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Greetings from Texas

via ANTIFA

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why do u hate liberals

Because they play at caring about the brutalized, dispossessed, alienated, exploited, and oppressed people who suffer under white supremacy, cisheteropatriarchy, imperialism, and global capitalism, while wholeheartedly endorsing the very institutions and political economic structures that create those conditions in the first place. This they do by masking their support of such a vile system behind the rhetoric of ‘conscientiousness’ and ‘progressive reform’, of which they are of course the self-appointed guarantors. Importantly, this ideology is not some front or diversion from the secretive back-room deals made by suits smoking cigars (which do often exist, but I digress), but liberals actually believe this shit works and is what is best for those poor oppressed souls. Those oppressed souls, of course, live in the conditions that they do (in the Global South or the inner city) because their exploitation and poverty is a prerequisite for the production and reproduction of everyday life in the ~developed world~. Liberals can’t admit this because it would undermine their very lifestyles and worldviews. No, to them, like their more conservative counterparts, ultimately the individual is responsible for their place in the world. Liberals differ from conservatives only to the extent that they admit some people are born into shitty situations, and they should be given a few pats on the back to help them get back on their feet; the social safety net, the liberal welfare state, even social democracy/democratic socialism in Scandinavia, Canada, etc. Some are more expansive than others, some extend their critiques into the realm of institutions, seeking to apply reforms that might mitigate the oppressive legacies of the past. Far too little, ultimately, and incredibly misdirected. Because, in the end, liberals believe that capitalism, in particular as it exists under (neo)liberal democracy, is the driving force of history, or even, as some have put it, the End of History; the highest form of political economic development. No other system is worth trying, all other political economic experiments have ended in failure, as your history textbooks can show you on page 1. All problems that remain can be reformed away or are ultimately the responsibility of the individual that suffers. 

Racist police brutality? Hire “good cops” and “demilitarize the police” (whatever that means). Too many Americans dying in imperialist wars, and too many innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire? Develop unmanned drones with ~precision~ aim to “neutralize militants” in the target zone. Massive economic inequality on the comeback? Agree to raise the minimum wage, slowly, and not in keeping with inflation, but its better than nothing! Bombarded by the voices of impoverished, brutalized, imprisoned, and oppressed queer and trans youth, largely youth of color and black youth in particular? Legalize gay marriage and let white gay men serve on the front lines of the American war machine!

Abolish the very structures that violate, exploit, punish, victimize, murder, and impoverish the global masses to begin with? Not a chance, that’s absurd, its unnecessary, its too far! Progress comes slowly! Progress must come through the right channels! We’ve given you so much, why are you attacking us? We have your best interests at heart! We know what’s best for you! You are so spoiled and always want more more more! Write your local Congressman! Tweet the President! Vote for Hillary, don’t let the Republicans win! They’ll undo all this great stuff that we have! Imagine how horrible it would be to lose all the wonderful things that Obama has brought us, like the continued drive toward neoliberal privatization of public institutions begun under Reagan and legitimized for other liberals under Clinton! Like the free trade agreements that destroy local/communally based agro-economic systems in other countries and force migrations to the US in search of heavily exploited jobs! Like the maintenance of wars and torture centers started by Bush! Like the continued pursuit of longtime political exiles like Assata Shakur and continued imprisonment of political prisoners like Mumia abu Jamal and Leonard Peltier! Like the expansion of the prison industrial complex! Like the bailing out of banks! Like the “diversification” and “inclusivity” of institutions built upon exploitation and repression! Like the maintenance of white supremacist capitalist patriarchy with a ~human face~! 

This is what liberals represent. This is what the communist movement is tasked with eradicating. 

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Once slavery was abolished in 1865, manufacturers scrambled to find other sources of cheap labor—and because the 13th amendment banned slavery (except as punishment for crimes), they didn’t have to look too far. Prisons and big businesses have now been exploiting this loophole in the 13th amendment for over a century.

“Insourcing,” as prison labor is often called, is an even cheaper alternative to outsourcing. Instead of sending labor over to China or Bangladesh, manufacturers have chosen to forcibly employ the 2.4 million incarcerated people in the United States. Chances are high that if a product you’re holding says it is “American Made,” it was made in an American prison.

On average, prisoners work 8 hours a day, but they have no union representation and make between .23 and $1.15 per hour, over 6 times less than federal minimum wage. These low wages combined with increasing communication and commissary costs mean that inmates are often released from correctional facilities with more debt than they had on their arrival. Meanwhile, big businesses receive tax credits for employing these inmates in excess of millions of dollars a year.

While almost every business in America uses some form of prison labor to produce their goods, here are just a few of the companies who are helping prisoners pay off their debt to society, so to speak.

Whole Foods. The costly organic supermarket often nicknamed “Whole Paycheck” purchases artisan cheese and fish prepared by inmates who work for private companies. The inmates are paid .74 cents a day to raise tilapia that is subsequently sold for $11.99 a pound at the fashionable grocery store.

McDonald’s. The world’s most successful fast food franchise purchases a plethora of goods manufactured in prisons, including plastic cutlery, containers, and uniforms. The inmates who sew McDonald’s uniforms make even less money by the hour than the people who wear them.

Wal-Mart. Although their company policy clearly states that “forced or prison labor will not be tolerated by Wal-Mart”, basically every item in their store has been supplied by third-party prison labor factories. Wal-Mart purchases its produce from prison farms where laborers are often subjected to long, arduous hours in the blazing heat without adequate sunscreen, water, or food.

