Mary Lannon

Gratitude to my story partner Wichuda Wichaidit (Tang McConnell) for giving such an amazing reading of my story "Bone China, William and Mary, and Me" last night at #NoYouTellIt event, the brainchild of the brilliant Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and team Chenda Bao, Tim Lindner, and Erika Marit Iverson.

Cartoon by Adam Zyglis

Sunday caption contest: Ha ha ha! And last week’s winner

Today's cartoon caption contest. Head over to my Substack to submit your best caption.

This is Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll. Last Friday he refused Justice Department order to identify & assist in firing all agents involved in Jan. 6 riot cases, He is said to have pushed back forcefully.
Thank you Brian Driscoll!🇺🇸

Photo of Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde.

This is the face of courage and compassion. Thank you Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde for speaking truth to power on behalf of the marginalized.

martin luther king jr. is standing in front of a microphone giving a speech . Alt: martin luther king jr. is standing in front of a microphone giving a speech .

“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ But conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.”

MLK Jr

Ad for open submissions in poetry January 1 to 31 (2025). Acre Books in white at bottom of screen.

Mark your calendars! Acre Books will be reading #poetry submissions for the month of January. See our web site for guidelines. www.acre-books.com. 🖊️📚

Book Review: ‘Kingdom of No Tomorrow,’ by Fabienne Josaphat Fabienne Josaphat’s novel “Kingdom of No Tomorrow” sets a love triangle amid late-1960s Oakland and Chicago.

Highly recommend @fabyjosaphat.bsky.social 's PEN\Bellwether Prize-winning novel Kingdom of No Tomorrow. Expertly plotted with strong character development, effortlessly weaves in history that we should all know more about.l #books #amreading www.nytimes.com/2024/12/07/b...

Also am a big fan though in this trilogy, I think it's The Flood that I think about the most . . though I like them all!

Cat's Eye changed my life! No joke! It set me on the path to discovering myself as a writer . . .

Also, perhaps, Percival Everett's Trees and Erasure . .

Always controversial to recommend Phillip Roth, it seems, but Plot Against America seems apt for the list . . .

Does Biden’s team have some polling telling them to alienate the youth vote?

"PPD declined, asking that the University provide proof that the encampment — and the rally today, which is entering its fourth hour — presents an imminent danger."

if the damn cops - of all people - are going "hold up a minute here" you have well and truly lost the plot

It is bewildering to see how universities are reacting to student protest. Students have always protested! This is not at all new! I’d love to know what college parents think about all this.

Only when the people themselves begin to act are rights on paper given lifeblood. The method of nonviolent resistance is effective in that it has a way of disarming the opponent; it exposes his moral defenses, it weakens his morale and at the same time it works on his conscience. —MLK Jr.

A sad fact . .

This is extremely brave. UT faculty are putting their livelihoods on the line for their pupils, as Texas has no recognized right for public sector workers to strike. Solidarity with them.

Very disturbing . . .there isn't any reason a cop should be throwing an unarmed person to the ground . . .peaceful protests should be allowed on college campuses . . .if sanction need to be taken against students for some kind of vioaltion of campus policy, cops should not be needed.

COUNTRY OF UNDER by Brooke Shaffner (@masonjarpress.bsky.social). Reviewed by @rscalia.bsky.social.

Next in our series of nature stories is "Wild Swim" by Kayann Short

Citing safety concerns, USC cancels pro-Palestinian valedictorian's graduation speech USC cites safety reasons in canceling the upcoming graduation speech of pro-Palestinian valedictorian from speaking onstage at her ceremony.

USC canceling Asna Tabassum’s valedictorian speech is so wrong and misguided. She works hard for four years, achieves this honor, and is told she can’t give her speech because of “safety concerns?” Always telling, who gets free speech and who doesnt. t.co/RqkIQw2Kpj

Opinion | Open Letters Are Cries in the Dark The open letter, as a genre, is far too limited. We speak with conviction, and then what?

I also wrote an essay about open letters, what they do well and their frustrating limitations. www.nytimes.com/2024/04/13/o...

The quote is taken out of context . . .if you disagree, explain why but don't censor. . .all the censorship did was have more people read it who didn't understand the censorship. The question is do you want to convince others of your side?

"those are good booms" is taken out of context . . .write a letter explaining why you find it so offensive instead of banning it . . censorship has just made everyone read it . .and some people do not understand why even that part is seen as offensive. Just write them off??? how does that help?

Where to find me this spring. More dates to come!

How to win a tweet war: get all the people who agree with you to write the same thing. How to win a war of ideas: spend months, years thinking, laboring on a piece of writing that tries to take your reader through story, argument, counterargument.

Possibly, though, explain your argument rather than censor the other side? . . .unless white liberal guilt never got anyone anywhere? to me you don't boycott ideas from thoughtful people . . .you take other more meaningful actions

World Central Kitchen | Operation Safeena: WCK aid boat offloads in Gaza World Central Kitchen’s team in Gaza is offloading 200 tons of desperately needed food that arrived on our first maritime aid shipment to the region. Carried on the Open Arms vessel, the cargo is part of Operation Safeena, our effort to bring as much aid as possible to Palestinians by sea. We have provided more than 37 million meals to families in war-torn Gaza by land and air since first responding to the conflict. The opening of this maritime corridor will allow us to provide millions more meals.

World Central Kitchen brought essential food aid on the first boat to land in Gaza in nearly 20 years this week. Unlike certain other efforts, the food they're delivering is arriving safely & is culturally & religiously appropriate. If you've got funds to donate, they will use them well.

So Colorado can’t exert authority over its own elections — but Texas can supercede federal authority over its borders?

Conservatives are only for States Rights when they agree with what states want to do.

Expand #SCOTUS.