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fatehbaz · 1 year

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The government of Australia’s northeastern state of Queensland has stunned rights experts by suspending its Human Rights Act for a second time this year to be able to lock up more children.

The ruling Labor Party last month [August 2023] pushed through a suite of legislation to allow under-18s – including children as young as 10 – to be detained indefinitely in police watch houses, because changes to youth justice laws – including jail for young people who breach bail conditions – mean there are no longer enough spaces in designated youth detention centres to house all those being put behind bars. The amended bail laws, introduced earlier this year [2023], also required the Human Rights Act to be suspended.

The moves have shocked Queensland Human Rights Commissioner Scott McDougall, who described human rights protections in Australia as “very fragile”, with no laws that apply nationwide.

“We don’t have a National Human Rights Act. Some of our states and territories have human rights protections [...]. But they’re not constitutionally entrenched so they can be overridden by the parliament,” he told Al Jazeera. The Queensland Human Rights Act – introduced in 2019 – protects children from being detained in adult prison so it had to be suspended for the government to be able to pass its legislation.

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Earlier this year, Australia’s Productivity Commission reported that Queensland had the highest number of children in detention of any Australian state. Between 2021-2022, the so-called “Sunshine State” recorded a daily average of 287 people in youth detention, compared with 190 in Australia’s most populous state New South Wales, the second highest. [...]

[M]ore than half the jailed Queensland children are resentenced for new offences within 12 months of their release.

Another report released by the Justice Reform Initiative in November 2022 showed that Queensland’s youth detention numbers had increased by more than 27 percent in seven years.

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The push to hold children in police watch houses is viewed by the Queensland government as a means to house these growing numbers. Attached to police stations and courts, a watch house contains small, concrete cells with no windows and is normally used only as a “last resort” for adults awaiting court appearances or required to be locked up by police overnight. [...]

However, McDougall said he has “real concerns about irreversible harm being caused to children” detained in police watch houses, which he described as a “concrete box”. “[A watch house] often has other children in it. There’ll be a toilet that is visible to pretty much anyone,” he said. “Children do not have access to fresh air or sunlight. And there’s been reported cases of a child who was held for 32 days in a watch house whose hair was falling out. [...]"

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He also pointed out that 90 percent of imprisoned children and young people were awaiting trial.

“Queensland has extremely high rates of children in detention being held on remand. So these are children who have not been convicted of an offence,” he told Al Jazeera.

Despite Indigenous people making up only 4.6 percent of Queensland’s population, Indigenous children make up nearly 63 percent of those in detention. The rate of incarceration for Indigenous children in Queensland is 33 times the rate of non-Indigenous children. Maggie Munn, a Gunggari person and National Director of First Nations justice advocacy group Change the Record, told Al Jazeera the move to hold children as young as 10 in adult watch houses was “fundamentally cruel and wrong”. [...]

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[Critics] also told Al Jazeera that the government needed to stop funding “cops and cages” and expressed concern over what [they] described as the “systemic racism, misogyny, and sexism” of the Queensland Police Service.

In 2019, police officers and other staff were recorded joking about beating and burying Black people and making racist comments about African and Muslim people. The recordings also captured sexist remarks [...]. The conversations were recorded in a police watch house, the same detention facilities where Indigenous children can now be held indefinitely.

Australia has repeatedly come under fire at an international level regarding its treatment of children and young people in the criminal justice system. The United Nations has called repeatedly for Australia to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to the international standard of 14 years old [...].

[MR], Queensland’s minister for police and corrective services, [...] – who introduced the legislation, which is due to expire in 2026 – is unrepentant, defending his decision last month [August 2023].

“This government makes no apology for our tough stance on youth crime,” he was quoted as saying in a number of Australian media outlets.

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Text by: Ali MC. "Australian state suspends human rights law to lock up more children". Al Jazeera. 18 September 2023. At: aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/18/australian-state-suspends-human-rights-law-to-lock-up-more-children [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

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ausetkmt · 1 month

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How Black women shaped Tim Walz’s politics after the death of George Floyd

From inside Minnesota’s executive mansion, Gov. Tim Walz could hear the grieving woman’s bellows..

Toshira Garraway’s voice quavered as she spoke to the hundreds gathered outside the residence in St. Paul. It was a sunny Monday in June 2020, just days after George Floyd had been murdered in Minneapolis.

Protesters across the world had been shouting Floyd’s name, but Garraway and other speakers — almost all Black women — were invoking the names of men who hadn’t garnered as much attention after they died in encounters with Minnesota law enforcement. Hardel. Kobe. Justin.

The lifeless body of Justin Teigen, Garraway’s boyfriend, had been found in a recycling bin in 2009. Police had said they were chasing Teigen and lost track of him when he hid in a dumpster, where he remained when the trash was compacted. Garraway was convinced police had killed him.

“They didn’t throw him in the river! They didn’t throw him in the woods!” Garraway shouted. “They threw him in the trash! That’s what they think of our people.”

“I could hear her pain,” Walz recalled in a 2021 interview with a Washington Post reporter. Walz, who is now the Democratic nominee for vice president, stepped outside the residence for a closer listen.

When Garraway heard that Walz had joined the crowd, she stepped away from the microphone to meet him. She asked for his cellphone number.

“I had been calling and writing the governor and attorney general for years,” she recalled telling him. “I want you to meet with our families.”

He promised he would.

At the most critical juncture in Walz’s tenure as governor, with the world pointing to his state as an example of gross injustice, he found insights and counsel from Garraway and a group of Black women who pleaded with him to do more to address systemic racism.

This story is based on years of interviews with Walz and those women, starting 11 months after Floyd’s death as part of research for a book on Floyd’s life and legacy.

Walz’s last interview was in May, two months before he was selected as the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to be the Democratic nominee for president. During the discussions, Walz offered the most expansive, personal accounts he has ever provided about how Floyd’s murder changed his worldview — and about the women who helped shape it.

The women cried with him, prodded him, prayed with him. They admired his ability to listen without interrupting them, and appreciated the get-well cards he sent when they were sick. When it comes to supporting a Black woman who is already facing racist attacks in her bid for the presidency, they think Walz is ready.

But even more than his empathy, the women relished the opportunity to help Walz craft legislation that specifically addressed their concerns. That’s when the relationship became more difficult.

“He makes political calculations in terms of where he’s going to put his energy and spend down political capital, which any responsible person or elected official will do,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a former head of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP. “But because of his nature, you always have in the back of your mind that he will go the extra mile. … That’s when you get disappointed.”

Beyond Walz’s reputation as a folksy liberal, likely to be on display when he speaks Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention, the women saw a politician trying to navigate uncertain terrain. The national zest for police reform would eventually slow, and Walz’s national profile would begin to soar. And now, some in the group say he has lost interest in them.

Walz declined to comment for this article, but a spokeswoman wrote that Walz “deeply values the friendships, what he’s been able to learn from them, and the reforms they worked together to pass. He continues to meet with them and looks forward to their continued work together to improve Minnesota.”

Garraway has not heard from Walz in more than a year. When friends started texting about his becoming Harris’s running mate, she didn’t fully know what to say.

“I don’t want to bash the man, but all I can do is speak from my heart, and I’m conflicted,” Garraway said. “I cannot say that empathy was not there. But, as time went on and this was no longer the headlining topic, we became less and less important. Our families are pushed to the side and, basically, ignored. It is painful and hurtful.”

Philando Castile's mother, Valerie, holds flowers during a demonstration outside the governor's home in St. Paul on July 7, 2016.

Before Floyd’s death, Walz had been warned about the insidious threat of racism in Minnesota.

The prediction came from Valerie Castile, whose son Philando had been shot and killed at a traffic stop in a suburb of St. Paul in 2016. “Mark my word, if it keeps on going in this direction, something really bad is going to happen,” Castile recalled telling him.

“That was back in 2017,” she said.

At the time, Walz was serving in Congress and preparing a bid for governor. She told him she had dedicated her life to finding a way to bring honor to her son’s name. She spoke about Philando’s generous spirit — the school cafeteria worker would dig into his own pocket to help a student who couldn’t afford lunch.

And then, Castile quizzed Walz on why he thought Black people disproportionately die at the hands of police.

“I’m going to be brutally honest with you,” Castile recalled telling him. “We know it’s a racist factor that’s the underlying problem within law enforcement.”

The two formed a tight bond, calling themselves “friends.” Walz said her honesty showed him how “the basic joys of life are always clouded by” racism, and illuminated “the day-to-day, year-after-year systemic issues and microaggressions that people endure.”

“It just permeates everything,” he told The Post.

Walz, who grew up in Nebraska and moved to rural Minnesota as an adult, said he knew he had a blind spot when it came to the Black experience, “being a middle-aged White guy [from] a town of 300 … with no people of color.” In Minnesota, where only 7 percent of the population is Black, politicians often note how easy it can be to miss the struggles of the African American community. So many of the state’s bragging points — its high incomes, its healthy residents, its high-performing students — disguise some of the country’s widest disparities in wealth, life expectancy and education between Blacks and Whites.

After Walz became governor in 2019, Black lawmakers and activists said, he and his wife engaged with Black communities immediately. Walz said that they were eager to learn — and that they were surprised by what they discovered.

