#I have commited word crimes with this abhorency of a post

[mrsarnasdelicious]

Animal Shelter!AU Sihtric NSFW Alphabet

A = After (what they’re like after sex)

Sihtric is a snuggler extra ordinaire. He will want to cuddle once you are both cleaned up. Yes, you will need cleaning up. Be it a bath, a shower of just a quick toweling down, sex with Sihtric means you're gona be needing a good ol' clean up.

After you've clean up, Sihtric will cuddle up to you, with his head on/beside your chest. His very favourite it when you 'nurse' him to sleep. Man loves to fall asleep with your nipple in his mouth.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

He knows he has a big cock and he is quite proud of it. Though he is also very very proud of his heterochromatic eyes.

On you, hands down, your tits. He cannot get enough of your boobs.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Sihtric has hyperspermia. He produces loads you would not believe are suited for a human. You sometimes have no idea what to do with how much he pumps into you, be it your pussy, your mouth or your ass. Or anywhere else on your body, really.

And he gets painful balls, too when he does not cum on an at least one and a half day interval. He needs to releave that pressure and he prefers to do it inside you.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

He once spied on Finan getting off and came in his pants just watching Finan jerk his own cock.

The first time he was at your place, he filched one of your panties from the hamper. He got off to it so many times before he casually returned it, washed and without you noticing.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

He isn't exactly a virgin, but due to a latex allergy that remained undiscovered until he began seeing you, he's avoided sex for the main part. He has most of his kink experience with you.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Cowgirl. He likes to submit to you and he likes seeing your tits bound, easy peasy mac and cheesy.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Sihtric can be quite silly. He likes to playfight, tickle and joke, mainly during foreplay.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

This boy has no body hair. Like, zilch. He even has very thin, sparse leg hair. His armpit hair is peach fuzz at best!

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Sihtric craves intimacy. Sex with you is more than fucking, more than pleasure. He needs affection much more than he needs sex. He views affection/romance as integral part of sex with you.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Y E S. He jerks off soooo much. Because he is like, perpetually horny.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Lactation, Breeding, Praising, Edging, Exhibition, Voyeurism, Multiples, breast worship and dirty talk.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Anywhere he can get you, really. Tho he does prefer the bed, so he can get real close and real vulnerable.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

YOUR BOOBS. Your voice, compliments, Finan's cologne, your perfume, praise, a light breeze rushing through your hair. Everything, basically.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Bodily waste, ddlg and cnc

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Heck to the yes. Sihtric is enthousiastic about getting head, never lasting long when you suck his cock. And he loooooves eating you out, he can do it for hours on end.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

He mixes it up, he can do either or and everything in between.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

YES. He gets to be inside you, what is not to like!!

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Sihtric is crazy enough to try everything, once, a few exceptions of course there.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Sihtric tends to be a quick shot the first round, but he can go for three round and round two or three usually last much longer. Though there are days he can go for five, all of them premature and desperate.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

YES ALL THE TOYS. Butt plugs, vibes, cockrings, fleshlights, all of the toys, on you and on him!!!

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Oh no honey, it is you who teases him. He has the best reactions!

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

L O U D. Guy has no filter, no stop, no nothing. He is loud, whining, whimpering, moaning, grunting and groaning. And most of all, MOST OF ALL, Begging. He begs loudly and prettily.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Boy is such a disaster bi. He has the hugest crush on Finan and he indulges Uhtred whenever he wants to snog. He's not a person for monogamy because he most certainly will jump in bed with Finan if invited.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

He is a grower and he is biiig. His sack is worn close to the root of his cock and his balls are a little larger than average. He is uncut.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

13/10. Guy's resting mood is horny. He always wants to fuck. Boyo's got sex on the brain all day erry day. And when you are near him, he has zero self control.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

He zonks off once he is well and comfortable. Especially when you let him nurse to sleep. He put so much energy in the session that it is high time for him to go to sleep.

[theravenclawrevolutionary]

i'm not a frev expert. and you seem to be approchable enough and to have read enough. i had a question, or kind of a question. i just. i think that if robespierre wasn't against all the deaths by guillotine, he wouldn't have written that quote about virtue and terror. maybe i'm getting you wrong, or i'm not understanding the sense of that quote. could you explain?

Oh dang. I'm kinda surprised that people think I have any real authority on the subject of the Frev since I'm not an actual historian or anything and I'm surprised people find me approachable but of course I'll try my best for you Anon! And if anyone else has a better interpretation or anything else to add please, go ahead. I'll also try my best to keep it in as simple language as I can. But I digress.

⚠ This post is quite long so be prepared for that ⚠

First of all, Robespierre has more than one quote talking about terror and virtue. I'm assuming that you're thinking of the one that goes, "Terror is only justice: prompt, severe and inflexible; it is then an emanation of virtue; it is less a distinct principle than a natural consequence of the general principle of democracy, applied to the most pressing wants of the country." since that is the most common one. However, if you're talking about the one that goes "Terror is only justice: prompt, severe and inflexible; it is then an emanation of virtue; it is less a distinct principle than a natural consequence of the general principle of democracy, applied to the most pressing wants of the country." Let me know and I'll write about that one. The former is definitely a quote that, in my experience studying the Frev, gets misinterpreted from what it was originally meant to say fairly often.

To start with, it's very important to know what connotation and definition the words 'virtue' and 'terror' had in revolution-era France. Modern-day definitions may not be the same ones that were used in the past. According to my research, which of course isn't infallible, virtue was used to refer to someone's disposition and the way it would lead them to choose good over evil whereas where terror was seen simply as great fear. At the time there was no connotation of our modern-day terrorism to associate with the word. Nowadays we associate terror with terrorism which brings to mind murder, mindless destruction, oppression, and unchecked authority in which someone's ideals are forced upon large groups of people. Because of this many people assume that this is what Robespierre had in mind when he referenced terror when really he meant to describe the use of intimidation tactics to seize power from those who oppressed the lower class people and the general fear that was felt by the commoners.

Essentially the Reign of Terror meant 'a time period where everyone felt a sh*t load of Fear over all the bad stuff happening at once while the regular people try to overthrow the oppressive ruling class with intimidation tactics.' It does not mean 'a time period where loads of people were purposely committing widespread acts of terrorism to push their agendas'. And really, it was the only way to give everyone the chance to get rid of the old government, the monarchy, and allow a fair democracy that would be beneficial to the future of France to be built.

Next, it's important to know the context in which this quote was originally said. The speech where Robespierre said it took place on Feb 5th (?) of 1794. By this point, the revolution has been well underway for several long years and, as I said, a lot of sucky things are happening at the same time. The republic was in a war with a massive part of Europe and they're kinda getting curb-stomped. The country is in a state of civil war between the people that still supported the monarchy and all the different groups that had different views of how the country should be run. France's economy was complete sh*t too, so all this really radicalized the people and made the whole revolution situation so much worse than it already was.

At the time there were two factions, so to say, in the National Convention that were hella pissed at each other and really at odds. the Hébertists (who, to make things easy, wanted to escalate the Terror, go on the offensive with the military, and the overthrow and replace some of the existing government structures at the time) and the Dantonists (who wanted to sorta get rid of the revolutionary government, negotiate for peace in the war, and chill out on the whole Terror thing). And remember that these groups of people were very loose and like people in today's politic didn't agree with every stance their 'faction' took.

By the time Max made this speech, which was addressing these two groups, the situation between them was escalated big time. The Hébertists, with their views of 'more terror all over! That'll help us win everything,' or 'terror without virtue,' were pushing for a system that would quickly prove fatal. By contrast, the Dantonists with their, 'we just need to kinda chill and things will work out,' way of thinking or 'virtue without terror', would only lead to them (and the rest of the country) getting walked over by everyone else.

Throughout the entire speech, a speech I haven't recently read all the way through, Max comes back to the idea of terror and virtue, stressing that both are necessary. What I think he meant to do was talk about how the revolution couldn't survive without both terror (fear and the aggression that causes it) and virtue (the choice of good over evil) being applied. He's trying to explain to both groups that a little bit of both ideals is the most beneficial way to go about things. In reality, it has nothing to do with whether he personally believed in or advocated the death penalty/ the use of the guillotine. Instead, Robespierre is emphasizing that at that particular moment in time doing what is right and good (virtue) will most likely end up causing some bad things that will make people afraid for a while (terror).

What Robespierre is not saying is that terror, and by extension the violence that is causing the terror is virtuous. There are several easy-to-find sources that prove his personal disapproval of the death penalty from a moral standpoint. As a young lawyer in his hometown in Arras, he became physically ill at the idea of having one of his clients sentenced to death, even though he was found guilty of the crime he was on trial for. He made a speech agreeing with the abolition of the death penalty on May 30th of 1791 (?) arguing that there is no place for the death penalty in a civilized society because the law needs to be a model of what is good. He attempted to save the lives of Georges Danton and Camille Desmoulins, two friends/coworkers that he is commonly charged with sending to their deaths when the opposite is actually true. Additionally, he did the same with other more controversial people including the king's sister of all people, Madame Elisabeth. Even when voting for the death of the king he reiterates his own opinion on the death penalty saying, "For myself, I abhor the penalty of death that your law so liberally imposes, and I have neither love nor hatred for the King; it is only the crimes that I hate…. It is with regret that I utter this baneful truth…Louis must die in order that our country may live." Though it conflicts with his personal views, Robespierre makes the decision based on the needs of France as a country, something that many politicians need to relearn how to do today.

Long story short, he was not supporting the use of the guillotine with that quote, but rather trying to get two opposing factions to realize that both intimidation/fear and making sound, beneficial decisions would keep France on the right track to building a successful democracy for the people. Hopefully this helped and I explained it in a way that was easy for you to understand. If you ever have any more Frev related questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer or I'll send you in the direction of someone else more knowledgeable if I don't know.

Also, can someone tell me if I did a good job of explaining this? I can never tell if things I write about the Frev make sense to me because I actually know exactly what I mean to say so everyone else kinda goes along with it or if I actually say helpful things of substance. Thanks guys! And if anyone else knows more about the subject or if I've made a mistake please help me out.

~Dara

[hamliet]

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?: Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng

Or, how the two most virulent Wen-haters in the story tragically mirror each other in far more ways than just their issues with the Wens. 

I’ve written about MDZS’s use of character trios as a narrative structure before (here and here). In this meta I’m going to talk about the main three and the Venerated Triad. I’ve also written before about how Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao’s relationship (however you interpret it) parallels Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s, with Lan Xichen as a strong Lan Wangji foil (fitting, as they are the “Twin Jades”), and Jin Guangyao as a strong Wei Wuxian foil (as Wei Wuxian himself acknowledges in the story’s final chapter). So let’s talk about the third member of these trios: Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng, who also closely foil each other... in particular, through their respective relationships with Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian. 

