right Violence: Report “The number of far-right attacks continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism,” the study reads.

“The number of far-right attacks continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism,” the study reads.

A second mass shooting of a homeless encampment in Minneapolis. Five more people died. Meanwhile, congress is working on passing the ability to jail homeless people for up to 30 days or charge them $500. It bans camping on public property. abcnews.go.com/US/people-hu...

"...every ounce of my energy has been devoted to an active
opposition to cruel bigotry, convulsive violence, and the sadistic persecution which has characterised the philosophy and practice of fascism...nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from association between us."

Charlie Kirk’s Legacy Deserves No Mourning The white Christian nationalist provocateur wasn't a promoter of civil discourse. He preached hate, bigotry, and division

I wrote my own Charlie Kirk obituary, and about valuing truth over manners: www.thenation.com/article/poli...