During one event, a Black woman told him she had moved to Duluth from Arkansas. Compared with racism in the Deep South, she said, she found Minnesota’s to be “quieter — but meaner.”

On another occasion, Levy Armstrong, the former NAACP official, told him that state lawmakers had a history of “admiring the problem” — acknowledging that disparities existed but not working hard enough to eradicate them.

Then a police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck in May 2020.

As video of the brutal incident spread, Walz reached out to Castile.

“What do you think they’re going to do?” she recalled Walz asking her.

“You better get ready,” Castile said. “They’re about to tear this motherf---er up.”

Castile was right. Although most of the protests were peaceful, large businesses were looted, windows were smashed and a police station was set aflame.

Not long afterward, the Floyd family asked Walz to remove the county attorney from the investigation of the killing. Walz agreed to assign Keith Ellison, the state’s attorney general, who had a history of working against police brutality. Walz told The Post that he was thinking of Castile when he made the decision.

“She was adamant, and groups of folks who had talked to me even before George Floyd [died] believed that we needed to have an independent prosecutor’s office,” Walz said. “That there’s just too close a connection between the police and the county attorneys.”

Walz, center, joins protesters in front of the Minnesota Governor's Residence on June 1, 2020, after the murder of George Floyd.

A few weeks after Walz spoke with the Floyds, he met with Garraway and the other women on a Zoom call.

Garraway spoke again about her boyfriend, referring to his death as the “2009 version of Emmett Till.”

The police account of the events had always seemed fantastical to her. But in 2009, there were no body cameras or Black Lives Matter movement — and few people took her seriously. After three years, only one lawyer said he would be interested in taking the case. By then, it was too late — the state had a three-year statute of limitations for investigating officers.

Amity Dimock told Walz the story of her autistic son, Kobe Dimock-Heisler, who was killed in 2019 by police during a wellness check. Police said Kobe had lunged at them with a knife, but Amity said she believed the officers reacted so quickly because they were ill-equipped to deal with mental illness.

Del Shea Perry spoke of her son Hardel Sherrell, who died in a jail cell in 2018. Officers ignored Sherrell when he said he wasn’t feeling well. Security camera footage over eight days captured him falling hard off a bed, going limp and dying in a pool of his own waste, never receiving medical attention.

As the women recounted their pain, Walz’s eyes welled with tears. He told The Post that he, like many in the state, needed to do more soul-searching on why it was so easy to look past the trauma of racism that Castile assured him existed.

“This is a great state if you’re White, not so much if you’re not,” Walz later recalled thinking. “And that pains me, but it has to be said. And it’s the truth.”

Amity Dimock, right, is comforted by another woman during a demonstration outside the Governor's Residence on June 6, 2020.

After the conversations with the women, Walz said he went back to his staff and asked, “What can we do? What can we change?”

They encouraged the women to work with racial justice organizations to craft legislation, and by 2021, more than a dozen police reform bills had been introduced. Some followed national trends. They asked for the state legislature to limit the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants. They asked that the state allow police officers to be sued directly for actions taken in the line of duty, ending a practice known as “qualified immunity” that shielded them.

Other bills were directly inspired by the women’s stories. One would have ended the statute of limitations for wrongful-death suits related to police killings — potentially giving Garraway the chance to find out what had happened to Justin. Another would have referred 911 calls to mental health crisis teams when appropriate — which Dimock thought could have saved Kobe’s life. A third would have mandated wellness checks in jails — which could have led to an intervention for Hardel.

The women set out for the State Capitol to lobby lawmakers, but struggled to gain traction. About a year after Floyd’s death, conservatives were nervous that such measures might deplete the morale of police departments, which were losing officers.

“After Minneapolis started burning, the Republicans immediately went to blaming Governor Walz and Mayor [Jacob] Frey, and [saying] the Democrats will let the city burn down,” said Jeffrey Hayden, who was a Democratic state senator. Hayden said Republicans appeared hesitant to act, arguing that Floyd’s death had been “an isolated incident.”

The women said they found it difficult to find advocates even among rural Democrats, who they said would stare at them with blank faces. They asked the governor to leverage his authority, and he tried at first. He threatened to keep the legislative session open until lawmakers passed police reform, and he negotiated with Republicans, who were in control of the state’s House.

Del Shea Perry cries as she marches with demonstrators near the Governor's Residence on June 6, 2020. Beside her is a photo of son Hardel Sherrell.

The legislature agreed to pass a bill in honor of Sharell, to make changes to police training and to limit the use of chokeholds. Walz used executive action to add $15 million for violence-prevention programs, and then required that police provide body-camera footage to families within five days of incidents involving a death. But the legislature rejected the toughest measures, such as strengthening civilian oversight of police departments and ending qualified immunity.

And the measure to lift the statute of limitations also failed, meaning there would be no chance to get to the truth of what happened to Garraway’s boyfriend.

On the last day of the session, Garraway and the other women held a news conference. She pleaded with her new friend, the governor, to try to do more.

“You listen to our stories. You watch us break down. You watch us cry,” she said. “How can you make a deal to say this is okay?”

A few months after the legislation failed, Walz put his disappointment plainly: “I feel like I failed Toshira.”

Walz told The Post back then that he had learned that White men like him wanted to probe the details while Black women like Garraway sought swift action because the lives of their families were at stake.

“This is a complex issue. It’s nuanced,” Walz said. “But in the midst of this are people who say, ‘I don’t have time for nuance.’”

He wondered if the country needed a truth and reconciliation commission — like the one in post-apartheid South Africa — that would allow people to truly listen to the stories of pain and exploitation he had heard.

After the 2021 legislative session, Walz said he felt the chance to have an honest conversation about racism in America — and then work to fix it — had probably passed him by. He worried that, between the pandemic, the protests and the unraveling of the great American reckoning on race, the country was not “healing.”

“I don’t know if we’ll get another shot at it,” Walz said. “I’m worried about this. … I’m worried [about what] I’m seeing at the national level. I’m seeing our democracy under threat, and I’m seeing the community here that’s losing faith.”

Back then, he also recognized how not addressing the problem would mar his political legacy.

“One way or another, I will be associated with this,” Walz said.

Valerie Castile speaks at a Minneapolis rally on June 16, 2023, after the release of a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department.

Valerie Castile had not lost faith.

After a jury in 2017 acquitted the police officer who killed Philando, she spent years seeking another route to honor her son’s legacy.

She started a foundation to clear the balances of grade-school students who couldn’t afford to pay for school meals, then began pushing the state legislature to make breakfast and lunch free for all students. In 2023, with a Democratic majority in all three chambers, the bill passed.

It became one of Walz’s signature pieces of legislation, and the photo of children hugging him after he signed the bill has become an indelible political image. Watching proudly in the back that day was Castile.

“Oh my God, we finally did it,” Castile remembered thinking. “Congratulations, Phil.”

After the police reform bills were rejected, Walz tried other routes to deal with racial disparities, at the behest of Democrats eager to avoid bills that could be deemed as anti-police.

Walz worked with lawmakers in 2023 to invest more than $70 million in workforce training for manufacturing and tech jobs. After the NAACP filed a lawsuit alleging that the child-welfare system disproportionately separated Black families, they approved proactive steps to keep families together. They passed laws barring discrimination based on hairstyles and establishing an office to investigate suspicious deaths of Black women that have become cold cases.

In May 2024, Walz told The Post that these policies have helped to close some of the state’s racial gaps. For example, the median household income for Black Minnesotans has jumped 70 percent since 2011, the seventh-fastest growth rate in the country, according to the state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development.

“We’ve stopped admiring the problem,” Walz said in the interview. “We’ve learned not to do the Minnesota thing, which is to look at disparities, say ‘Oh that’s too bad,’ then go and eat pie.”

He also said he was wrong to wonder if the country might have missed its chance to eradicate racism.

“That was a part of my trauma speaking,” Walz said.

The women he met in 2020, though, still wonder if they will ever experience any relief from their trauma, a smidgen of which Castile felt when Walz signed the school meals bill. They accuse Walz of giving up on police reform too quickly. Perry, whose son died in the jail cell, continued trying to persuade Walz that they needed to do more work. In 2018, when Hardel Sherrell died, there were nine other deaths at county jails, state data shows. Last year, there were 20 deaths.

Her phone calls, though, were being returned much more infrequently. Perry’s advocacy didn’t even get a hearing during the last legislative session. When she met Walz earlier this year, he asked if she had been in touch with the Rev. Al Sharpton. Maybe some national attention would help, he suggested.

“Maybe he should call him,” Perry told The Post. “He knows him. I don’t. I’m a grieving mother.”

Still racked with pain, Garraway said there are bigger matters on her mind than Walz’s potential vice presidency.

When county prosecutors decided in June to drop their case against a state trooper who killed a Black man named Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop, she called Walz to see if she could get answers from a man she thought she understood. Walz had supported dropping the charges, saying it would be impossible to prove that the officer used excessive force.

But after introducing Walz to so many grieving families, Garraway was desperate to know why he could side with the police in this case. She trusted his judgment. So after his big speech accepting the nomination and all the balloons and the pageantry of the Democratic convention, she hopes he’ll answer her calls again. She longs to hear his voice.