But wait, you say. Jin Guangyao killed Nie Mingjue, which parallels Jiang Cheng killing Wei Wuxian!

True. There are some parallels between Jiang Cheng and Jin Guangyao (such as JC killing WWX to avenge JYL, even though she wouldn’t have wanted that, and JGY doing it when NMJ hurts NHS, even though NHS adored NMJ), as well as between Chengxian and Xiyao, but this is not a meta about those specifically. 

Nie Mingjue tried to kill Jin Guangyao in life (twice), and actually does do so in the end, and Jiang Cheng helped kill Wei Wuxian even if he did not do it directly. The reason both Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng were able to treat their brothers like this was because of their immense privilege, the privilege neither acknowledge until it is time to weaponize it. In those moments, both chose not to empathize but to see their brothers as an “other” instead of as someone they loved (and I do think both Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng loved Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian in a realistic, flawed way). In the otherizing of their brothers, both Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng put on robes displaying society’s flaws as blatantly as Sect Leader Yao does, but with a lot more humanity than the flat, static Sect Leader Yao. Thus, MXTX tells us we cannot even “other” society as a whole. 

If this sounds like I’m hating on either character, I’m really not intending to. They’re great characters and I enjoy both of them (Jiang Cheng’s one of my very favorites), but they’re flawed, and in fact that’s the whole reason I like them. But I do admit this essay will be scathing to an extent; just know it doesn’t touch on my whole opinion of their characters, and isn’t meant to excuse Wei Wuxian (who had a savior complex) and Jin Guangyao (who sought society’s approval to his own doom); I’ve just previously excoriated those two.

I. Defining Justice as Trauma 

Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng both lost their fathers to Wen Ruohan (as did the Lan brothers), and both vowed to wipe out the Wens as a result. However, both of them fail to think about the Wens as people, and wind up, well, becoming eerily similar to the worst Wens.

Jiang Cheng has lived through the pain of losing everything (status, family, home) and he not only refuses compassion for the two Wens who saved him so that he could fight to get those things back, but inflicts the same traumas on them. In fact, Jiang Cheng’s reaction to Wen Qing’s predicament post-Sunshot campaign is paralleled explicitly with Nie Mingjue’s:

Jiang Cheng’s brows were knitted. He rubbed the vein that throbbed at his temple and soundlessly took in a deep breath, “… I apologize to all of the Sect Leaders. Everyone, I’m afraid you don’t know that the Wen cultivator whom Wei WuXian wanted to save was called Wen Ning. We owe him and his sister Wen Qing gratitude for what happened during the Sunshot Campaign.”

Nie MingJue, “You owe them gratitude? Isn’t the QishanWen Sect the ones who caused the YunmengJiang Sect’s annihilation?”

...

Lan XiChen responded a moment later, “I have heard of Wen Qing’s name a few of times. I do not remember her having participated in any of the Sunshot Campaign’s crimes.”

Nie MingJue, “But she’s never stopped them either.”

Lan XiChen, “Wen Qing was one of Wen RuoHan’s most trusted people. How could she have stopped them?”

Nie MingJue spoke coldly, “If she responded with only silence and not opposition when the Wen Sect was causing mayhem, it’s the same as indifference. She shouldn’t have been so disillusioned as to hope that she could be treated with respect when the Wen Sect was doing evil and be unwilling to suffer the consequences and pay the price when the Wen Sect was wiped out.”

Lan XiChen knew that because of what happened to his father, Nie MingJue abhorred Wen-dogs more than anything, especially with how intolerable he was toward evil. Lan XiChen didn’t say anything else.

There’s a lot of irony in this. Wen Qing didn’t speak up because she wanted to protect her little brother--something Nie Mingjue should have been able to relate to, considering he sent Huaisang to safety in the Cloud Recesses during the war. Also, I mean, Nie Mingjue, you didn’t exactly rise up against Wen Ruohan until you knew you had the forces to win. He likely spent several years in begrudging deference to him, even sending Nie Huaisang along as tribute when Wen Chao demanded it. Jiang Cheng starts to do the right thing in this scene  by speaking honestly about Wen Qing, but then Nie Mingjue reminds him of society and propriety, and Jiang Cheng  backs down, crushed under society again. Both of them commit sins of omission, in that they stand back and allow society to belittle and vilify people.

The “sins of omission” is a motif that continues in both Nie Mingjue’s and Jiang Cheng’s arcs. For example, Jiang Cheng stood by to let Mianmian be brutally killed in the cave of the Xuanwu of Slaughter, and even stood by to let Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan die too as they protected her. He goes on to blame Wei Wuxian for the deaths of his family because of Wei Wuxian saving them. Nie Mingjue keeps the truth about the saber spirit from Nie Huaisang, and additionally, the very same conversation about Wen Qing referenced above, Nie Mingjue is directly stated to know Jin Guangyao is lying to help his father, and he says nothing at all even though Wei Wuxian’s life hung in the balance. (It then karmically backfires on Jin Guangyao).

Jin GuangYao came to save the day, exclaiming, “Really? That day, Young Master Wei busted into Koi Tower with such force. He said too many things, one more shocking than the next. Perhaps he said a few things that were along those lines. I can’t remember them either.”

... As soon as he heard it, Nie MingJue knew that he was fibbing on purpose, frowning slightly.

...

One of the sect leaders added, “...Excuse my bluntness, but he’s the son of a servant. How could the son of a servant be so arrogant?”

With him having brought up the ‘son of a servant’, naturally there’d be some who connected it to the ‘son of a prostitute’ standing in the hall. Jin GuangYao clearly noticed the unkind stares. 

While Nie Mingjue is quick to accuse Wen Qing for her inaction but languid with his own, this isn’t exactly unique. He also is quick to accuse Jin Guangyao of standing by as Jin Guangshan manipulates to acquit Xue Yang for his crimes against the Chang Clan. (I’m not defending Jin Guangshan or Jin Guangyao in this.) How dare they stand there and not argue for justice? 

In spite of Nie MingJue being a junior to Jin GuangShan, he conducted himself in a strict manner and refused to tolerate Xue Yang no matter what. With an angry lecture, Jin GuangShan was left with no words and a great deal of embarrassment. Nie MingJue, as the irritable person he was, unsheathed his saber on the spot with the intention of killing Xue Yang. Even when his sworn younger brother LianFang-Zun, Jin GuangYao, attempted to ease the situation, he ordered him to leave. After a harsh scolding, Jin GuangYao hid behind Lan XiChen, not daring to say anything else. In the end, the LanlingJin Sect could only give in.

But, Nie Mingjue never offers a critique of Jin Guangshan when Jin Guangshan lied to Nie Mingjue’s face about Meng Yao. He discovered that Jin Guangyao’s stepmother is routinely beating him, and Nie Mingjue does nothing. Even if his hands were tied, if he really cared about doing the right thing, why didn’t he intervene somehow, some way, for his brother? If he really cared about holding people responsible for their actions, about making sure justice was served above everything else, why is it that the only person he consistently holds accountable is Jin Guangyao?

Could it be that, much like society, what Nie Mingjue was angry about was not injustice, but actually his hurting self? His hurt pride, his hurt child self still reeling from the cruel way Wen Ruohan betrayed his father and left him to die an agonizing death?

Likewise, Jiang Cheng knows, when he leads the siege at the Burial Mounds against the Wens, that no Wen there is dangerous. They are all elderly or children, not soldiers. He knows even that his sister died saving Wei Wuxian’s life, but chooses to ignore her wishes to satiate his own anger and the inner child inside of him still crying in loneliness. No one had ever chosen Jiang Cheng: his mother viewed him as a disappointment, and his father preferred Wei Wuxian, but Wei Wuxian promised to stick by Jiang Cheng no matter what. When Wei Wuxian breaks this promise, Jiang Cheng never gets over this, and carries out revenge on him for choosing actual justice over staying close to Jiang Cheng (looking back, this adds a symbolic irony to Jiang Cheng refusing to intervene and save Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan in the cave: they are both the people who will be his siblings’ spouses).

But the sad reality is, it’s a false dichotomy. Wei Wuxian did not choose the Wens over Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng, like society, chose society and conformity over Wei Wuxian.

I’ve said it before, but while Jin Guangyao isn’t correct that the siege on the Burial Mounds is “all” Jiang Cheng’s fault, he’s not wrong when he makes this point:

“But what you have to understand is that, for what happened to Young Master Wei in the end, you are responsible too and in fact, you are very much so. Why did so many people crusade against the YiLing Patriarch? Why did they shout their support, no matter if they were involved or not? Why was he one-sidedly condemned by so many? Was it really their sense of justice? Of course not. A part of the reason is you.”

...

“… Back then, the LanlingJin Sect, the QingheNie Sect, and the GusuLan Sect had already finished fighting over the biggest share. The rest could only get some small shrimps. You, on the other hand, had just rebuilt Lotus Pier and behind you was the YiLing Patriarch, Wei WuXian, the danger of whom was immeasurable. Do you think the other sects would like to see a young sect leader who was so advantaged? Luckily, you didn’t seem to be on good terms with your shixiong, and since everyone thought there was an opportunity, of course they’d add fuels to your fire if they could. No matter what, to weaken the YunmengJiang Sect was to strengthen themselves. Sect Leader Jiang, if only your attitude towards your shixiong was just a bit better, showing everyone that your bond was too strong to be broken for them to have a chance, or if you exhibited just a bit more tolerance after what happened, things wouldn’t have become what they were. Oh, speaking of it, you were also a main force of the siege at Burial Mound…”

II. Privilege 

The main villain of all of MXTX’s novels is privilege (I’ve touched on this here and here and here). Unfortunately, both Jiang Cheng and Nie Mingjue are heavily infected with it, and it’s partially why they treat others as they do. 

Jiang Cheng speaks negatively of Mianmian in chapter 56, noting that she’s probably just the daughter of a servant. When Wei Wuxian challenges this by pointing out he is also the son of a servant, Jiang Cheng expresses that Wei Wuxian is somehow different (and to be fair, he is indeed treated with more respect because of Jiang Fengmian’s background with Wei Wuxian’s mother), but the implication is also classist. Ironically, again, when Jiang Cheng will not speak up for Wei Wuxian or Wen Qing during that same conversation referenced earlier, Mianmian does; though Nie Mingjue expresses admiration of her for doing so, he does not do the same. 

Additionally, Jiang Cheng says the following about Jin Guangyao:

Wei WuXian, “Isn’t Jin GuangYao here now? Jin GuangYao seems so much better than him.”