Victoria’s Secret. Female inmates in South Carolina sew undergarments and casual-wear for the pricey lingerie company. In the late 1990’s, 2 prisoners were placed in solitary confinement for telling journalists that they were hired to replace “Made in Honduras” garment tags with “Made in U.S.A.” tags. Victoria’s Secret has declined to comment.

Aramark. This company, which also provides food to colleges, public schools and hospitals, has a monopoly on foodservice in about 600 prisons in the U.S. Despite this, Aramark has a history of poor foodservice, including a massive food shortage thatcaused a prison riot in Kentucky in 2009.

AT&T. In 1993, the massive phone company laid off thousands of telephone operators—all union members—in order to increase their profits. Even though AT&T’s company policy regarding prison labor reads eerily like Wal-Mart’s, they have consistently used inmates to work in their call centers since ’93, barely paying them $2 a day.

BP. When BP spilled 4.2 million barrels of oil into the Gulf coast, the company sent a workforce of almost exclusively African-American inmates to clean up the toxic spill while community members, many of whom were out-of-work fisherman, struggled to make ends meet. BP’s decision to use prisoners instead of hiring displaced workers outraged the Gulf community, but the oil company did nothing to reconcile the situation.

From dentures to shower curtains to pill bottles, almost everything you can imagine is being made in American prisons. Also implicit in the past and present use of prison labor are Microsoft, Nike, Nintendo, Honda, Pfizer, Saks Fifth Avenue, JCPenney, Macy’s, Starbucks, and more. For an even more detailed list of businesses that use prison labor, visit buycott.com, but the real guilty party here is the United States government. UNICOR, the corporation created and owned by the federal government to oversee penal labor, sets the condition and wage standards for working inmates.

One of the highest-paying prison jobs in the country? Sewing American flags for the state police.

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my mom used to call putting on makeup “fixing your face.” when i asked “what’s wrong with my face that i need to fix??” she said she didn’t mean it “that way” but it still was upsetting. 

i still wear makeup almost every day... i really enjoy putting it on but i completely understand how i didn’t choose it independent of social pressures.

one of the things I consider the most disturbing about makeup (among the facts that most of it is tested on animals and bad for your skin) is that the ideal look is always the same and it makes us all look the same.

like exchangeable dolls.

really, it’s always the same plucked and drawn on eyebrows I see, the same contouring, eye makeup, foundation, rouge and lipstick. the same drawn on mask.

the ideal look covers up woman’s own, unique face.

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hate to say it but saying you want to murder a bunch of women isn't protecting yourself

i want to murder every terf

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@anti-female-receipts

cisbians using “I’m just not attracted to penises" 

Expect not one is attracted to penises. No one is attracted to vaginas. No one is attracted to genitals. You’re attracted to a person. 

When you first see someone you’re attracted to them as a person. You don’t know what genitals they have, implying you can tell a trans person from a cis person is cissexist and would force you to admit you are attracted to trans people before you find out they’re trans. 

So ask yourself why you’d be attracted to a trans person until you find out they’re trans or what genitals they have? 

Hint: It’s because you’re a sad little transmisogynist and you deserve to have your teeth beaten in.

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Here’s an even better picture of my hat

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For almost 18 years you’re taught to sit down, shut up, and raise your hand. Then you have to decide what you’re going to do for the rest of your life.

(via v-ogued)

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You can’t call yourself anti-capitalist and support the consumption of women’s bodies for profit. 

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but why do we have to get married and have children

why can’t we just get a group of friends and live happily ever after in an apartment and share the profits

i’d be much happier that way

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idk, but I’m not totally onboard with the idea that unless you were raised exclusively in rr/oma culture speaking roma//nes, and unless you fit the exact physical description of what a “rro/ma person looks like” you’re not REALLY rr/omani so many of us literally had to discover our heritages for ourselves because it was considered a source of family shame or fear. my grandparents changed their name and surname when they moved to America because it was a chance for them to “start over” – learning about my heritage and educating myself is a constant process. being able to pass as gad/ze is obviously a privilege but there’s still an immense sense of isolation that comes with not fitting nicely into either category and I was relatively lucky that my parents were forthright when I addressed the matter of my heritage with them and that they encouraged me to study my heritage and learn our traditions but part of the violence that’s been done to rr//oma people–a large part in fact–has to do with how we had our culture annihilated by forced assimilation and fucking sterilization it just seems callous to deny people’s realities. this isn’t about white passing privilege because that’s definitely worth talking about and hell yeah I’ve got privilege for my white skin but I think there’s more to understanding the state/past/future of rr/oma than just the perception of gadze

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As long as employers feel like they have to tell their female employees to put on more makeup

As long as women feel embarrassed to walk out the house without drawing on eyebrows

As long as women’s clothes are made uncomfortable, non-functional, and prioritize showing off our figures for the male gaze

As long as female celebrities without makeup smear the tabloids

As long as we spend hundreds/thousands of dollars on makeup and countless hours mastering it and extra time to wake up and apply it

As long as little girls are dieting from the age of 8

As long as women burn themselves to appease a male dominated space because empathy, gracefulness, and mercy are roles assigned to us,

femininity will never be empowering. It started as a tool to oppress and that’s how it will die. choice feminism isn’t getting anyone anywhere.

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‘Free All Political Prisoners’

Irish Republican Army Poster from the 1980s

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BOOM! GUESS WHO STEPPED IN THE ROOM!