#How Black women shaped Tim Walz’s politics after the death of George Floyd #minnesota #minneapolis #George Floyd #Philando Castile #Ricky cobb #Hardel Sherrell #bad police #end qualified immunity #murdered by the police #Walz #Coach #Presidential Election 2024 #Tim Walz #Black Women #Black Lives Matter

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cindylouwho-2 · 2 months

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RECENT ECOMMERCE NEWS (INCLUDING ETSY), LATE JULY 2024

Things have been hectic so this is a long one update - all the Etsy and other ecommerce news from the past month, broken down for your convenience!

Next week could be a big Etsy news week, with the 2nd quarter report being released, and the mature items ban kicking in. I'm also working on analysis of the new Creativity Standards, but we may not have more substantial information on those until Etsy makes another move. Right now the categories are a mess, but that could change.

A reminder that you can receive more timely updates plus exclusive content - including live chats with me on select topics such as Etsy's new Creativity Standards - by supporting my Patreon: patreon.com/CindyLouWho2

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES

The European Union is considering making packages valued under 150 euros subject to customs duties when entering the EU. This is widely seen as a way to reduce Shein and Temu orders.

The Etsy Creativity Standards announced on July 9th have a lot going on; here is my short summary so far. [post by me on Patreon] While I would not worry too much about this just yet, I expect them to be more important in the near future. Etsy adding "Made by", "Handpicked by" to every listing is currently full of errors, but more disturbingly, even when a seller points out these errors with arguments from the written policy, Etsy Support is sometimes insisting that the designations are correct. For example, original paintings are lumped in with AI designs and digital downloads. [Post by me on LinkedIn]

Amazon is imposing new rules regarding on-time delivery rates (OTDR); sellers that do not meet the standard of 90% on time delivery will not be able to continue selling. Businesses are exempted if they use the following tools: Shipping Settings Automation, Automated handling time, and Amazon Buy Shipping. Amazon is allowing only 5 days after shipment for products to arrive within the US. You can read the announcement and vigorous forum discussion here, and EcommerceBytes did a summary of the changes and some complaints.

ETSY NEWS

As Etsy's widespread ban on many adult-themed products is about to take effect on Monday, I considered why Etsy felt the need to take far more drastic steps than Amazon & eBay has in the same markets. [post by me on Tumblr] The upcoming ban started by getting media attention from Mashable, and quickly escalated to the New York Times [not a gift link; soft paywall]. Etsy is still not commenting on why they are doing this. From the NYT article: "Even before the ban, it was getting harder to run his business, Mr. Goldstein said. So, he thought, “Why don’t we just make our own marketplace?” This year, he started the website Spicerack as an independent alternative to Etsy. The online boutique already has about 75 sellers, which are vetted to make sure they’re not “dropshippers” or simultaneously listing products on e-commerce behemoths like AliExpress or Amazon. Mr. Goldstein said that Spicerack is in the process of adding about 100 more sellers, half of whom signed up when the Etsy ban was announced." From the BBC: “In many countries there is pressure on platforms, sometimes backed by new legislation, to do more to prevent under-18s from encountering explicit content, and to remove illegal or "harmful" content from their platforms. Payment processors are also increasingly wary of working with platforms that enable sex based commerce....those concerns could be addressed by more clearly labelling and separating adult product listings..." The Guardian interviewed a few sellers who are affected.

While Etsy previously stated that the new shop set-up fee would be $15 USD, they quietly changed that, to whatever they feel like charging. [post by me on Patreon]

In case you missed it, the new listing form seems to be triggering Etsy Ads campaigns to start without the seller’s knowledge. [post by me on LinkedIn] Since my post, there are still more reports of this happening, and even more.

I regret to inform you that Etsy’s Search Analytics are going to disappear after August 14 [post by me on LinkedIn], per a banner on the page.

Canadian sellers will have to pay a 1.15% “Regulatory Operating Fee” on all of their sales income (including shipping and gift wrap) starting August 15. This is likely due to a new law taxing large ecommerce platforms 3% of their Canadian income, which came into effect June 28. The tax applies retroactively back to the beginning of 2022, so Etsy is likely overcharging us to cover those earlier amounts.

Sellers having difficulties with the domestic pricing tool not working correctly may want to try these tips from an Etsy forum thread: Set the domestic price to the global price amount, save, and then go back in and change the domestic price to your preferred amount, then save again. This apparently works for both new and existing listings, but there are 3 drawbacks: 1) it is time-consuming, 2) it needs to be done any time a listing is changed/edited (including renewals), and 3) it doesn’t seem to work for France. (I don’t ship to France so I cannot test the last point.) Remember, if you have a sale go through for the wrong price, contact Etsy and demand to be compensated the difference.

Still don’t believe that Etsy is serious about shipping on time? See this Reddit thread by a seller who ignored a 30-day warning, so all of their items were removed from search. From this screenshot, it appears their average order value was fairly high, but that doesn’t mean Etsy will tolerate late shipping from shops with cheaper items, so beware.

Etsy is testing filtering out digital items from search results unless the terms match a digital item search. See Etsy forum threads here and also here.

A new academic study calls out Etsy and other online marketplaces for allowing illegally-killed bats to be sold on their sites. “We refute any assertion that the online bat trade is ethical. Again, statements that bats were captive-bred are absurd—bat farms are nonexistent—and it would be impossible for suppliers to find bats that have died naturally in the kind of condition and numbers needed to supply an ornamental trade. These bats were hunted.” The New York Times has also now covered this story [soft paywall].

The virtual seller education event Etsy Up is scheduled for September 10. You can register here, but there is no program yet. Usually this event has almost nothing worthwhile for experienced shops, and Etsy generally uses it to push their paid services and integrations along with basic info.

Etsy is looking for sellers to join their Advocacy program and “share your story”. Beware that sometimes Etsy’s “advocacy” is as much for Etsy as for its sellers, so they are looking for stories that fit Etsy’s own goals.

The Etsy Design Awards have opened; the final date for submissions is August 8.

Etsy’s second quarter results for 2024 will be released July 31.

ECOMMERCE NEWS (minus social media)

General

Shein and Temu are facing investigations under the EU’s Digital Services Act. “In a press release, the EU said it’s asking Shein and Temu for more information about measures they’ve taken to meet DSA obligations related to what’s known as “Notice and Action” mechanisms, which should allow users to notify the marketplaces of illegal products.It has also requested info related to the design of their online interfaces, which the pan-EU law mandates must not deceive or manipulate users, such as via so-called “dark patterns”.” Temu is also being sued by Arkansas for having an invasive app that is accused of harvesting data without user permissions. “According to the complaint, Temu is allegedly obscuring its unauthorized access to data through misleading terms of use and privacy policies that do not alert users to the full scope of data that the app can potentially collect. That includes not telling users about tracking granular locations for no defined purpose and collecting "even biometric information such as users’ fingerprints."

Amazon

Amazon now has an AI shopping “assistant” on its US app, called Rufus. “Customers can ask questions about products, comparisons and buying considerations. The AI can provide suggestions for specific tasks or projects.” As per usual with AI, “tests show Rufus doesn’t always provide accurate information.” A review from Marketplace Pulse notes that “Amazon’s AI assistant fails to help shoppers find the best product among the millions in the catalog. It transforms broad questions like “What are the best cycling gloves for winter?” into a few links to product searches — the same searches a shopper could have typed themselves. It refuses to make product recommendations, show specific products, or suggest from the thousands of options. It can’t directly answer the question, “What are the cheapest batteries for my TV remote?”

Any sellers who had items removed for being plants or seeds when they actually aren’t should follow the instructions linked to here to get the situation resolved. An Amazon employee warned sellers: “Please do not acknowledge the violations as these will result in the deactivation of your listings.” Affected businesses should instead appeal the flags.

Amazon is planning a discount drop shipping from China section, widely seen to be competition to Temu and Shein. However, “[i]t is not clear if these shipments will be made using a U.S. trade provision that exempts individual packages worth less than $800 from U.S. customs duties.”

The European Commission has asked Amazon for more information on “recommender systems, ads transparency provisions and risk assessment measures.”

Only 1% of US Amazon sellers also offer their items outside of North America. “Due to its proximity to the U.S., Canada has more successful sellers from the U.S. than Canada.” If you have a unique product, this could be an opportunity. Amazon returns are creating huge workloads for UPS stores and other retailers that accept them. “Amazon “makes up about one-tenth of our profits, but it takes up about 90 percent of the working day,” said Jeremy Walker, a store associate who worked at a UPS Store near Dallas that received between 300 and 600 returns per day.”

Depop

After trying it out in the UK, Depop is removing selling fees for the United States, starting July 15. Payment processing fees still apply. “[B]buyers will now be charged a "marketplace fee" of up to 5% plus a fixed amount up to $1.”

An interview with Depop CEO Kruti Patel Goyal reveals they plan “to bring Depop to a bigger and broader audience over time.”

eBay

eBay is slowly rolling out changes to the Active Listings page.

eBay sellers can now get cash advance loans through Liberis, the balance of which gets paid as a percentage of the seller's sales.

New sellers in the UK might see “automated feedback” on some of their orders, to "help [users] buy and sell with confidence". It will say "This seller successfully completed an order", and is removed once the actual buyer leaves feedback.

Michaels MakerPlace

Abby Glassenberg reviews Michaels’ MakerPlace popups inside their retail stores. Results seem mixed.