Jiang Cheng... “So what, if he’s better? No matter how much better he is, no matter how clever, he could only be a servant who greets the guests. That’s all there is to his life. He can’t compare with Jin ZiXuan.”

This pretty much sums up how society treats Jin Guangyao, and Jiang Cheng doesn’t think to question it. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, points to Jin Guangyao’s character, which at that point looked decent (even if... later... sigh). Additionally, it’s hard not to see this as a commentary on how people think Wei Wuxian should be acting. Even though Jiang Cheng is, er, wrong about how far Jin Guangyao can rise, he contrasts with Jin Guangyao in how Jin Guangyao builds the lookout towers to provide justice for the common people, while Jiang Cheng encourages Jin Ling’s initially snobbish behavior (leaving common people in traps).

Not only that, but Jiang Cheng routinely commits atrocities under his protection as a sect leader. He’s described as having whipped the flesh off the backs of people accused of demonic cultivation, and supposedly no one arrested for that survived his tortures (ironically, Wen Ruohan is also known for torture). As someone pointed out once, the people who would turn to demonic cultivation are likely those unable to form golden cores (Wei Wuxian), or those taken in as disciples too late/too untalented to do so (Mo Xuanyu); Xue Yang was also taken in late as a disciple, but is noted to be unusually talented. The interesting thing is that all three of these people are from impoverished, humble origins. Thus it’s very likely the people Jiang Cheng was arresting and torturing to death were not wealthy cultivators (not to mention other sects would complain if so), but common folk. 

As for Nie Mingjue, Jin Guangyao goes further than Wei Wuxian and directly attempts to challenge Nie Mingjue to acknowledge his privilege with brutal honesty on his own part, only for it to go... poorly.

Nie MingJue, “There’s no need for explanations. Come back to me with Xue Yang’s head in your hand.”

Jin GuangYao still wanted to speak, but Nie MingJue had already lost all patience, “Meng Yao, don’t speak such pretentious words in front of me. Your whole thing stopped working on me since a long time ago!”

Within a second, a few degrees of unease flashed over Jin GuangYao’s face, as though someone with an unmentionable illness was suddenly exposed in the public. There was nowhere for him to hide.

He spoke, “My whole thing? Which whole thing? Brother, you’ve always yelled at me for calculating people and being too dishonorable. You say that you’re a proud, righteous person, that you aren’t afraid of anything, that propen men shouldn’t need to play with schemes. That’s fine. Your background is noble and your cultivation is high. But what about me? Am I the same as you? First, my cultivation isn’t as firm as yours. Ever since I was born, has anyone taught me? And second, I have no prominent background. Do you think that I’m in a steady position, here at the LanlingJin Sect? Do you think that I can rise into power the moment Jin ZiXuan dies? Jin GuangShan would rather bring another illegitimate child back than want me to succeed him! You think that I should be afraid of nothing? Well I’m afraid of everything, even other people! He whose stomach is full believes not him who is starving.”

Nie MingJue replied coldly, “In the end, all you mean is that you don’t want to kill Xue Yang, that you don’t want your position at the LanlingJin Sect to waver.”

Jin GuangYao, “Of course I don’t!”

He looked up, unknown fires dancing within his eyes, “But, Brother, I have always wanted to ask you something—the lives under your hands are in any regard more than those under mine, so why is it that I only killed a few cultivators out of desperation and you keep on bringing it up, even until now?”

Nie MingJue was so enraged that he began to laugh, “Good! I’ll give you my answer. Countless souls who have fallen under my saber, but I’ve never killed out of my own desires, much less to climb up the ladder!”

Jin GuangYao, “Brother, I understand what you mean. Are you saying that all of the people you killed deserved their deaths?”

With courage gathered from nowhere, he laughed and walked a few steps closer to Nie MingJue. His voice raised as well, asking in an almost aggressive manner, “Then, may I ask, just how do you decide if someone deserves death? Are your standards absolutely correct? If I kill one but save hundreds, would the good outweigh the bad, or would I still deserve death? To do great things, sacrifices must happen.”

Nie MingJue, “Then why don’t you sacrifice yourself? Are you any nobler than them? Are you any different from them?”

Jin GuangYao stared at him. A moment later, as though he had finally either decided on something or given up on something, he replied calmly, “Yes.”

He looked up. In his expression were some of pride, some of calmness, and some of a faint insanity, “I and they, of course we are different!”

Nie MingJue was infuriated by his words and his expression.

He raised his foot. Yet, Jin GuangYao neither avoided nor took defense. The kick landed right on him, and again he rolled like a pebble down Carp Tower.

Nie Mingjue, here, is being compared to two other people: the man who kicked Meng Yao down the stairs at a brothel as the man dragged Meng Shi outside naked to humiliate her, and with Jin Guangshan--the very person Nie Mingjue’s enraged with--by doing the same thing: kicking someone he views as lower than himself down the stairs. Instead of addressing the actual problem (Jin Guangshan), he finds a scapegoat. It’s not a good look. All three of these instances are linked with society standing by and allowing it to happen, with a few exceptions: Sisi intervenes with Meng Shi, and Lan Xichen intervenes to stop Nie Mingjue from killing Jin Guangyao. 

Nie Mingjue never had to kill to climb the ladder within his sect. He did have to kill to climb the ladder in the cultivational world--and he actually did so, through killing the Wens. Yes, I know Nie Mingjue killed the Wens because he wanted revenge for his father and protection for himself and his brother, but the problem is... that’s exactly what motivated Jin Guangyao: protection. Jin Guangyao just had more to fear than Nie Mingjue.

The irony of the above scene that Jin Guangyao knows killing is wrong, but it’s how to survive in this world, so he does it anyways. Nie Mingjue thinks the problem of someone thinking they are entitled to kill can be solved by killing the one who says such a thing, because he’s entitled to kill someone who thinks they’re entitled to kill-- You get the point.

That sad thing is that being shoved down the stairs doesn’t even end that scene. Nie Mingjue directly attempts to murder Jin Guangyao:

Just as Nie MingJue unsheathed his saber, Lan XiChen happened to leave the palace to see what was going on, concerned after having waited for long. Seeing the situation before him, he unsheathed Shuoyue as well, “What happened, this time?”

...

Nie MingJue, “... I know what I’m doing. He’s beyond hope. If these keeps on going, he’ll do the world harm for sure. The earlier he’s killed, the earlier we can relax!”

This does not at all justifying Jin Guangyao’s subsequent murder of him, but again, Jin Guangyao kills to protect himself, and he’s not without cause for fear of his life (this does not justify, because neither is Nie Mingjue entirely without cause, but people have gotta acknowledge that reality). 

III. Reasons to Kill

I often see Nie Mingjue held up as someone who judged people based on their actions and was countercultural in that he was willing to stand up to Jin Guangshan when Jin Guangshan wanted to acquit Xue Yang of slaughtering the Chang Clan. However, this is decidedly not the case. Nie Mingjue is very much acting within society’s principals here (calling someone else out is hardly unique or noble: see, Su She, Jin Zixun, etc.) Nie Mingjue stood up to Jin Guangshan then because the crime was so severe he knew he might actually be able to win; otherwise, he let Jin Guangshan do as he wished. 

To illustrate this, I’ll share the  piping hot tea a commentator spilled on one of my fics recently, because she says it perfectly:

She isn’t wrong. You can hold Xue Yang--and Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian, for that matter--responsible for their actions and also point out the hypocrisy of a society that holds to ideals of how people behave, yet is constantly making exceptions for themselves. Nie Mingjue does just this by demanding Xue Yang’s head as a price for not killing his own sworn brother. Jiang Cheng does just this by murdering the older, helpless Wens at the Burial Mounds, and turning his back on the Wens who saved Jiang Cheng’s own life.

Why do these characters kill?

Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng killed out of revenge to honor their families and save themselves.

Jin Guangyao killed to get his father to acknowledge him as his son, and then in revenge when he realized he never would, and to save himself.

Wei Wuxian killed out of revenge and then out of despair--really, revenge against the whole cultivational world that had set him up for failure no matter what he did.

Xue Yang killed out of revenge for his little finger.

What do all of these have in common? They reveal what each person prized.

Jiang Cheng and Nie Mingjue prized the honor of their culture and of society.

Wei Wuxian prized his loved ones.

Jin Guangyao prized himself as his father’s son, a sort of combination of JC/NMJ’s status love and WWX’s wanting to be loved.

Xue Yang prized his body.

Xue Yang seems condemnable on paper, but let’s look at this a little deeper: what else did Xue Yang have? Nie Mingjue inherited a sect and had his beloved little brother, men who would die for him, people who admired him. Wei Wuxian had his loved ones, and then they were gone. Jin Guangyao had his dead mother’s wish for him to be approved for by society, and a famous father. What exactly did Xue Yang have besides his own body? He didn’t have parents, as far as we know. What else was he to value? Why is Nie Mingjue venerated, and Xue Yang condemned? Why is Jiang Cheng allowed to torture the poor under him for so many years, just because they reminded him of his brother, and Xue Yang hunted down?

The only answer is privilege. It’s privilege that allows Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng to decide when and how they want to enforce justice, and if they do at all. It’s privilege that they had families to avenge. It’s privilege that enables them to commit atrocities and get second, third, fourth chances. It’s privilege of his birthright than enables Jiang Cheng to never once die in the novel (Nie Mingjue not so much). But when Nie Mingjue dies, he seeks revenge on his murderer, not justice. He kills countless others in his quest to kill Jin Guangyao, people who had nothing to do with his death, and he could have killed his own brother. Even when he succeeds he ends up battling Jin Guangyao in a coffin sealed for a hundred years--hardly a victory. 

So since we’ve brought him up, let’s talk Xue Yang and the Yi City trio now. The “judgy” member of the Yi City Trio is decidedly not privileged (A-Qing, as @thisworldgodonlyknows​ wrote about her, foils Nie Huaisang, but also she foils Nie Mingjue), and her character reveals these precise flaws in Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng. She is a beggar girl and a thief, but she seeks justice for Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan out of nothing more than love. She herself does not kill, and frankly I’d say she is the moral backbone of the series more than any other character (along with perhaps Mianmian). She was never a part of society, after all.

A-Qing dies young, alone by a river, mutilated. She has no privilege, but her spirit survives as a ghost solely because of her desire to ensure justice for Xiao Xingchen and for Song Lan. Her condemnation of Xue Yang is at first admittedly selfish--she was jealous--but then honestly understandable and easier to swallow, since she came from a similar background. But because of this, and because A-Qing is willing to empathize, she ends up understood and her wishes fulfilled. In the end, Song Lan leaves with the remains of her soul, determined to heal both her and Xiao Xingchen. 

