Alex

…sustains it. Florida’s leaders insist that killing people and calling it justice somehow brings peace — that this relentless killing spree honors victims and heals families. It does not. It never has. It was a lie when it was told thirty years ago in this very case, and it remains a lie tonight.”

Two executions will have taken place today.

I often fail to find the words to describe how poor capital punishment is at delivering peace and justice, but this statement from Floridians for an Alternative to the Death Penalty minces no words: “What makes this execution unbearable is the lie that…

executions don't make communities safer or provide justice to a broken system of continuous violence. This bill is full of bad provisions, the Gov. said so himself (link). If we truly wanted to focus on crime & safety, we would look to solutions that are proven, not based in fear and vengeance. 4/4

These screenings have a history of ineffectiveness. This bill also paves the way to reestablish electrocution and gas as forms of execution - two methods that have botched execution cases in the past. Making it easier to perform executions by speeding up the process is inhumane... 3/4

This bill doesn't address the underlying issues that led to this legislation in the first place - that someone who needed proper services and had a history of crime was released multiple times w/o intervention. The only excuse in this bill is the creation of involuntary mental health screenings. 2/4

I am immensely disappointed as a North Carolinian that Gov. Stein signed this bill into law that does not keep North Carolinians safer but encourages injustice. Lowering the bar for the implementation of the death penalty does nothing to advance restorative justice. 1/4

Alex's review of The Volunteer 5/5: A stunning account written by an exemplary journalist that will leave you at a loss for words. Easily one of the best books of 2025, and a necessary read for any and all who believe in criminal j...

“A stunning account written by an exemplary journalist that will leave you at a loss for words. Easily one of the best books of 2025, and a necessary read for any and all who believe in criminal justice reform.“

Read the rest of my review for “The Volunteer” by @giannatoboni.bsky.social here:

Its insane that American politics now more or less revolves around infrequently passing a single comically large overstuffed money bill instead of like... normal legislation

Government shutdown, farm bill expiration, and cancellation of the USDA food security survey? What did hungry people ever do to the GOP?

Silly Jimmy Kimmel. He should have just called for all homeless people to be killed and he’d still have a job.

I am miserable

The Violence Does Not Discriminate Loss of life, loss of hope, and loss of future. All encouraged by one thing.

Because there always needs to be more commentary… I wrote this with a barrage of emotions. Check out my word salad here medium.com/@alexdpar/th...

None of BlueSky actually read the Ezra Klein piece huh?

It is incredibly simple to acknowledge that violence in any form is awful and erodes society.

It’s not simply important to denounce political violence because it looks bad not to. It’s the right thing to do on the merits. Even more specifically to this moment it’s important because the forces of fascism are inherently better at political violence than the forces of civic democracy.

If I have any credibility with you from 20 years of reporting on rightwing & fascist movements, please listen when I beg you not to celebrate Charlie Kirk getting shot. Leave aside morality: this isn’t a match in dry grass, it’s a torch. We do not want what this could ignite & we would not win.

bsky.app/profile/jeff...

I don’t give a shit if JD Vance doesn’t give a shit about the Constitution. Striking civilian boats in international waters is both unconstitutional and a war crime. The party of “law and order” clearly doesn’t care about respecting it.

I don’t wish gun violence upon anyone, including Charlie Kirk.

This is what democracy looks like! A people united will never be defeated. We want federal forces out of DC NOW! #WeAreAllDC #FreeDC

Incredible talk about social witness at the National Book Festival @librarycongress.bsky.social @brian-goldstone.bsky.social @giannatoboni.bsky.social

Important to remember that everyone involved in renaming the DoD to the Department of War is afraid to take the subway.

Farmers need SNAP and USAID just as much as the people getting the food.

Also, they were on the second story of the Shake Shack? What a waste of taxpayer dollars all of this is. Walking around, National Guard members are standing around doing nothing. Are there not natural disasters, like a hurricane in the Atlantic, that might be a better use of our funds?

Just saw JD Vance, Pete Hegseth, and tons of troops at Union Station where thousands travel every day getting to work and home. A place that is SAFE. Remember: this is all for their photoshoot - DC is a vibrant place full of wonderful people who do not deserve nor consent to this occupation.

Sending National Guard troops out of your state at the peak of hurricane season certainly is a choice. Not a smart choice but a choice.

Went ahead and updated my map of cities with higher crime than D.C. to accommodate the two new states from the Deep South who are sending troops to the capital. In the five states there are 64 cities, home to 1.7 million people, that had more crime in 2024 than D.C.
www.pbump.net/o/more-peopl...

Showing empathy and helping others, even in the smallest ways, are going to be a key part in defeating a fascism that aims to regulate thought and feeling. Small actions might not change the overall circumstances, but small actions keep hope alive.

Missouri Officials Seize Control of St. Louis Police, in Latest Bid to Shutter Local Reforms The takeover returns St. Louis to a Civil War-era arrangement of state control. A local official calls the move "a clear gesture of white men wanting to control urban areas."

Missouri adopted a law that ends St. Louis’ ability to run its own police, transferring control to the GOP-run state government. The law also requires St. Louis to commit 25% of its budget to policing.

boltsmag.org/missour...

DC statehood is now an imperative. No more dicking around. Next Dem majority, get it done immediately.