Shopify

A few hundred thousand Shopify users may have had their names, addresses and other data put up for sale on July 3 after a breach. Shopify denies it had any security issues and claims the data came from a third-party app. There was a known data breach at Evolve Bank and Trust in June; that institution is a supporting partner for Shopify Balance. It does appear that Shopify is notifying the affected individuals.

Walmart Walmart is adding pre-owned collectibles to its marketplace. “Eligible categories include Toys (Figures, Dolls, Trains, Plushies, Games, LEGO, Funko, Diecast Cars & Hot Wheels); Media & Music (Movies, Vinyl, Music, SteelBooks, Musical Instruments & Entertainment Replicas); Trading Cards; Comic Books & Books; Sports Memorabilia; and Coins.”

All Other Marketplaces

Indiegogo is opening an ecommerce website for items created through crowdfunding campaigns on the platform, called IndieShop.

Etsy-owned Reverb now has an “outlet” page, where businesses can sell off their overstock, seconds and out-of-date models for 20% off and free shipping. Most products sold through the main portion of Reverb are used, not new, so this competes with regular sellers.

Not sure if selling on Faire is right for your business? Here’s a handmade-focussed review of the wholesale site.

Payment Processing

Klarna is now available through Adobe Commerce (previously Magento).

Shipping

USPS rates for labels on most platforms went up July 1, ahead of the previously-announced July 14th increases. Ina Steiner re-posted the numbers from eBay and Pirate Ship.

USPS released the addresses and other data of logged-in Informed Delivery users to Meta, LinkedIn and Snap. The company claims it didn’t know the data transfer was happening.

The free USPS Priority medium shipping tubes are no longer being made, but you can still order existing stock.

Royal Mail’s Tracked 28 & 48 are now available at post offices.

UPS’s holiday surcharge rates for the US have been released; the lower surcharges start September 29th.

Shippo has new Canada Post rates from now until January, and the Tracked Packet rates to everywhere but the United States are cheaper than Etsy’s (which are based on Level 4 of Solutions for Small Business). Remember that Shippo makes you pay for a higher tier of service if you use over 30 labels per month.

#ecommerce #EtsySellerNews #etsy #microbusiness #cindylouwho2

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the-garbanzo-annex-jr · 1 year

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by Ben Cohen

A member of San Diego’s Human Relations Commission was forced to step down this week following a furious response to antisemitic comments he proffered at a meeting of the body on July 18, in which he claimed that the Torah instructs Jews to murder Palestinians.

The resignation of the commissioner, Khaliq Raufi, was announced on Wednesday by San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson in a scathing statement.

“Commissioner Raufi’s ignorant comments were hurtful and in no way reflect my personal views, but they do highlight the urgent need to focus on education, bridge building, and to advocate for tolerance,” said Anderson, who appointed Raufi to the 31 member commission. “After meeting with Commissioner Raufi, I have received his resignation letter.”

The city’s Human Relations Commission — which answers to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, the county’s legislative branch — was established in May 2020 to “promote positive human relations, respect, and the integrity of every individual regardless of gender, religion, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or citizenship status.”

At the July 18 meeting, which was recorded, Raufi told those in attendance that he had read a few verses of the Book of Deuteronomy — the fifth and final book of the Torah — calling it the “Book of Jews.”

“It states, ‘go kill Palestinians — wipe them all out,'” Raufi claimed. “It’s a teaching that they, on a daily basis, teach their followers in their synagogues. So how are we gonna resolve that?”

At this juncture, Raufi was interrupted by an observer, Sara Brown, the San Diego regional director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), who pointedly asked him, “are you serious right now?”

Brown later expressed her shock that only one of the assembled commissioners — Kate Clark, who works for Jewish Family Services — took Raufi to task for his remarks. “It was so unbelievably shocking in the moment — and even more shocking was the silence of every single commissioner and county staff,” she told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

An editorial in the same outlet quoted San Diego’s Mayor Todd Gloria’s statement that “hate has no place in San Diego and there will be consequences for those who spread it in our city.” It went on to argue: “The county Human Relations Commission, which needs better vetting and training, must take that to heart. Otherwise, what’s the point of it?”

Raufi delivered his speech during a debate concerning a controversy at the commission the previous month, in which another commissioner — George Khoury, a supporter of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) — denounced Israel as a “racist, fascist state” as he described how his Palestinian family fled from Jerusalem during the 1948 War of Independence.

In a June 20 letter to the commission following Khoury’s speech, local Jewish leaders noted: “Rather than speak about the importance of Arab American Heritage Month, an opportunity to further celebrate diversity in our San Diego community, Commissioner Khoury’s statement negated Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, diminished the historical Jewish connection to the land, and depicted the creation of Israel as a war crime — language that goes beyond legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies.”

#khaliq raufi #torah #idiot #george khoury #kate clark jewish family services #san diego #human relations commission

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gossipgurlingursht · 3 months

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On EVs

Responding to this thread, and I copied @bluebelly-sun-serpentine's original comments here below my response.

I say:

I'm suggesting we invest in both EVs and high density / green infrastructure. The decision against congestion pricing in NYC is shitty, but that happened right now, without EVs. Not having EVs didn't prevent car culture from happening, but switching to them would help reduce emissions from those cars, in addition to other policies we can pursue that would reduce total cars in general at the same time.

It also sounds like you're worried that if we switch to EVs, people will drive more and it will be a net rise in emissions. If you're concerned about enviro-conscious people driving more with EVs because they feel less guilty, I'm not sure I think this is a big problem. If there were so many environmentally-conscious people holding off on driving right now because they don't have EVs.. wouldn't there be way more support for us to pass green legislation? I just don't see that being a big group (but willing to change my mind if you have other data).

The other group is people who would drive more just based on lower cost per mile of EVs. I don't think this would be a problem for a few reasons. First, this CBO.gov report finds that on the short-term, gas prices don't really change the total miles driven. Secondly, EVs emit only 57% as much CO2 per mile as combustion cars. People would have to drive EVs 75% more than they do now to even break even with the CO2 emissions from combustion cars. That doesn't sound reasonable to me.

Next, the US currently has a huge dependence on road infrastructure. We need to create policies (and build infrastructure) that shift that towards more sustainable transit methods. But that's a huge undertaking that takes a lot of time. In 2023, 64.7% of US freight was shipped by truck (by weight), vs. only 7.3% by rail. I don't think we could honestly increase the amount of goods we ship by rail by 880% overnight. Wouldn't it be faster to transition that to EV trucks at the same time as we build out rail?

It's also good to consider particulates, you have a good point, however particulate pollution only stays in the air for weeks. Greenhouse gasses stay in the air for decades+, and will cause tipping points of runaway environmental collapse that will be catastrophic for the planet. We should care about particular pollution, but it shouldn't be our #1 priority.

Overall, our current situation is that the US not only has a shitton of combustion vehicles, it also heavily relies on them for transportation. Shifting those needs away from cars & trucks takes time, to build dense housing, rail, etc., at a time when we're fighting to bring down our emissions to zero ASAP. EVs are an essential tool to bring down our transportation emissions while other policies and infrastructure are being developed. We can implement policies that disincentivize ALL cars, at the same time as we shift the cars we do have from combustion to EV.

They said:

@bluebelly-sun-serpentine:

Yeah it’s easier to convince people to keep buying cars than to radically change the landscape, but convincing people to keep buying cars(ev version) ends up looking like this:

Oh now you can drive further without feeling as guilty (because we’re not going to tell you in our ads that the majority of pm2.5 pollution is not from gas usage but from friction, so you’ll have just as many or more people on the road because govts disinvest in transit…

see for instance NYC which has at the last minute decided against congestion pricing to please a few commuters from long island - the money from congestion pricing was going to go into updating public transit (bus lines and elevators for currently ADA noncompliant subway stations) and now it’s not. NYS public transit system is just going to further degrade because people are still on the car supremacy path - EVEN in the densest city in the USA

so if more people erroneously believe driving is somehow climate or pollution neutral, people who would maybe choose to drive less will drive more, more people on the road means more public money spent on car infrastructure (not necessarily EV infrastructure), that money can’t go elsewhere, maybe we get more highway lanes added because people still erroneously believe widening highways lowers congestion, so that money doesn’t go elsewhere either…

iirc correctly bigger vehicles (i live in the USA and in the USA EV just means “we can build them bigger now”) also pollute more not just because of higher gas costs - more friction, more pm2.5 from that, more materials costs at the outset, higher environmental costs to ship all these new vehicles to wealthy consumers who may want a new car in 5 years…

and that’s no even starting on how many car-dependent municipalities are in a financial death spiral already because of how that development pattern impacts costs vs tax revenue - it’s expensive to run out suburban roads, sewage sewage & water, electrical lines, etc and many suburban or exurban developments grow and then find the municipality’s tax draw can’t afford to keep up that vital infrastructure simply because there aren’t enough taxpayers per sq mile

when you rezone and build density you have a geographically condensed tax base that can actually support and pay for that vital infrastructure and might even have money left over for other vital things like ADA compliant transit, libraries, school lunches, whatever

so I kind of see personal EVs as just one more thing encouraging municipalities into bankruptcy because they help mask the urgency of updating our land use patterns

EPVs simply don’t solve - and in fact help prolong or worsen - one of the biggest problems driving economic and environmental catastrophe in my country, and I also think that the hype around them encourages overconsumption.