As I wrote here, A-Qing is also faced with a dark version of herself in Xue Yang. Similarly, Jiang Cheng is faced with a dark version of himself in both Su She (jealous of Lan Wangji, jealous of Wei Wuxian; he calls out their arrogance) and in Jin Guangyao in the temple, and only then is he able to move forward and grow. Nie Mingjue, unfortunately, did not recognize the dark version of himself in Jin Guangyao, and ends up trapped with him. 

[theunofficialchurchofsatan]

Here We Go Again: Satanic Graffiti In Amityville (By Magus Peter H. Gilmore)

This morning I awoke to news stories proclaiming that three churches located in North Amityville in Suffolk County on Long Island were vandalized with SATANIC GRAFFITI. Apparently, some time Saturday night, a vandal scrawled on the external walls of the Amityville Full Gospel Tabernacle, the Shaw Temple AME Zion Church, and the Zion Gospel Church, all close to one another. Oddly, none of the major news reports, which include ABC’s Eyewitness News account, show any of the graffiti. However, it was explained in other reports that the offending graffiti was painted over before the Sunday morning services. I did find one image posted online in the past few hours of an upright pentagram in a circle painted on a set of double doors. The footage shown on ABC, including an interview with Pastor Willard Price of the Zion Gospel church, includes an image of doors that may be from the same building, but the graffiti had already been overpainted. The report states that the police are calling this “satanic graffiti” and that it is being investigated as a hate crime.

During my search for additional images of this so-called “satanic graffiti,” I discovered a report that there had been another vandalism incident five days ago in East Meadow Long Island—roughly ten miles west of last night’s crime—which was being labelled the same way. CBS News reported that the New Covenant Church of East Meadow was vandalized with “satanic worship symbols.” Their pastor, Rob Taormina, states in an interview that “if somebody came and painted your house up with satanic symbols I think you’d be disturbed, too, ‘cause you don’t know who they are and you [don’t] know if they’d come back.” In this case, a glass vestibule door was smashed as well.

I’ve long been a consultant for law enforcement, assisting during investigations of crimes using unusual symbols, and I’ve not yet been called in on either of the incidents mentioned above. However, upon examining the news story images, what stands out to me immediately is that in both towns a form of pentagram was drawn which has one point up. This is not a symbol used in either Satanism or Devil worship—where two-point-up pentagrams are employed—but is found in the neo-pagan religion of Wicca in its various forms. The East Meadow images show inverted crosses and the word “Satin” which shows that the writer is either illiterate, or into shiny fabric. Also the words “DEVIL, WITCH, SPELL, CURSED” as well as a “frowning face” emoji are crudely inscribed.

Now, if the criminal doing this vandalism was actually knowledgable about Satanism or Devil worship, then I think the pentagrams would be the proper sort, not the neo-pagan version we see here. Also the incorrect spelling of “Satan” and simply the use of terms popularly associated with witchcraft lead me to think that the person who did this is most likely a Christian who is going by fairly typical misprisions regarding these non-Christian religions. This hateful person wanted the people attending these churches to feel that this crime was done by an adherent of Satanism, Devil worship or some form of witchcraft involving reverence for The Devil—like you see in horror films or in those books published by evangelical Christians which spread grave misinformation about non-Christian religions.

This sort of thing was common during the years of the “Satanic Panic” back in the 80s-90s, wherein similar graffiti—often accompanied by “666” and symbols used by various anti-Christian metal bands—was found on building walls and under bridges and so on. Back then, such things were likely done by metal fans who shared the anti-Christian biases of the bands they followed or by disaffected youths dabbling in the sort of “satanism” they saw being depicted by the media as a form of rebellion. We deal with the meaning of 666 and other symbols on our web site.

These two recent incidents look more to me like they were done by a Christian who wants people to think that somebody associated with a religion employing these symbols has a grudge against these churches. It is clear to me that, whether Christian or not, the perpetrator is ignorant of Satanism, Wicca, and Devil worship. Whatever hatred is in the mind of this criminal, the deed was done by someone who is not an adherent of Satanism, Devil worship or Wicca, and simply wants to blame their own anger on these other religions while terrorizing the congregations of these churches.

Even when vandals do use symbols that reflect Satanism, since we have a philosophy that does not condone criminal actions it should be clear that anyone committing such crimes is not a Satanist, or if self-identified as such is acting in a manner contrary to our belief system. This article from 2008 covers this topic rather well.

Considering the past lunatic obsession with a manufactured conspiracy of predatory “satanists” out to get people, it is incumbent upon both law enforcement and the media not to jump to unwarranted conclusions by proclaiming this is “satanic graffiti” when Satanism is not its source. The Church of Satan is a 50 year old, legally incorporated religious organization with members worldwide who abhor this sort of crime. We’ve been through one hysteria—begun by evangelical Christians and taken up by misinformed law enforcement agencies and sensationalist media outlets—that caused harm to many innocent people. We do not want to see that madness rising again, abetted by uninformed or biased forensic analysis and reportage. I trust that this vandal will be apprehended via diligent police work based on an accurate grasp of the deeds done and receive due punishment for these crimes.

[newstfionline]

Officials confront social media monitoring dilemma after Pittsburgh shooting

By Lisa Marie Pane, Associated Press, October 31, 2018

BOISE, IDAHO--Their anger is all over social media for the whole world to see, with rants about minorities and relationships gone bad or paranoid delusions about perceived slights.

The perpetrators of mass shootings often provide a treasure trove of insight into their violent tendencies, but the information is not always seen by law enforcement until after the violence is carried out. In addition, rants and hate speech rarely factor into whether someone passes a background check to buy guns.

The massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue, the pipe bombing attempts from last week and the Florida high school shooting this year have underscored the dilemma of law enforcement around the country in assessing the risk of people making online rants at a time when social media has become so ubiquitous.

“We can go out on Twitter and there are loads of people saying insane stuff, but how do you know which is the one person? It’s always easy after the fact, to go: ‘That was clear.’ But clearly everyone spouting their mouth doesn’t go and shoot up a synagogue,” said David Chipman, a retired agent of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and now senior policy adviser for the Giffords Center.

Robert Bowers, the man accused of opening fire at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, expressed virulently anti-Semitic views on a social media site called Gab, according to an Associated Press review of an archived version of the posts made under his name. The cover photo for his account featured a neo-Nazi symbol, and his recent posts included a photo of a fiery oven like those used in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Other posts referenced false conspiracy theories suggesting the Holocaust was a hoax.

It was only just before the shooting that the poster believed to be Mr. Bowers seemed to cross the line, posting: “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.” Authorities say Bowers killed 11 people and injured six others, including four officers who responded.

Keeping tabs on social media posts has been used for years by law enforcement to try to identify potential threats. The task is enormous and it’s an inexact science. The volume of posts is significant and the question arises: Is something a true threat or free speech?

They are mindful of the fact that the First Amendment protects Americans’ right to express even speech that many in society find abhorrent--and have to make often-subjective decisions about what crosses the line.

Among more than 550 police departments across the country surveyed several years ago by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, about three-quarters said they regularly searched social media for potential threats.

Lt. Chris Cook, spokesman for the Arlington, Texas, Police Department, said the searches are often done manually, using keywords to try to identify troubling posts.

“It’s very time consuming, it’s very staff and resource intensive, and you have humans involved in the process so there is the potential that law enforcement can miss something,” Lieutenant Cook said, adding that departments can’t rely on social media alone. The community needs to be involved to report any suspicious behavior.

“Everyone has to be our extra eyes and ears out there,” he said.

In one case where vigilance paid off, authorities say a black woman received troubling racist and harassing messages on Facebook from a man she didn’t know, prompting her to call police. The tip from the New Jersey woman led Kentucky police to a home where they found Dylan Jarrell with a firearm, more than 200 rounds of ammunition, a bulletproof vest, a 100-round high-capacity magazine, and a “detailed plan of attack.” He was arrested just as he was leaving his driveway.

Bowers is not alone among alleged mass shooters in making racist or bigoted comments online.

Dylann Roof, convicted of the 2015 slaying of nine black churchgoers in South Carolina, had posted a 2,000-word racist rant and posed in photos with firearms and the Confederate flag. Nikolas Cruz, the teenager charged in the slaying of 17 students and adults at a high school in Parkland, Fla., hurled online slurs against blacks and Muslims, and went so far as to state he wanted to be a “professional school shooter.”

The rants did not affect their ability to buy guns. When purchasing a firearm, criminal background checks only look for any records showing a criminal past or mental health problems that led to an involuntary commitment.

“I always felt as an ATF agent, the way our laws were structured, ATF stood for ‘After the Fact’,” Mr. Chipman said.

There have been some changes, however, to make it easier to alert authorities to warning signs. “Red flag” laws have been enacted in 13 states in the past couple of years, allowing relatives or law enforcement with concerns about a person’s mental health to go to court and seek to have firearms removed at least temporarily.

But Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, cautioned against using social media content to deny someone the constitutional right to own a firearm.

“I abhor hateful comments by the left or the right but I don’t think you lose your rights for simply uttering,” Mr. Pratt said.

He likened it to the Tom Cruise movie “Minority Report,” about law enforcement in the future using psychic technology to nab murderers before they commit a crime.

“It’s dangerous to go down this road of Minority Report with pre-crime,” he said. “Nobody should lose their rights without due process.”

[queermediastudies]

Fear and hatred (Queer Terror)

Let's get start with a video.

When it comes to terrorism against the queer group, we have to mention the tragedy in 2016. It is the worst mass shooting and a crime to LGBT people in US history. According to the description of the suspect's father, the criminal clearly hated the images of two same-sex kissing before that. The case happened in a gay bar, and that night was actually a "Latin flavor" party. According to the survey, it was also found that this person had posted statements of allegiance to the Islamic state on the Internet.

It is clear that the protesters in the video are biased and disagree with the gay community. At the same time, in these pictures used in this video, you can also see many protesters of different colors and races. There are also many discussion on race in the comment area.

Following the shooting, there were calls to link it to ISIS all the while ignoring the acts of war and violence committed by the United States in the region (Calafell, 2017) . Most of us are intolerant of brutal acts of random violence or equally brutal acts of state violence. Yet when we think of such heinous things, we don't use the language of tolerance. We abhor war, rape, or violence. We ethically oppose them (or should!) (Walters, 2015).

I also searched the most famous social media news platform in China for words with terrorism—— "gay should die". Here are some search results. In order to facilitate reading, I translated it.

“Lol, I just hate women who like to watch gay works, and homosexuals. So when I see people who like to watch CP (CP refers to couple, which means that fans of animation and film and television works match the characters in the film as homosexual or heterosexual couples, sometimes it also generally refers to the intimate relationship between two people, indicating the relationship between characters), I want them to die. If you say I'm afraid of homosexuality, I am.🤮🤮🤮”

Some people also use this word to make negative statements and complain about the attitude towards homosexuality in China's Internet environment.