#environment #carbon emissions #electric vehicles #climate

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ukrfeminism · 2 years

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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-nicola-sturgeon-is-deaf-to-women-s-concerns-over-gender-id-tn03x6gjv

Just over a week ago, I posted a picture of myself wearing a T-shirt printed with the words “Nicola Sturgeon: Destroyer of Women’s Rights” on Twitter. I did this to show my solidarity with women who were protesting outside the Scottish parliament against the proposed Gender Recognition Act reform bill.

Some of the women, like Maya Forstater and Helen Joyce, have public profiles, but most of the women protesting do not. They also knew they might be taking a risk in demonstrating. It takes guts for Scottish women to stand up for their rights these days — not, I should emphasise, anywhere near the same guts as Iranian women are currently displaying, but guts nonetheless. They risk being targeted by activists, police complaints being made against them and even the threat of a spell in jail for posting what are seen as “transphobic” comments or images by their complainants.

Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, believes the protesters outside parliament on October 6 have nothing to complain about. The woman who calls herself a “real feminist” said to the BBC that her proposed new Gender Recognition Act “doesn’t give any additional rights to trans people nor does it take any rights away from women”.

I disagree. So, to name just a few who were also protesting that day, do Rhona Hotchkiss, the retired prison governor with a Masters in Law and a qualification in Research Methodology; Isabelle Kerr, former manager of Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre, who was awarded an MBE for her international work helping rape and sexual assault victims; all-female independent policy analysis collective Murray Blackburn Mackenzie; and For Women Scotland, a grassroots feminist group that has emerged as a leading voice for Scottish women over the last few years.

If Sturgeon’s new act passes into law, a person will be able to change their legal gender as long as they’ve lived in their acquired gender for three months, and made a statutory declaration that they intend to keep doing so. Remarkably, nobody seems able to explain what living in an acquired gender actually means, so how those granting certificates can judge whether the criteria has been met is anyone’s guess.

Under the current act, those who wish to change their gender need a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, ie, persistent distress and discomfort with their natal sex. However, all medical gatekeeping has been removed from Sturgeon’s revised bill. I presume this is in response to the strong push from the trans activist lobby to “depathologise” trans identities. The argument is that trans people aren’t mentally ill: being trans is as natural as being gay. As Rachel Cohen, campaigns director of Stonewall wrote in 2017: “Being trans is not about ‘sex changes’ or clothes, it’s about an innate sense of self.” You may ask how anyone can assess the authenticity of somebody else’s “innate sense of self”. I haven’t a clue.

Soon, then, in Scotland, it may be easier to change the sex on your birth certificate than it is to change it on your passport. In consequence, intact males who’re judged to have met the meagre requirements will be considered as “valid” and entitled to protections as those who’ve had full sex reassignment surgery, and more male-bodied individuals will assert more strongly a right to be in women’s spaces such as public bathrooms, changing rooms, rape support centres, domestic violence refuges, hospital wards and prison cells that were hitherto reserved for women.

In 2019, The Sunday Times made a freedom of information request to the Ministry of Justice that revealed almost 90 per cent of sexual offences committed in changing rooms happened in those that are unisex. Nevertheless, Sturgeon loftily dismisses anyone who fears her new legislation could be wide open to abuse. “It is men who attack women [feminists should worry about] and we need to focus on that, not on further stigmatising and discriminating against a tiny group in our society that is already one of the most stigmatised.”

In saying this, Sturgeon is employing no fewer than three arguments beloved of trans activists.

The first is that trans women are extremely vulnerable, far more so than biological women. This is in spite of the fact that no trans woman has been murdered in Scotland to date, whereas 112 women were murdered by men in Scotland between 2009 and 2019.

The second argument is that men who transition, uniquely among all other categories of those born male, never harm women. Yet there is no evidence to show that trans women don’t retain male patterns of criminality. According to Jo Phoenix, Professor of Criminology at the University of Reading: “Sex is the single strongest predictor of criminality and criminalisation. Since criminal statistics were first collected (in the mid 1850s) males make up around 80 per cent of those arrested, prosecuted and convicted of crime. Violent crime is mostly committed by males . . . This remains the case regardless of stated gender identity.” The Ministry of Justice’s own figures show that there are proportionately more trans-identified men in prison for sexual offences than among incarcerated males taken as a whole.

The third argument Sturgeon uses is that it’s transphobic to suggest any man would fraudulently claim a female identity. This claim is extraordinary. Nobody but the very naive can fail to be aware that predatory men are capable of going to great lengths to gain easy access to victims, and have often sought out professions or special status that offer camouflage for their activities. Sex offenders have historically been found among social workers, teachers, priests, doctors, babysitters, school caretakers, celebrities and charity fundraisers, yet no matter how often the scandals break, the lesson appears never to be learned: it is dangerous to assert that any category of people deserves a blanket presumption of innocence. Incidentally, it seems that prison is the perfect space in which to discover your innate sense of self: half of Scottish prisoners currently claiming a trans identity only did so after conviction.

This shouldn’t need saying, but in the current climate, it does: literally no feminist I’ve ever met claims all trans women are predators, any more than we believe that all men are predators. As I’ve already stated publicly, I believe that some trans people are truly vulnerable. That, though, is not the point.

I’ve spent much of the past 25 years campaigning for and funding initiatives to help women and children. These have included projects for female prisoners, campaigns for the rights of single mothers, the funding of safe spaces for victims of rape and male violence, and the fight to end child institutionalisation. I’ve also learned a huge amount about safeguarding from experts, both in relation to vulnerable children placed in institutions, who’re often abused or trafficked, and in the context of sexually abused women.

I say all this to make it clear that concern for women’s and children’s safety isn’t something I’m pretending to be interested in to mask a deep hostility to trans people. The question for me and all the feminists I know is, how do we make trans people safe without making women and girls less safe?

One of the most damning things I’ve heard about the consultation process for Sturgeon’s new bill is this: Murray Blackburn Mackenzie identified five female survivors of male violence who were prepared to meet with the committee and explain what had happened to them, the severe impact it had upon their lives, and why they fear the government is making it easier for violent or predatory men to get access to women and girls. The committee declined to meet the survivors, telling them to put their concerns in writing. Susan Smith, one of For Women Scotland’s founders, told me: “These women were prepared to parade their trauma and were rebuffed.” The committee did, however, find time to meet 17 trans-identified individuals.

In 1983 Andrea Dworkin wrote: “No matter how often these stories are told, with whatever clarity or eloquence, bitterness or sorrow, they might as well have been whispered in wind or written in sand: they disappear, as if they were nothing. The tellers and the stories are ignored or ridiculed, threatened back into silence or destroyed, and the experience of female suffering is buried in cultural invisibility and contempt . . . the very reality of abuse sustained by women, despite its overwhelming pervasiveness and constancy, is negated.”

Nearly 40 years later, Rhona Hotchkiss says that vulnerable women in Scotland are being told “their concerns, their fears, their despair, must take second place to the feelings of men who identify as women. Politicians who say there is no clash of rights have no idea about the lives of women in situations they will never face.”

Rarely in politics is it easy to draw a direct line from a single policy decision to the harm it’s done, but in this case, it will be simple. If any woman or girl suffers voyeurism, sexual harassment, assault or rape in consequence of the Scottish government’s lax new rules, the blame will rest squarely with those at Holyrood who ignored safeguarding experts and women’s campaigners.

And nobody should be held to higher account than the first minister, the “real feminist” who’s riding roughshod over the rights of women and girls.

• A new poll shows Nicola Sturgeon is out of step with Scottish voters over her proposed gender recognition law (Jason Allardyce writes).

A Panelbase survey of 1,018 voters for The Sunday Times suggests her plans command little public support – even among SNP supporters – and that opposition is growing as people have become more engaged with the debate.

The poll, conducted on October 7-11, found 62 per cent opposed to reducing the age at which people can change gender from 18 to 16, with just 19 per cent in favour while a further 19 per cent didn’t know. Among SNP voters, only 26 per cent backed Sturgeon on the age issue, while 52 per cent were opposed and 22 per cent didn’t know.

Just a quarter of the voters polled (25 per cent) back the plan to cut the time required to change gender from two years to three months plus a three month-reflection period, while it is opposed by 50 per cent and 24 per cent don’t know. More voters oppose than support the proposed removal of the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria (39 per cent v 26 per cent).

The poll follows claims that some young people who change gender are pushed down a medical route and may benefit from better counselling to establish whether gender change is right for them.

A Scottish government spokesman said: “Our support for trans rights does not conflict with our continued strong commitment to uphold the rights and protections that women and girls currently have under the 2010 Equality Act, which includes a number of exceptions which allow for trans people to be excluded when this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

“Those exceptions are important and the Scottish government supports them. The Gender Recognition Reform Bill does not make changes to Equality Act or to those exceptions.”

Q&A

How does the existing Gender Recognition Act work? Under the 2004 law, a trans person can apply for a gender recognition certificate (GRC), which recognises their acquired gender under the eyes of the law. They can then obtain a birth certificate with their recognised legal sex.