“I don't understand how Internet homosexuality can receive so much malice now. In this environment, if some people make an appointment, or have frequent sex, or change many boyfriends, or appreciate other people's bodies, they will be threatened by asking them to die.

Okay, fine. Gays die anyway.”

Some people also expressed that they could not accept the restriction means of the current network on the queer group. The background of this comment is that a male blogger who dressing like a female in the Chinese mainland Tiktok was banned, and is named for the "vulgarity and having bad influence on the social atmosphere and the youth".

“I really can't understand. What's the matter with men dressed as pretty women? Is this vulgar? Is it that boys will be despised when girls? Is it immoral for boys to wear women's clothes? Now that the accounts of cross dressing videos are blocked, do transgender and homosexuality mean that they should die! It's unreasonable!” (ln fact, this comment use "gender cognitive impairment" here, but I think this is a negative medical word for transgender people)

Through these online descriptions, it is difficult for us not to associate that Islam is absolutely hostile to queer people. In some people's minds, the protests of the Muslim community in Britain prove this. In addition, people's terrorist remarks implying death on Chinese social media platforms may be regarded as a symbol of Chinese people's hatred of homosexuality. At the same time, terrorist extremist acts should not just be associated with the nation, just as homophobic acts should not become the label of the nation. If we make such a simple definition, it is actually the same as those who connect AIDS, promiscuity to LGBTQ groups.

At the end, I choose a sentence from Blair Imani's Ted talk: "like the rainbow that represents us, LGBTQ people are beautiful and naturally occurring." I also hope that we can try our best to consider problems from many aspects and levels, just as LGBTQ brings more possibilities to the world.

Reference

Calafell, B., 2017. Brownness, kissing, and US imperialism: contextualizing the Orlando Massacre. Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, [online] 14(2), pp.198-202. Available at: <https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rccc20>.

Harris, A. and Holman Jones, S., 2017. Feeling Fear, Feeling Queer: The Peril and Potential of Queer Terror. Qualitative Inquiry, [online] 23(7), pp.561-568. Available at: <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1077800417718304>.

[somethingpoetry]

Disconnect

[Originally posted on Deviantart on February 26, 2018]

Eyes on the monitor screen no allies to be seen peering through the net all compassion beget no consequences to regret when pixels are your enemy Disconnected by the internet Disparage the humans who Discuss with their opinions Disavow their constitutions Disregard any respect and Disassociate from their sect the further i'm glued to the web the more I begin to disconnect Text gift wrapped in a atom bomb overblow the proportions to abscond from needing to hold back self righteously make attacks feel no heed to join the pack when anonymous is where we come from Disconnected by the internet Dismissive of any humans who Disagree with my own convictions Distort their arguments until they Dissolve from corrections Dismantle the characters I've made the further I grow attached to wires the more I disconnect from human life I take my coffee like I take my google search no filter no tourniquet to constrict the vitriol I spit in a oil spill the EPA couldn't corral this commit over a thousand hate crimes 400 rounds of words a minute copy paste to the bulletin board smacked with shit in the corner distaste is a flavor all the more sweeter disappoint you with my lack of empathy displaced concern for my apathy disconnect your feelings from me like I have as I grow more weary as I further disconnect myself on the internet Digits on the keyboard fidget and writhe, abhorred the things I just say in jest would make kidney stones easy to ingest with no compunction to be polite rant and shitpost and continue to type because a username is morsels I digest Disconnected by the internet Destroy the inferiors who Describe me with equal respect Display my thoughts like victims Dissect every blog like a mine the closer I get to being blown up on the web the further I disconnect from this world 15 minutes in a time capsule swallow this suppository like insults moths to the firewall drawn like a uphill battle for spawn where death is the only consolation and corpses are friends for consoltation when HTML is your bodies hull Disconnected by the internet Desert any human connection Desperate to jump in wormholes Discreet but pining all the same Disown and steal what you'd like Disappear into a abyss of code the more I depend on this web the further I disconnect the free marketplace of ideas is the stock market crash running 24/7, like this web all platforms and all pedestals propped up by sycophants and detractors sinewave frequency reverberated a thousand times, ten fold, twice, half until it's all packed in your phone disheartening to know but it's true dislodge your guilt trip where it's absent disqualified if you expect nicety disconnect is a matter of fact for life the internet just hides the guise and shows just how vicious we can get Disconnected by the internet Disrespect you by precept Dissertations on how to control us insects Dislike your desire to make better of what's Disassembled and not wanting to be perfect Distrust of your ilk and all who act they know it the more you delve in the deep web the more you'll disconnect like I've been so disconnect your human deceny like the primer to the bullet disconnect your polite recently like from dial up to ethernet disconnect on the internet connect to the disrespect disparage, desperate disavow your descendants every minute past is irrelevant every second is a crawl of tomorrow on the internet so what'd you expect?

[annashipper]

Ophie Hunter: the exclusive second lost interview

Interviewer: 3 years of complete silence and now 2 interviews in 2 weeks…

Rachel: For the record, I want it to be perfectly clear that it was not my idea to give this second interview so soon after the first one. I do not need to remind anyone, that I am a shy and private person, who strongly dislikes the spotlight and abhors self-promotion. You can’t even begin to imagine, how difficult it is for someone like me to come forward and be the center of attention again but I was strongly persuaded to do it.

Int: You were? By whom?

Ophie: I will name no names. It is sufficient to say that I received an angry and extremely menacing phone call from a well-known American film producer and film studio executive (he and his brother have been co-chairmen of their own production company, since 2005) you can call him Mr. W. Mr. W. shouted at me over the phone that in my previous interview I came off as “a self-important snob boasting of her refined tastes and worldliness through language” . I strongly disagree but he was most persistent, that I should retract the statements I made in my previous interview and clean my image.

Int: What was your immediate reaction to his phone call?

Ophie: The avant-garde artist in me immediately saw the potential opera and theatrical narrative of the individual in that phone call and created a moodboard which included the images of the 1781 oil painting “The Nightmare” by the Anglo- Swiss artist Henry Fuseli, and the bloody horse-head scene from the 1972 American crime film “The Godfather” directed by Francis Ford Coppola (based on Mario Puzo’s best-selling novel with the same name). The whole concept of a ‘mafia theatrical opera’ came to me as a vision and inspired what will be a wonderful work for the operatic stage. I will be seeking to develop a new kind of theatrical event reflecting and profoundly questioning the actualities of my way of looking at the world.

Int: Some people also accused you of being pretentious. Do you think there was some truth in those claims?

Rachel: Pretentious, moi? Don’t be ridiculous. Conflating “foreign”, “artistic”, “intelectual” with “pretence” as you do in the working classes is disquietingly parochial.

Int: Do you care to elaborate on that?

Rachel: People are always suspicious of the unconventional. Experimental literature, avant-garde performances, modernist art, or fashion design are only pretentious for you low and middle classes! I have never pursued these interests out of affectation! I have an art school degree and decades of experience as an Actress/Opera Director/Playwriter/Avant-Garde Artist/Model-Fashionista/Producer extraordinaire working in the field of Contemporary Art/Indie and Mainstream Cinema/Experimental Theater/Fashion/Opera, so you could say I’ve spent a life embedded in pretension. But you would be wrong.

Int: How is that?

Rachel: I am just one of the crowd really! I get on with my staff (when they do their jobs properly). My sense of sense of humour is very appreciated (amongst people who I have on payroll). I smile a lot and even genuinely (for the paparazzi). I have friends who can vouch just how my salt-of-the-earth credentials are. I am a very likable and emphatic person who is also involved in Charities.

Int: What Charities?

Rachel: I do not like to brag but I am most commited to help people to fulfill their hopes and dreams. Particularly my close relatives and friends because as mother says 'Charity begins at home’. Naturally, I understand the overriding demands of taking care of one’s family, before caring for others and I have dozens of close relatives, and friends - each one with his/her own ambitions, dreams- and as God is my witness, I will not rest until Bob helps each and everyone of them to find their way, their ambition and their success in this world!

Int: What were the other reactions to your first interview?

Ophie: As soon as the interview was out I received hundreds of notifications on my phone. Naturally I assumed that the interview had gone viral and I was receiving congratulations and accolades, instead you can imagine my surprise when all I got was worried and stressed messages from my interns reporting to me that I was receiving all sorts of negative reactions on social media. Among other surprising and unfair things, people were accusing me, ME of being a Diva that was putting on airs and graces.

Inter: How did you react to those accusations?

Ophie: I was very upset, obviously! I’ve never done one diva-ish thing in my life. Not a single one! I had a temper-tantrum, then calmed down, collected myself, flipped my hair and proceeded in firing all the members of my in-house staff- who were responsible for managing my online reputation and I left the stage, I mean the meeting room!

Int: You fired everybody? Wasn’t that a bit extreme?

Rachel: No it really wasn’t. My intern’s job’s descriptions were perfectly clear since day one: manage my name domain online, establish a clear, fleshed-out presence on multiple social networking sites, post to each of them at least once a week, blurr my husband’s face in all the photos where I, a celebrity in my own right, was endorsing high profile brands and products such as designer shoes and jewelry, fashion clothes and accessories- while simultaneously tagging his name in order to lure in his fandom, and most importantly keep monitoring the web (particularly the hateful so-called “Skeptics” blogs) for any unflattering photos or mentions of me. If they did find something negative or unflattering, they had clear orders to do everything in their power to bury them with positive content. They failed on all accounts.

Int: What happened next?

Ophie: My Media Team Management which included my Reputation Manager, my Press representative, my Public relations publicist, my Special publicity consultant, my Unit publicist and my Media Agent resigned in block allegedly because they were “extremely frustrated with me and particularly my perceived interference in the team’s affairs”. The truth was that they promised to make my preferred online profile float to the top of search results in order to boost my personal or corporate brand and instead due to their collective incompetence they failed to achieve my stated target of securing me a place in the Top Celebrities League.

Int: Did you feel people misunderstood you?

Rachel: Yes of course. I want people to understand- because Mr. W. was most insistent about this specific point- that I care hugely about my role. I care hugely about Bob. I care hugely about SM. I think Sunny March is a fantastic organisation full of people who just want to make a difference. I want people to know that I want to be a tool to Bob, SM and Mr. W- if they really enable me and my people to make a real difference in Bob’s career. I want Mr. W to know that I am extremly commited to help him on this long-term agenda, because I think that this is the opportunity of a life time, and I think I’ll probably look back over the last three years and say, that we helped each other a lot.

Int: Do you intend to give any more interviews in future?

WHM: In the immortal words of mother: Watch this space! You never know.

Int: Thank you Ophie!

Ophie: That’s Mrs. Cumberbatch for you! C-U-M-B-E-R-B-A-T-C-H

# cumber*atch # benedic*cumber*atch # lovingwifey # realcouplesarereal # realfamilies # ben*phie4eva # ijustwanttobefamous # 17yearsgoingon2weeksandcounting #hopeitlasts

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Anna:  After reading the above submission, I feel the need to be very clear:

This is not a real interview by Sophie Hunter.  I repeat.  NOT a real interview.

I just feel it’s imperative I make the distinction, because the snarky Anon who’s getting these imaginary exclusives has managed to capture Weirdo’s spirit so well, I half expect excerpts from it to end up on SHC as quotes.  Having said that, the interns who run SHC haven’t posted anything since the 4th of March, so perhaps I don’t need to be as vigilant...

[lordofsunshadowandsailor]

story (and sexuality) replies

I might have rushed in bringing a gay sex scene so early into the story. 

No comments on certain sequences, and having lost followers among Simblrs (pornbots who have committed suicide, too?) since I have concentrated on LoSSS are a message I am listening to...   But I still want to write this story. Sex, basic and ugly and not the least romantic as just shown, is what first brought Alvar and Tobio together. In a time of great repression and criminalization of their sexuality, it bonded them -- but their relationship has also evolved so to survive the Great War, as we have already seen. I explore more of it in the replies below.

Sorry if I offended some sensibilities, but I did feel this was needed to lend nuance, depth and flaws to the characters.

declarations-of-drama replied to your post “story replies”

Oh I have read it? Well, I must do it again. If you could PM me a link to where it began please because my finger can't take the scrolling! :p Also, ty for the link to the pants from Lady FB, you gave me an idea that I could perhaps make some bulge pants - but like, HUGE!! :D Also, interesting thoughts on Tobio and his dreams. Looking forward to seeing more from his adventures in suppression soon :D :D x

I have already sent the link, haven’t I? Hope everything is alright with you, haven’t seen posts from you in a while!

willky12 helped me clarify the interpretation of Tobio’s dreams -- I hadn’t seen all the symbolism in it myself. And when you read the latest updates, you’ll see that his adventures are no longer in suppression :)

simcatcher replied to your photo “It’s complicated for them, we all know it. Especially with her...”

Well it was worth waiting to say the least ;b !

Thank you, I’m glad you like it.

danjaley replied to your photo “What was that?” Tobio heard one of the scholars ask, as his own and...”

I was so worried they'd get caught! And even with the danger not yet completely over, Alvar is drifting away into greek daydreams! I love how the perspective is shifting.

simcatcher replied to your photo “What was that?” Tobio heard one of the scholars ask, as his own and...”

That was close !

It would have been a tragedy if they had been caught! Buggery was a crime back then -- they’d be sent to jail, and treatment included options like chemical castration or lobotomy (thanks God for them, death penalty no longer applied!), even if practiced in privacy... Alvar and Tobio were risking a lot by doing it in public -- though I’d say Alvar would get around it easier than Tobio. The aristocrat might return in shame to his family and country estate, but the scandal would be mostly suppressed. As for Tobio, he depends on his reputation to build his career, and a career is everything he has got... I hope to have brought this sense of danger, but also that of the urgency and rapture carrying the boys to commit such a dangerous act...

As of Alvar drifting away into Greek daydreams... It will become clearer by the end of the chapter why he constantly evades to his dreams of Grecian ideal. And he might be doing it very often along the story. @danjaley You’ve given me the clue when you said the scene with Death was surrealist... I’ll try to apply Surrealism to most of the story, since it matches the time period too!

simblu replied to your photo “Tobio knew nothing about Greek Love, and would never learn anything of...”

And now I grow more curious about Alvar's background..and he is the one I feel the most for in this scenario

Though Tobio holds the perspective in this chapter, that started when his house was invaded early morning by Alvar holding a prostitute boy in his arms, Alvar is actually the focus of the story... So I’m glad you feel for him. His relationship with Tobio has started in rather bestial terms, as we see here, but it has somehow evolved to last, and continue since both of then have survived the Great War. 

I’m just touching the surface and introducing some of Alvar’s themes, that we will develop later. I hope I can keep your interest in him!

tyrellsimsoficeandfire replied to your photo “Rather rashly, he was opening an irreparable breach in the...”

Oh I love how greek everything looks! Beautiful. And it's nice how you manage not showing too much

The intention is always to remain far from the obvious -- both in terms of images and words --, especially in the sex scenes. It is what it is, but it does not have to be gross. Explicit words and images do not interest me, both as a writer and a reader. I tried to imprint a cadence alternately poetic -- Alvar’s POV -- and a bit more crude -- Tobio’s, with both his religious and scientific background, leading him to a double disgust with the act and with himself.

I love how Greek it looks, too! Though this is more a Victorian interpretation of the Classical Greek ideal, and sometimes a bit kitsch even.

simblu replied to your photo “Enlarged, their expanded bodies uncomfortably constrained in the...”

The disgust Tobio feels saddens me..

Like I have just written above, his disgust is with himself, with the act  -- that he reads quite crudely in its physicality --, with Alvar, who has so thoroughly (shamelessly, in Tobio’s opinion) surrendered, repeatedly reaching a climax that is not just bodily emissions -- while Tobio’s consummation is pretty much just that. Physically placated, Tobio feels the more guilty, as his soul has not been touched by any dimension of the act.

I have even considered making him throw out after sex, but I thought it was overboard, since he is at least to some extent satisfied, and already worried about getting caught, wishing to just get rid of Alvar.

simblu replied to your photo “Enlarged, their expanded bodies uncomfortably constrained in the...”

I do not like to see Alvar degraded by this. :(

I’m sorry. I wanted to bring in this, another side of Alvar to make him more nuanced, and flawed, since until now we have seen him quite heroic, having survived the War, in his nobility role, perfectly dressed and behaving as Lord Phallihurst -- no longer Lord In Reverse, or the Little Lord --, straining himself to save a moribund boy, fighting Death with conviction, ordering his employee around... As a young man of 19 years old, he was quite different...

But Alvar himself does not feel degraded. He’s been used by Tobio? Immersing reality in the dimension of his romantic fantasies, that are a sort of emotional/psychological protection for him, he was enjoying Tobio’s assault... Feeling fulfilled in being filled. Surrendering can be so relaxingly pleasurable to him, who has always mastered the art of being impeccably perfect. 

hyperkaos replied to your photo “Though Tobio did not immediately withdraw from inside Alvar, their...”

Wonderfully told as always. Quite sad that Tobio does not find himself able to come to terms his desires.

Thank you dear! I hope you did see my reply to your explanation of your other comment, that I had not understood.

It’s hard for Tobio, with his religious background. He has lived in constant struggle his whole life, for all those years -- and these are the first minutes after his first intercourse... We have to give him time to sleep over it -- to absolutely abhor and reject what he has done, or to start coming to terms with himself... We’ll see!

simblu replied to your photo “Though Tobio did not immediately withdraw from inside Alvar, their...”

I too find it sad that there is not love here..

It is a sad first time for Tobio, so clandestine and brutish, and probably Alvar has never experience anything so raw and lowly as well... But the scene is not over yet, and I’ll soon bring its conclusion. We have to keep in mind that they do have a story together, that has survived the War even... If it is not love, at least strong it is, whatever it is called... In fact, theirs was called “the love that cannot say its name”. If it cannot be called love, can it still be love?

[sincerelybluevase]

Sunday Symbolism: meaningful names, part 2: the nuns, part 1

I am back with the nuns this time. Well, part of them, anyway. I have looked at saints/Christian entities when trying to determine the meaning of the names, which I think is appropriate since we are dealing with Anglican nuns; they will have chosen their names with religious context in mind. However, I’ve also looked at the words their names are derived from to see whether those can add an extra layer to this analysis.

 Sister Monica-Joan –Antonia

Sister Monica-Joan is a really interesting character to analyse with regard to name symbolism, not in the least because she actually has three names: her religious name (consisting of two separate ones) and her Christian name. Let’s start with her religious name. The original meaning of ‘Monica’ is unknown, though it has been suggested that it may derive from the Latin ‘moneo’, which means ‘advisor’, or the Greek word ‘monos’, ‘one’. Seeing as Sister Monica-Joan gives some of the best advice of all the characters in CtM, from medical knowledge (the baby with cystic fibrosis) to practicalities (‘put down the bananas, they’re superfluous to the situation’ comes to mind), it seems very fitting. However, Sister Monica-Joan probably picked it because of Saint Monica, the patron saint of wives and abuse victims. I believe that this is never fully developed in the TV-series (correct me if I am wrong), but in the books, Sister Monica-Joan came from a noble and very affluent family. This did not mean that she was happy. In fact, she explains that the controlling and abusive behaviour of men, in particular of her father towards her mother and her uncle towards her aunt, was part of her reasons for wanting to stay unmarried. She abhorred the idea that a husband would have complete power over her, like her father did over her mother, because this power was abused too often (there is a particular horrible scene in which she explains that her aunt got locked up in an insane asylum because this suited her uncle, as well as another scene in which all of her mother’s teeth were pulled on advice of the male doctor). It was marital abuse that made Sister Monica-Joan become a nun, so what could be a more fitting name than that of the patron saint for those of marital abuse?

The second part of her religious name derives from ‘Joanna’, which is the feminine form of ‘Johannus’. ‘Johannus’ derives from the Hebrew ‘Yochanan’, which means ‘Yahweh is gracious’. Not much to add to that; it seems fitting for a nun to think God gracious. Saint John (of which there are several) may have influenced Sister Monica-Joan’s choice, but I think that Joan of Arc may have been a greater influence. This is pure speculation, but I think that a peasant girl blessed with revelations who stayed unmarried and showed a male-dominated world exactly how much a woman could do must have been a great comfort to Sister Monica-Joan.

Now, what about Sister Monica-Joan’s Christian name? ‘Antonia’ is the feminine form of ‘Antonius’. The meaning of this name is, again, unknown. I guess this is somewhat of a pattern and can be seen as symbolical in its own sense: after all, Sister Monica-Joan suffers from dementia and has trouble to collect important information at times, too. Now, back to her name: Antonia can also refer to Saint Anthony. Again, there are multiple Saint Anthonies. I think that the most interesting may be Saint Anthony of Padua. Like Sister Monica-Joan, he came from a wealthy family but swore to lead a life in the service of God and thus in poverty instead.