What does the Scottish government want to change? It plans to end the requirement for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, reduce the minimum age of application from 18 to 16 and let people obtain a GRC after living in their acquired gender for three months and a further three-month “reflection” period. Applicants would make a statutory declaration that they intend to live the rest of their lives in their acquired gender, with false declarations a criminal offence punishable with up to two years’ imprisonment.

How many people are expected to change gender? More than 6,000 GRCs have been granted across the UK to date, with an estimated 25-30 in Scotland each year. Based on Ireland’s experience, ministers expect 250-300 applicants a year.

What are the main arguments for reform? Ministers say the current system is “intrusive”, “distressing” and “unnecessary”, denying trans people the right to live and die in their true gender.

And the main arguments against change? Opponents believe vulnerable women will be placed at risk, with trans people with male anatomy gaining access to women-only spaces including changing rooms, public toilets, prisons and refuges. There is concern that some people with trauma, depression or other conditions could be pushed down the route of irreversible medical transitioning from an early age when counselling about their needs would be better.

Can the plans be stopped? A majority of MSPs are expected to vote in favour of the new legislation, with backing from SNP, Labour, Green and Lib Dem ranks while Conservatives are expected to vote against. The strength of public opposition, including among SNP voters, could lead to elements being watered down.

#The link isn’t inserting properly - my apologies

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dialogue-queered · 1 year

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Australian Issues Primer

Comment: Combine a neo-liberal, national government aiming to make savings at any cost using decision-making algorithms to recover money come hell or high water with the view that legal analyses were just another opinion, and with a vicious contempt for welfare recipients.

Outcome: an illegal scheme causing widespread recipient despair, even suicide, over many years and a conclusion that ministerial and public servants' conduct amounted to varieties of abuse of power.

Report:

7 July 2023

On Friday [7 July] the royal commission into robodebt handed down its damning findings into the scheme. Here’s what you need to know.

What was the royal commission investigating?

The commission was established last year to investigate the federal government scheme known as robodebt, which was designed to recover supposed overpayments from welfare recipients going back to the financial year 2010-11.

The scheme relied heavily on a process known as “income averaging” to assess income and a person’s entitlement to a benefit.

Catherine Holmes SC was asked to investigate how and why the scheme was created, designed and implemented, and who was responsible; how risks and concerns about it were dealt with and how complaints and challenges were managed by the government; the use of third-party debt collectors; and the human and economic impacts of the scheme.

There were 3,030 hours of hearings held with 115 witnesses, with more than 5,050 pages of transcripts. More than 10,000 exhibits were tendered.

What did it find?

The commission’s 900-page report released on Friday found the “cruel and crude” scheme was “devised without regard to the social security law” using an averaging process to estimate welfare recipients’ income in a manner that “was essentially unfair, treating many people as though they had received income at a time when they had not”.

Holmes accused the architects of robodebt of “an obliviousness to, or worse a callous disregard, of the fact that many welfare recipients had neither the means nor the ability to negotiate an online system” to provide evidence of their income dating back five years.

An unknown number of key figures have been referred for civil and criminal charges, although the names are in a sealed chapter of the report that has not been released publicly.

Robodebt had “disastrous effects” including “families struggling to make ends meet receiving a debt notice at Christmas, young people being driven to despair by demands for payment, and, horribly, an account of a young man’s suicide”, the report said.

Who has been implicated?

The royal commission’s report is scathing of the former prime minister Scott Morrison, former government services minister Stuart Robert and former department of human services secretary Kathryn Campbell. It also damns Alan Tudge, who was human services minister in 2017 when the robodebt scheme was under scrutiny.

Holmes directly criticised Morrison in her report for not making proper inquiries in his role as social services minister about why his department went back on its 2015 suggestion that income averaging required legislative change.

The commission all but rejected Robert’s evidence that he attempted to end the scheme as soon as possible and had serious concerns about income averaging.

It found Campbell “had been responsible for a department that had established, implemented and maintained an unlawful program. When exposed to information that brought to light the illegality of income averaging, she did nothing of substance. When presented with opportunities to obtain advice on the lawfulness of that practice, she failed to act.”

Holmes found that Tudge was “not open to considering any significant alteration, or cessation, of processes underlying those fundamental features” and used “information about social security recipients in the media to distract from and discourage commentary about the scheme’s problems represented an abuse of that power”.

What did the report recommend?

There were 57 recommendations in the report. These included that a body should be set up to monitor automatic decision-making processes, that Services Australia should establish a debt-recovery management policy, that the government should review the structure of the social services portfolio and the status of Services Australia, and changes to the Freedom of Information Act so that the description of a cabinet document can no longer justify it remaining confidential.

It also recommended that Services Australia should design policies with an emphasis on recipients, which also shouldn’t reinforce feelings of stigma associated with government support; that consideration should be given to the vulnerabilities of recipients who could be affected by compliance programs; and that a new legal framework is needed for the use of automation in government services, with a clear path for review by those affected by related decisions.

What happens next?

Some of the people criticised in the report are yet to comment publicly, so it is unclear if they dispute the findings.

Morrison rejected the findings and said he “acted in good faith and on clear and deliberate department advice” that it wasn’t necessary to legislate the scheme and “presented comprehensive evidence to support this position”.

“I reject completely each of the findings which are critical of my involvement in authorising the scheme and are adverse to me. They are wrong, unsubstantiated and contradicted by clear documentary evidence presented to the commission,” he said.

Robert says he has “not received a notice of inclusion in the ‘sealed section’ and I understand they have all gone out” meaning he is unlikely to be among the people referred for investigation.

Tudge has made similar comments, saying he had not received notification of any referral and “my legal team has not identified any basis of which any civil or criminal prosecution could successfully be made against me”.

Those who are criticised in the report will also not necessarily be subject to the civil and criminal referrals that are included in the sealed chapter.

Those referrals themselves could be expected to take months to investigate, and the nature of them may not be known until the individuals who have been implicated are charged, should such prosecutions occur.

But the report does note that “on the evidence before the commission, elements of the tort of misfeasance in public office appear to exist” which points to the possible nature of the referrals.

The report also noted that “where litigation is not available, the Commonwealth does have a “Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration” (which would be a very euphemistic way of describing what happened in the robodebt scheme) where a person has suffered from defective administration and there is no legal requirement to make a payment. It is not appropriate to say any more on that front.” This appears to suggest those affected by the scheme may be able to make further claims against the government (noting, however, the robodebt class action settlement).

Bill Shorten, the minister for government services, made clear that while he understood why people may be frustrated with the referrals remaining private, he did not wish anything to compromise possible prosecutions.

– Australian Associated Press contributed to this report

#robodebt #welfare #justice #abuse of power #auspol #australia #scott morrison

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abuhusna · 9 days

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The Importance of Gratitude and Establishing Salah Before Criticizing Others

Ungrateful individuals—Allah has blessed us with wealth, health, and family, yet we fail to show gratitude by neglecting His commandments. Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a mercy to mankind, and the Prophet emphasized the importance of Salah (prayer) as a means to draw closer to Allah and present our concerns about this world and the Hereafter. Yet, instead of prioritizing prayer, many of us make excuses and neglect this crucial duty. Salah, the second pillar of Islam after the Shahada, is fundamental, and without it, our other acts of worship—such as fasting, giving Zakat, and intending to perform Hajj—are incomplete.

**The Importance of Salah in the Qur'an and Sunnah**

Allah has made it clear in the Qur'an how essential Salah is to our faith:

> "Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times." (Qur'an 4:103)

Neglecting Salah not only weakens our connection with Allah, but it also puts our other acts of worship at risk. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

> "The first of man's deeds for which he will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be Salah. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful; but if it is incomplete, he will be unfortunate and a loser." (Tirmidhi, 413)

This shows that without establishing prayer, the rest of our deeds may not be accepted. Failing to observe the five daily prayers as commanded by Allah is a serious matter, and yet, some of us have the audacity to mock or criticize other Muslims who strive to fulfill their obligations diligently.

**Self-Reflection Before Criticizing Others**

The Qur'an advises us to look inward before pointing out the faults of others:

> "O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?" (Qur'an 61:2)

Instead of mocking others, we should correct ourselves first. Establish Salah as a foundation for a strong Muslim identity. Be a good example to your family, especially to your children, by adhering to the path Allah has legislated.

**The Warning Against Mocking Other Muslims**

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned against the sin of hypocrisy and judging others:

> "The believer is a mirror to another believer." (Abu Dawood, 4918)

Those who criticize others while neglecting their own duties are being hypocritical. How can we comment on others' shortcomings when we are failing in our own obligations to Allah? Mocking other Muslims is not only foolish, but it also invites Allah’s anger and displeasure.

In conclusion, let us strive to establish the five daily prayers, act upon the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and avoid criticizing others. May Allah guide us all to the straight path and help us fulfill our duties to Him sincerely.

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ivankahasbeentreatedsounfairly · 20 days

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By Patrick Svitek

Former president Donald Trump gave a confusing answer Thursday when asked about making child care more affordable, suggesting the costs would be brought down by his proposed tariffs on foreign nations.

Trump made the comment during an appearance at the Economic Club of New York, where a panelist asked him what legislation he would prioritize to reduce the cost of child care.

After saying he “would do that” and calling it a “very important issue,” Trump pivoted to pitching “taxing foreign nations at levels they’re not used to — but they’ll get used to very quickly.” Trump has long discussed slapping tariffs of at least 10 percent on imports, raising concerns of a trade war if he returns to the White House.

The Republican presidential nominee suggested in New York that the revenue from such tariffs would somehow be so large that the cost of child care would no longer be a concern for the United States.

“Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers that we’re talking about, including child care, that it’s going to take care,” Trump said, without elaborating on how the tariff revenue would lower child-care costs.

Trump went on to suggest that the tariffs would generate trillions of dollars for the country to address a range of its needs. Child care, he added, would be “not very expensive compared to the kind of numbers we’ll be taking in.”

“We’re going to make this into an incredible country that can afford to take care of its people,” Trump said.

While a 10 percent tariff on all imports could raise as much as $3 trillion over a decade, exceeding the cost of most national child-care proposals, it could also touch off an international trade war that threatens to raise other costs.

Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign on X shared a video clip of Trump’s remarks without commentary. A Trump campaign account took issue with the transcript that the Harris campaign provided in its post but otherwise reiterated Trump’s remarks suggesting that higher tariffs would make child-care costs a nonissue.

Trump’s comments have come as both parties have increasingly vied to show they want to bring down the costs of caring for families. Both Harris and Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), have proposed expanding the child tax credit in different ways.

Speaking more broadly during the New York City event, Trump promised to lead a “national economic renaissance.” He said Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO who has endorsed Trump, will lead a commission to audit federal spending and regulations.

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influencermagazineuk · 23 days

Link

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fatehbaz · 2 years

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The most iconic predators in the American West are under attack, and top government officials and agencies are failing to uphold the law to protect them. Those are the allegations in a pair of lawsuits filed in federal and state court recently. Though filed separately, the two claims share a common concern: that wolf and grizzly bear populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains will be decimated. In the past year, leading wildlife biologists have spoken out with rising alarm about the fate of the predators in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, where Republican lawmakers have advanced some of the most aggressive laws and proposals targeting the two species in recent history. [...]

In the past year, many top wildlife researchers in the Rocky Mountains have warned of a return to the bad old days of the 1880s following political changes in the region. [...] While politics have always shaped carnivore conservation, recent events have left many scientists horrified and outraged that decades of work could soon be lost. In January, 35 of the region’s most prominent wildlife biologists wrote an open letter objecting to petitions from Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho to delist grizzly bears. [...] If grizzlies were delisted, the biologists argued, they would likely face the same treatment that wolves across the Northern Rockies were already experiencing.

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Outside the protected confines of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming has long permitted a shoot-on-sight approach to wolves across much of the state. Last year, Republican lawmakers in Idaho and Montana took major steps in the same direction, passing laws to drastically slash wolf populations — in Idaho by as much as 90 percent — by granting individual hunters and trappers the authority to wipe out entire packs, and legalizing wolf bounty programs, aerial hunting, the use of snares, night hunting with night-vision goggles and other measures long seen as far outside the ethical bounds of “fair chase” hunting, which requires that hunters not take unfair advantage over the animals they seek.

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In Montana specifically, the biologists wrote, science-based wildlife management “was replaced by anti-predator hysteria.”

“It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to realize that if grizzly bears were delisted and turned over to state management,” the letter said, “that the Montana legislature and governor would do the same thing to grizzlies that they are currently doing to wolves.” In addition to the states’ requests to delist the bears, Wyoming Republicans Rep. Liz Cheney and Sen. Cynthia Lummis have introduced bills to not only delist grizzlies, but also to bar public comment and prevent any judicial review of the decision. [...]

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On October 27, the environmental groups WildEarth Guardians and Project Coyote, filed suit in a county court against the state of Montana; its Fish, Wildlife and Parks department; and the panel of citizen commissioners who make policy for FWP.

As The Intercept reported in an investigation in July, the 2020 election of Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte ushered in a radical reordering of the state’s wildlife governance, stacking the commission overseeing FWP with representatives from the trapping and trophy hunting industry, as well as campaign donors.

Among the core claims in the WildEarth Guardians-Project Coyote lawsuit is an argument is that the justification for Montana’s ultra-aggressive wolf hunt is based on unreliable data. [...]

During the 2021 session, Republican state legislators Bob Brown and Paul Fielder advanced a series of anti-wolf bills — all signed into law by Gianforte, endorsed by his handpicked FWP commissioners, and enforced by the department — based on the argument that Montana had too many wolves and at least 450 of the animals needed to be killed. “We’re not talking about necessarily ethical management of them,” Fielder said in the run-up to the 2021 hunt. “We want to reduce wolf numbers.” [...]

The Montana legislature reconvenes in January. In a public meeting in September, Fielder signaled that the state would ratchet up its war on wolves in 2023. “It was stated on the floor last session that this is not about ethical or fair chase, it was about reducing the number of wolves. Management starts with M-A-N, man. We’ve got to take control of things,” he said.

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Image, caption, and all text by: Ryan Devereaux. “The fight to stop Republicans from killing wolves and grizzlies.” The Intercept. 5 November 2022.

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novumtimes · 2 months

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U.S. lawmakers propose a ban on weighted infant sleepwear : NPR

Companies that make weighted infant sleepwear say their products are safe and help babies sleep, but a growing chorus of medical experts, safe-sleep advocates and government regulators warn that the garments could be dangerous. Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Getty Images A group of federal lawmakers wants to ban weighted sleepwear for infants over concerns that the garments could harm young babies, with federal data showing at least five infant deaths associated with the products. Companies that make weighted sleepwear for newborns and infants say their products are safe and help exhausted parents by easing young children into a restful sleep. But a growing chorus of medical experts, safe-sleep advocates and government regulators have urged caregivers to avoid the items, arguing that there’s no proof weighted infant sleepwear is safe and that in fact it could impede young babies from breathing, pumping blood and moving freely. “The stakes are simply too high to allow weighted infant sleep sacks and swaddles to stay on the market without evidence that they are safe,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement. The Safeguarding Infants from Dangerous Sleep Act, which was introduced in both the Senate and the House, would ban wearable blankets, sleep sacks and swaddles that contain added weight “for a purpose other than insulation or decoration” for children age 1 and younger. “In today’s world, many consumers believe that if a product is sold it must be safe, especially those for babies. However, this isn’t always the case,” Michelle Barry, founder and president of the nonprofit Safe Infant Sleep, said in a statement. “This legislation is a crucial step in safeguarding our youngest and most precious citizens.” Manasi Gangan, CEO of Nested Bean, which makes and sells weighted infant sleepwear, criticized the proposed legislation as “anti-science” and said she opposed it. “The bill proposed by Senator Blumenthal and Congressman Cardenas doubles-down on unreasonable government overreach without any data and does not serve the public’s best interest,” Gangan said in an email to NPR. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., is a sponsor of the legislation. Gangan has called for a product standard on weighted infant sleepwear in the past, and she noted that Nested Bean has sold more than 2.5 million units since 2011. “While our business has suffered due to reckless statements from government officials, our customers – each one a loving parent, grandparent, or caregiver – are standing with us,” she added. Dreamland Baby, the other leading manufacturer of weighted infant sleepwear, did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for a comment. Patty Davis, a spokesperson for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said the agency is aware of five deaths associated with weighted infant sleep products. “As the investigations into these incidents are ongoing, we are unable to provide additional details,” Davis said. But data published by the CPSC show five fatalities that involved a weighted infant sleep garment between 2022 and 2024. The children who died ranged in age from one month to six months old. The CPSC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all raised concerns about the potential dangers of weighted infant sleepwear. Additionally, a number of major retailers recently pulled the products from their stores, including Amazon, Walmart and Target. A group of safe-sleep advocates, industry leaders and CPSC officials are also at work on a potential voluntary standard for infant sleep products, which could include weighted garments. Source link via The Novum Times

#The Novum Times

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dankusner · 4 months

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Texas DPS troopers sue over 'demeaning' waistline requirements — 35 inches and under for women, 40 for men

On Wednesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association (DPSOA) filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) over a policy that states officers who exceed a waistline requirement can lose their job.

Last year, DPS implemented a new policy that requires male troopers to maintain a waistline of 40 inches or less and female troopers 35 inches or less.

According to the lawsuit, filed in Travis County, the requirement is discriminatory because officers who do not meet the standard face possible termination, transfer or demotion, according to the lawsuit.

Officers could also lose overtime pay or be barred from working off-duty jobs.

DPS Troopers who do not meet the requirements are subject to these strict repercussions even if they pass all their physical readiness tests and "despite their proficiency to do the job," according to a news release from DPSOA.

"A physically fit, 230 pound, 6 foot, 2 inch male trooper with two decades of experience may have a waist size of 41 inches due to his large build," the statement read. "Due to the shortsighted directive, this Trooper would potentially be removed from duty, taking an experience law enforcement presence off the streets."

"Not only is this policy demeaning, it is damaging to our troopers and to our citizens," Richard Jankovsky, the president of the officer's association, said in the release.

"Not all physically fit troopers are of the same body type, the same height or the same genetic makeup. Troopers have been subject to fitness standards for more than a decade. The new standards have moved beyond testing for fitness needed to perform one’s duty as an officer into an appearance policy that has little bearing on an officer’s ability to keep Texans safe."

In spring 2019, the lawsuit states, DPS conducted fitness testing for 1,153 officers.

Of those, 594 did not meet the waist circumference requirement.