Sister Julienne– Louise

‘Julienne’ is the feminine form of the French ‘Julian’, which is in turn derived from the Latin ‘Julius’, which means ‘downy-bearded’. Jup. This leads me to believe that we will not find much symbolism in the literal meaning of Sister Julienne’s name, but rather in other people who shared her name. Sister Julienne has probably chosen her name because of Saint Julian the Hospitaler (though it must be said that there are more early saints who have this name). This saint started out as a hot-headed guy who committed quite some crimes. Repentant, he travelled to Rome and later made a hospital and inn for the poor. I think Sister Julienne may have picked this particular saint because he tried the help the poor by giving them shelter as well as medical aid. And, just like Saint Julian the Poor, she has made vows of poverty.

EDIT: @like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant pointed out that it is highly probably that Sister Julienne was named after Saint Julian of Norwhich, who is mentioned several times in the show. She wrote the book ‘revelations of divine love’, which is very important to Sister Julienne: she even keeps a photograph of herself and Charles in there. However, like Saint Julian, her religious calling was stronger than her love for an earthly man. I imagine that ‘revelations of divine love’ gave Sister Julienne a lot of comfort when she struggled with her calling and her feelings for Charles.

Now, on to her Christian name, which is Louise. This is the French feminine form of ‘Louis’, which is derived from ‘Ludwig’, which, in turn, derives from ‘Chlodovech’. The name ‘Chlodovech’ is composed of the words ‘hlud’, which means famous, and ‘wig’, which means ‘war’ or ‘battle’. If we take the meaning of this name not too literally, it could mean that Sister Julienne becomes famous in her battle against poverty and disease. Indeed, she seems to be a well-loved, well-respected and well-known figure in the community of Poplar.

I have to admit that Sister Julienne’s name symbolism remains a bit of an enigma to me. Though I can see some symbolism, it does not seem to fit her personality entirely. Also, how come that both her names are French? Let me know what you guys think!

 Sister Evangelina– Enid

Evangelina means ‘good news’ and is derived from two Greek words. This does not mean that it is an old name; quite the opposite, in fact! It was first used by an American poet in 1847 in the epic poem ‘Evangeline’, which is about a girl looking for her lost love Gabriel. I think this is a funny addition to the character of Sister Evangelina, because, unlike what her name implies, she is really rather traditional. I guess that she, as a nurse and midwife, can bring both good and bad news (though, hopefully, mainly good news). In this sense, her name highlights part of what undoubtedly makes the career of midwife so appealing to Sister Evangelina.

Now, the name ‘Enid’ is derived from the Welsh ‘enaid’, meaning ‘soul’ or ‘life’. Sister Evangelina knew from a young age that she wanted to become a nun. Her name signifies this part of her life: ‘soul’ is a very important concept in Christianity and definitely something that Sister Evangelina will have pondered about a lot. On the other hand, she is also a midwife, which is again signified by her name meaning ‘life’: she literally helps bring new life into the world.

 Next week I’ll be back with the other nuns. That post will probably be a little less well-rounded, because we don’t know all the Christian names of the nuns+ Cynthia was a real person, meaning her name will not be chosen bearing CtM symbolism in mind. I’m going to see how I’m going to work around that. I may do some of the nurses just to make a proper post, but we’ll see.

[duaneodavila]

Acquittal Won’t Save Him From The Registry

Appellate Squawk can say more with a pic than I can in a thousand words.

Comes now New York’s highest court with the holding that an accuser’s trial testimony constitutes clear and convincing evidence of the truth of her accusations, even though the jury found her not credible and acquitted the defendant of those charges. 

This is the sort of sophistry that only a lawyer can fathom, like “acquitted conduct” in federal sentencing.

In a 6-1 opinion, with only the redoubtable Judge Rivera dissenting, the Court upheld the lower court decision putting the defendant on the internet Sex Offender Registry for the rest of his life based on acquitted charges.

The defendant was acquitted of the three felony charges, convicting him on the misdemeanor of sexual abuse in the second degree. The evidence at trial made clear that the jury  found the testimony of the complainant inadequate to convict. So naturally, the trial judge found the testimony sufficiently credible to sentence the defendant as a Level 2 sex offender,

During a post-trial hearing, the judge nevertheless assumed that Britton had committed the felonies and therefore assigned him to risk level two under New York’s Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA), which triggers lifetime registration. Had the judge considered just the crime of which Britton was convicted, he would have been assigned to risk level one, which requires registration for 20 years.

If this makes absolutely no sense to you, seemingly reducing a jury trial to pointlessness, the explanation requires an appreciation of legalistic gymnastics.

In a 6-to-1 ruling last week, the New York Court of Appeals upheld Britton’s classification, noting that it was supposed to be based on “clear and convincing evidence,” a less demanding standard than the proof beyond a reasonable doubt required for a criminal conviction. It is possible, in other words, for an alleged crime to figure in a defendant’s risk level even when there is not enough evidence for a guilty verdict.

To be convicted of a crime, a jury must find that the crime was committed by the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. To be classified as a Level 2 sex offender, however, the judge need only find that the crime was committed by the defendant by the lesser test of clear and convincing evidence. Thus, the acquittal at the higher standard doesn’t preclude the finding at the lower standard. It’s sound technical logic. But it’s nonsense.

Writing in dissent, Judge Jenny Rivera charges her colleagues with improperly applying the “clear and convincing evidence” standard, which requires “a high degree of probability” that an allegation is true. A.B.’s testimony should not be treated as reliable under SORA, Rivera argues, because the jury did not find it credible.

“The verdict can only be understood as reflecting that the jurors did not fully credit A.B.’s version,” Rivera writes. “The acquittals here powerfully reflect the unreliability of A.B.’s testimony. As the trial judge recognized, the jurors were presented with two versions and they had to choose one. In other words, they either believed A.B. or they did not when she testified that defendant had penetrative and oral sex with her in his room.”

Testimony is like pregnancy, it’s either credible or its not. If it was credible, then the jury would have found the defendant guilty. They didn’t. They rejected the testimony, finding it incredible, and, indeed, there was good reason for the jury to do so.

But this was a nasty case, with extremely unsavory allegations, and the trial judge found the complainant’s testimony sufficiently pregnant to hold that it satisfied the “clear and convincing evidence” standard even if the jury found it incredible.

Courts abhor sex offenses, despite the absurd claims of the screamers to the contrary. And the defendant here wasn’t pure enough to overcome the taint of the allegations, so they threw him to the wolves.

Naturally the Court doesn’t admit that it moves the goalposts for sex cases. But these days, when it comes to accusations of sexual misconduct, the standard of proof is that they were made. The Court is simply going with the flow — which by definition, is downhill.  

So what if the defendant was acquitted? He was still convicted of sexual abuse 2, and isn’t that enough reason to hate him? Why would the New York Court of Appeals take the chance of all those angry women calling them mean names by not being as harsh as possible when the defendant was obviously a horrible, disgusting person whose life should be destroyed.

After all, there was an accusation, and only a bench of shitlords would not believe it was true. Or a jury.

Besides, the sex offender registry isn’t punishment at all. Just a precaution for the sake of the children. Surely you don’t hate the children and want to see them molested by this acquitted defendant?

Copyright © 2007-2018 Simple Justice NY, LLC This feed is for personal, non-commercial and Newstex use only. The use of this feed anywhere else violates copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it means the page you are viewing infringes copyright. (Digital Fingerprint: 51981395c77d7762065ca2c084b63e47) Acquittal Won’t Save Him From The Registry republished via Simple Justice

[johnchiarello]

CORRUPTION CRISES IN CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS

CORRUPTION- NUECES COUNTY- CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS

 I made the videos yesterday- my friend Austin stopped by last night and we spent about 5 hours fellowshipping- so I didn’t get a chance to post until now. You see him on the last video- I just reviewed it- one of the statements that struck me was ‘we have bad stuff happening all around the country- but for some reason it seems worse here’. Yes- out of the mouth of 2 witnesses shall every word be established- amen.

 Mob- Mafia- Judge Missy Medary- Doctor arrested- again https://youtu.be/iZcvYSaJGZk

http://ccoutreach87.com/9-25-17-mob-mafia-missy-medary-doctor-arrested-again/

.Mafia- Missy Medary

.Doctor busted by the judge- again

.Uncle Rudy’s funeral

.The Italian crew I worked in [Painting that is]

.My New Jersey family connections!

.The famous hit! [He needed a ride- called off at the last minute- yes- this was a family hit!]

.Drug kingpin out of NYC

.The Heroin dealers

.The mob blew the Irish gangster to pieces [Green]

.Jimmy Hoffa- Whitey Bulger

.NFL and Trump too

.North Korea says Trump declared war on them- with a tweet!

.Whacked

.Just do it

 Nueces county- Corpus Christi- Mob- God father connection- Corruption https://youtu.be/FY9xSANtecE

http://ccoutreach87.com/9-25-17-nueces-county-corpus-christi-godfather-connection-corruption/

.The Philadelphia connection to North beach- I show it right on this video!

.Nicky Scarfo

.King makers right here

.Organized crime in south Texas

.Sammy the Bull Gravano

.I confess to the world- I am connected!

.God- Father

.Mexico connection to Corpus Christi

.El- Chapo

.Is it even safe to visit south Texas? [see case below- you and your family might be shot in home invasion- then your wife and kids-as the surviving witnesses might be murdered as the trial nears- then as the last witness you decide not to testify- and what happens? The case- in south Texas- gets dropped- yes- enter at your own risk!]

 History of corruption in Nueces county- Corpus Christi Texas- http://ccoutreach87.com/9-25-17-history-of-corruption-in-nueces-county/

https://youtu.be/jhU6hXmGVSs

.The mole

.Whitey Bulger

.Sanctioned hits in collusion with law enforcement

.Caller Times

.Thinking of relocating to South Texas?

.Be forewarned

 Austin- http://ccoutreach87.com/9-25-17-austin/

https://youtu.be/tEwiBwa15o0

.Austin teaches

 For those who think these titles are too strong-

This area recently had a murder case- triple homicide I think. There were 4 witnesses [some women and I think kids were killed too].

 The case went to trial-

Witness 1- murdered in cold blood.

Witness 2- murdered in cold blood

Witness 3- murdered in cold blood.

Last witness decided not to testify- and the case was dropped.

 As far as I know- there have been zero arrests in the murders of the witnesses- and sad to say- the 4th witness will probably wind up killed too.

Now- where does this happen?

 Even in the mafia cases I talked about on the videos- if a witness is killed- they continue to go after the mobster.

If 2 are killed- they sometimes catch the killer.

If 3 are killed- all in a row- they will do something.

Usually protect the witnesses after the 1st killing.

 Especially after the 2nd murder.

But no- here in South Texas- after the 3rd witness is murdered [I believe some might have been women] they simply drop the case.

So- if you think I’m exaggerating- just re-read the above- below are some links-

 NOTE- Just look at this ONE case for a moment- you started with a triple homicide- as the trial progressed- you had 3 more witnesses murdered in cold blood. That brings it to 6. because the case was dropped- you now have 6 unsolved homicides- possibly 7- if they murder the last witness- and this is all in one case mind you. Some cities have 6 unsolved murders in one year- this area has 6- in one case!

 Sales said three witnesses who were inside of the house mysteriously died just weeks after the murders.[clip- full article below]

 http://www.mysoutex.com/beeville_bee_picayune/news/last-witness-missing/article_18661f3c-529a-11e7-85d3-9326dd7e13e0.html

http://www.kiiitv.com/news/local/beeville-triple-murder-trial-opening-delayed/448684023

http://www.kiiitv.com/news/local/beeville-triple-murder-charges-to-be-dropped/452632699

  PAST POSTS-

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/09/21/thursday-6/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/09/21/welcome-to-corpus-christi-2/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/09/19/corruption-crisis-in-corpus-christi-2/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/09/19/crisis-in-corpus-christi-texas-2/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/09/17/sunday-9-17-17-2/

 VERSES-

Psalm 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 106:2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?

Psalm 106:3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

Psalm 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

Psalm 106:5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

Psalm 106:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

Psalm 106:7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

Psalm 106:8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

Psalm 106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

Psalm 106:10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

Psalm 106:11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

Psalm 106:12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

Psalm 106:13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

Psalm 106:14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

Psalm 106:15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

valign=top> Psalm 106:16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.

Psalm 106:17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram.

Psalm 106:18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

Psalm 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.

Psalm 106:20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

Psalm 106:21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

Psalm 106:22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

Psalm 106:23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Psalm 106:24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

Psalm 106:25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

Psalm 106:26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

Psalm 106:27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.

Psalm 106:28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

Psalm 106:29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

Psalm 106:30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

Psalm 106:31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

Psalm 106:32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

Psalm 106:33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

Psalm 106:34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:

Psalm 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

Psalm 106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

Psalm 106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

Psalm 106:38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

Psalm 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

Psalm 106:40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

Psalm 106:41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

Psalm 106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

Psalm 106:43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

Psalm 106:44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

Psalm 106:45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

Psalm 106:46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.

Psalm 106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

Psalm 106:48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.

 Matthew 25:14-30

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Parable of the Talents

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what isyours.’

26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

New King James Version (NKJV)

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 Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on- Thanks- John.#

[johnchiarello]

Monday

MONDAY 5-15-17

James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. Samuel [Past links- verses below]

CCCF- https://youtu.be/MEBISFL6pRg

.Good coffee

.Vatican City

.Switzerland trip

.Prophetic word

.Why did James only write one letter?

.Trinity

.Proclaim the Son

 2 Corinthians 1:20

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

 Travel ban n more- https://youtu.be/UrW4m_b35UY

.Sologamy?

.SNL- news?

.Nick Jimenez editorial

.SB- 4

.Kids in N.J.

.Pastor Don’s message

.9th circuit

.Out of control courts?

.Sanctuary cities

 Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

  [Note- I made this post today- one of my ‘roll-outs’ - but I did add some past teachings and verses below]

 NEW- Talked some about the travel ban that is being argued before the 9th circuit court today- and how the courts have become politicized.

A few years ago Austin [Texas] brought Rico charges against a Republican- and found him guilty!

Yes- for money laundering.

 I remember at the time- the same thing was being done on a regular basis by many Democrats- it simply was a way to get campaign funds- by ‘going around the loopholes’.

 Lots of people did it- but because Austin is a liberal city- they managed to get a Republican on charges that were intended to go after the Mafia.

 So today the 9th circuit court is grilling the justice department lawyers on whether Trump has made any comments to them in the past- about Muslims.

The judges are going back to campaign statements Trump made- all of this is ridiculous.

 Whether you are for the ban or not- this should have never been in the courts.

 I also shared some from the sermon Pastor Don preached Sunday.

How Hannah asked God for a son [Samuel] and when she had a son- she ‘lent him to the Lord’.

It was a good message- a Mothers day theme.

 Often times we ‘have not- because we ask not’.

I covered some of the local news as well- the caller times had a good editorial by Nick Jimenez on why SB 4 is not good.

 And Chief Markle also spoke well about how he will handle the new law.

He shed light on the law that hopefully will put our immigrant community at ease.

 If you are breaking the law- of course the cops will do their job- but the chief explained that local law enforcement always had the right to ask someone their immigration status.

 And the passage of SB 4 does not mandate cops to ask.

So our local cops more than likely will continue to do policing the way they have always done it.

 He tried to put the immigrants- who are not out committing crimes- at ease.

I agree with his approach.

 As of now I made 2 videos- that might be it for today- I’ll try and add some pertinent news links- and a few verses below.

 God bless you all.

 NOTE- I forgot to mention this on video- and I wanted to.

My friend Mike [artist] came by Saturday and gave me a beautiful Cross he bought at the flea market. It has Firefighter stuff on it- and he gave it to me as a gift of appreciation for ‘all that you do’. I thanked Mike- and spent about 3 hours just hanging out- this time at my house. If I remember I’ll post a picture of it on Facebook.

 24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Num. 6

 PAST POSTS- [ Past teaching I did that relates to today’s post-verses below]

https://ccoutreach87.com/1st-2nd-samuel-links-updated-3-17/

https://ccoutreach87.com/james-2015/

https://ccoutreach87.com/house-of-prayer-or-den-of-thieves/

 (882)1ST SAMUEL; INTRO, CHAPTER 1- Originally the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel were one volume. When the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament was made [the Septuagint] they were added with 1st and 2nd Kings and were called ‘The books of the kingdoms’. In order to keep this volume from becoming too big, they were divided into the present divisions. In chapter one we see the family of Elkanah and Hannah [and wife #2 Pininnah!]. They go up to the Tabernacle of the Lord in Shiloh to worship the true God. Hannah has no children while wife # 2 does. This becomes a point of contention and jealousy between the two wives. Hannah pours her heart out to the Lord and makes a vow. She tells the Lord if he gives her a son that she will dedicate him to the Lord. Eli the priest sees Hannah praying silently [her lips moving but hearing no voice] and he assumes she’s drunk! Why? Was she stumbling and acting drunk? No. It was because he thought she was mumbling [speech] like a drunk. In Acts chapter 2 the same thing is assumed. Those who received the outpouring of the Spirit were thought to be drunk. Why? Were they stumbling and falling? No, once again it was a speech thing. They were speaking all types of unknown languages [known to the various groups there that day] and people thought they were acting like drunks when they can’t talk clearly. I emphasized this because it’s common today for renewal movements to associate the Spirit with people actually stumbling and driving in a drunken type state. While I don’t want to be dogmatic and say this can never be of God, yet many of these believers will use the Acts chapter 2 example to justify their belief. Act’s 2 does not teach ‘being drunk in the Spirit’ in this manner. Now the Lord hears Hannah’s request and she gives birth to Samuel. She keeps him until he is weaned [2 or 3 years old] and then she honors her vow and dedicates him to the Lord. She actually gave him up to become a full servant of God at Shiloh. It was not an easy vow to keep. As we go thru this book we will cover lots of interesting history. Samuel will become a mighty prophetic leader in Israel. He will be the one to introduce king Saul as Israel’s first king. The last verse in Judges says ‘there was no king in the land in those days, every man did what he thought was right in his own eyes’. It’s common to think this means God punished Israel for not having a human king. In actuality God will tell Israel that they were rejecting his kingship over them by wanting a ‘king like the other nations’. We will learn that God did not originally intend for Israel to have a singular human king. The description from judges simply shows us that sinful people, who reject God’s law, will go astray. In these instances a king can bring some sort of stability and government. The kings of Israel will serve in this capacity.

 (884)SAMUEL 2- Hannah gives great praise to God for Samuel. This prophetic utterance is a lot like Mary’s ‘Magnificat’ in Luke chapter one. She says ‘God brings low the rich and helps the poor’. This week we had one of the worst financial disasters in U.S. history [9-2008]. It could have been worse, the government took over some major financial [and insurance] institutions. One of them was A.I.G., a major insurer. A day or so before they were taken over I asked my wife ‘did you take out the girls trust money’. We had a lot of money for our girls in the company [lets say between 50 and 100 thousand dollars]. My wife says ‘no, not yet’. I was a little perturbed to say the least. My wife is the trustee for the girl’s accounts, and I have been telling her for about a year to take the money out. So the day she makes the request all the talk on the financial shows is ‘will A.I.G. declare bankruptcy today’? I was upset. Another day went by and they said ‘overnight they will declare’. And we still didn’t get the money. Well the government stepped and basically took the company over and we got our checks. I was talking to my homeless buddies and they were somewhat aware of the crisis, but they could care less. Their lives were not tied up in these systems. They were still going to live the way they were living for most of their lives. Trusting God daily to meet their needs. It made me think of Hannah’s prayer. Also we see the first use of the word ‘Messiah’ [anointed] in the bible. ‘God will strengthen his king and exalt the horn of his anointed’. I read this yesterday and was quoting it all day. It’s appropriate that Mary uses this prophetic utterance while speaking of Jesus, the Messiah. The sons of Eli the priest are wicked. They are robbing the people and sleeping with the women at the tabernacle gate. Scripture says ‘the people abhorred the offering of the Lord’ because of their abuse. For many years I heard ‘if people are offended because the church emphasizes money so much, well let them be offended’. I never really questioned this reasoning. Then I began to see how the majority offence to unbelieving friends and family was the money issue. While most of the pastors were well meaning, they seemed to not realize that we do have a responsibility to not offend in the area of offerings. The apostle Paul adjusted his ministry in such a way that he would not allow the churches to support him while he was with them. [Not just Corinth either, but Thessalonica and Ephesus! Read Thessalonians and the chapter in Acts that deals with the Ephesian elders- 22?] The point being the church bears much responsibility to how the world views us in the area of offerings to God. Eli's sons abused the system to their own benefit and the people began to despise the whole concept of ‘church and money’. A prophet will pronounce judgment on Eli’s household and Samuel will ‘grow in favor with God and men’. Just like Jesus. Samuel is a type of Christ who knew his prophetic/priestly destiny from a young age. Jesus was in the Temple questioning the leaders at the age of 12, Samuel was serving the Lord at an even younger age.

  VERSES-

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.

6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.

7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

 NEWS-

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-live-updates-9th-circuit-arguments-9th-circuit-court-of-appeals-says-a-1486678883-htmlstory.html

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/54869-sologamy-rises-as-the-latest-marriage-perversion-trend

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 Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on- Thanks- John.#