"The Mission of Texas DPSOA is to advocate on behalf of our Troopers, Agents Rangers and members," DPSOA said in a statement.

"We fully support a heart health program. We fully support a physical fitness program. We are advocating that DPS follow the Physical fitness standards as established in statute by the legislature."

The lawsuit asked the Court to put the policy on hold until its legality is determined.

Katherine Cesinger, the spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety, did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment.

The full weight of the law: Texas DPS to start tracking troopers' waistlines

AUSTIN — How many Texas state troopers are obese? The Department of Public Safety is about to find out.

Beginning this month, the department will begin recording the height, weight and "waist [belly] measurement" of its 4,297 commissioned officers during their routine physical readiness tests, according to an email sent last week.

All officers are required to pass two physical fitness assessments each fiscal year.

"Obesity is a significant health issue in the United States and in the law enforcement profession.

In addition to the personal health risks, obesity significantly detracts from an officer's command presence and negatively impacts their overall effectiveness," Skylor Hearn, deputy director of administration and services wrote in an email to officers.

"As such, the department will take proactive steps to address this health and officer safety risk."

But there is some concern that the obesity data collection is another attempt to push out older troopers by adding more fitness requirements.

In December, DPS Director Steve McCraw proposed a plan to lay off 117 older troopers who had retired and been rehired as a way to address budget costs to the department in last year's legislative session. The decision was reversed last month after backlash from state lawmakers and officers.

"I guess maybe they're trying to make it tougher, to force these guys to leave," said Jack Crier, executive director of the Texas State Troopers Association. "That's just an opinion."

Tom Vinger, a department spokesman, said that is "absolutely false" and noted that the new obesity data collection program does not change the department's fitness requirements, which are tiered based on gender and age.

Officials from the Texas State Troopers Association and the Department of Public Safety Officers Association, which represent officers, said that they weren't consulted about the new data collection program but that they haven't heard complaints from officers.

"They just want to know what the policy is and they'll follow it," Crier said. "Those guys are in pretty good shape."

The Texas Legislature requires law enforcement officers to pass a physical test, but individual agencies set their own standards.

Since 2010, DPS has slowly increased its fitness standards with the goal of "ensuring a physically fit and well-trained force that is ready to safely respond to any situation," according to the department's health and physical fitness policy.

To pass the requirements, officers can choose between a combat fitness evaluation consisting of various timed exercises, a variety of rowing tests or a standard test that includes a timed mile-and-a-half run, push-ups and sit-ups.

Officers have three chances to pass the test during each testing cycle.

More than one-third of Americans are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control, and between 30 and 35 percent of Texans fall under the category.

The department has also noted the increased susceptibility of law enforcement officers to cardiovascular diseases.

"The significant health risk associated with obesity and its impact on the protective services industry [police officers, firefighters, and correctional officers] was already documented in our policy manual," Vinger said. "We are simply moving from talking about the health risk to identifying it — and providing support to those impacted by it."

The department's height and weight measurements will be used to generate a body mass index score, categorized into underweight, normal, overweight and obese based on a formula from the Centers for Disease Control.

A body mass index over 25 indicates a person is overweight and over 30 indicates obesity.

But some argue that BMI wrongly identifies people with heavy muscle mass as being obese, while missing unfit people with lanky body types.

To address that, DPS will also implement a waist measurement, in which men with waists over 40 inches in circumference and women with 35 inches in circumference will be considered obese.

The two measures combined, "will collectively serve as an indicator for some that further evaluation is required," Hearn wrote.

"Officers ultimately categorized as being obese will be required to participate in nutrition and fitness education programs," Hearn wrote.

The department is not alone in its struggle with obesity rates. In 2016, the U.S. military had an obesity rate of 7.8 percent, about one in every 13 troops, according to Defense Department data.

"We genuinely care about the welfare of our employees and desire to see them live healthy lives throughout their career and beyond," Vinger said. "While they are employed by our department, we owe it to them and we owe it to the public we serve."

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pacificnewsworld · 4 months

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Immigration Policies: Controlling vs. Compassionate Approaches in the Election Debate rishi sunak

Immigration Policies: Striking a Balance Between Control and Compassion in the Election Debate In the midst of the ongoing election debate, the topic of immigration policies has taken center stage as candidates grapple with the age-old question of striking a balance between control and compassion. The competing ideologies of strict border control measures and humanitarian considerations have sparked heated discussions among policymakers and the public alike. While some argue for stringent immigration policies, citing concerns over national security and economic stability, others advocate for a more compassionate approach that takes into account the plight of refugees and migrants seeking a better life. The contrasting viewpoints highlight the complexity of the issue and the challenges inherent in finding a solution that satisfies both sides of the debate. Proponents of controlling immigration emphasize the need to safeguard national borders and protect the interests of citizens. They argue that strict policies are necessary to prevent illegal immigration, reduce crime rates, and preserve job opportunities for the native population. On the other hand, advocates for a compassionate approach stress the importance of upholding human rights, providing asylum to those in need, and fostering diversity and inclusion within society. As the election draws near, candidates are under pressure to articulate their stance on immigration policies and appeal to voters with their proposed solutions. The outcome of the debate will not only shape the future of immigration legislation but also reflect the values and priorities of the electorate. In the midst of the competing narratives, one thing remains clear: the need to find a balance between controlling immigration and showing compassion towards those in need. The election debate serves as a crucial platform for addressing these pressing issues and determining the direction of immigration policies in the years to come.

Farage Ditches UKIP's Asylum Seeker Detention Policy

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has ditched the party's policy of "secure detention for all asylum seekers" and said he needed to "sort a few things out." Farage, who left UKIP in December, said in an interview with The Telegraph that the policy was "unworkable" and that he had "never been a fan of it." He said that he had been working on a new policy on asylum and immigration that would be "more humane" and "more effective." "I'm not going to go into the details of it now, but it's something that I'm working on," he said. Farage's comments come as the government is facing pressure to reform its asylum system. The Home Office is currently reviewing its policy of detaining asylum seekers, and a number of charities and human rights groups have called for an end to the practice. In a statement, UKIP said that it "respects" Farage's decision to leave the party and that it "wishes him well for the future." The party said that it would continue to campaign for "secure detention for all asylum seekers" and that it believed that the policy was "necessary to protect the UK's borders."

Immigration Policies: Contrasting Views on Controlling vs. Compassionate Approaches in the Election Debate The upcoming election has brought to light a stark divide in viewpoints regarding immigration policies, with candidates like Rishi Sunak presenting contrasting stances on the matter. While some advocate for stricter controls and border security measures, others argue for more compassionate and inclusive approaches towards immigrants and refugees. Rishi Sunak, a prominent figure in the debate, has been vocal about the need for stricter immigration controls to protect national security and uphold the rule of law. He emphasizes the importance of securing borders and regulating immigration to ensure that only those who meet specific criteria are allowed entry into the country. Sunak believes that a tough stance on immigration is necessary to address concerns about job competition, public services, and cultural integration. On the other side of the spectrum, advocates for a more compassionate approach to immigration argue that policies should prioritize human rights, dignity, and empathy towards those seeking refuge or a better life. They highlight the contributions that immigrants make to society, the economy, and cultural diversity. Proponents of this viewpoint, including some opposition candidates, call for fairer asylum processes, support for refugees, and pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already residing in the country. As the election approaches, the debate over immigration policies continues to be a central issue, with voters facing a choice between controlling measures that prioritize national security and order, or compassionate approaches that prioritize human welfare and inclusivity. The outcome of the election will undoubtedly shape the future of immigration policies and the treatment of immigrants and refugees within the country.

#uk lesbian #uk tv shows #uk politics #uk #politics #trudeau #green party #presidential #sanctions #reporting #world news #world

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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 2 years

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Florida drag queens compared recent moves by state Republican lawmakers targeting their performances — including Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration's efforts to revoke the liquor license of a hotel that hosted a drag show — to Nazis in the 1930s.

"It's fascism, it's complete and total, unregulated, fascism. and they're just doing whatever they want and it's so dangerous and so scary," drag performer Mr Ms Adrien — who asked to go by their stage name — told Insider.

DeSantis' administration moved to pull the Hyatt Regency Miami's liquor license after one of its partner facilities hosted a drag queen Christmas show where some children were in attendance.

In a previous statement to Insider, DeSantis' press secretary Bryan Griffin told Insider that the Governor "stands up for the innocence of children in the classroom and throughout Florida."

But advocates like Equality Florida say the incident is an example of the DeSantis administration "selectively weaponizing state agencies" to target drag performers and venues that are not harmful for children.

And Chris Caputo, a city commissioner in Wilton Manors, Florida who has spoken in support of LGBTQ issues, said the current situation reminds him of "Nazi Germany."

"This Governor and the current Republican administration are succeeding by marginalizing groups and tearing them off."

FLORIDA DOESN'T FEEL LIKE HOME, ONE DRAG QUEEN SAID

Adrien, who was born and raised in South Florida, is now an Orlando-based drag queen and said recent anti-LGBTQ political shifts make the state feel like it's no longer home.

Specifically, Adrien said ongoing narratives about drag shows and minors, like the complaint against the Hyatt Regency Miami on Tuesday, are "trying to paint a picture that just isn't real ... It's a fake narrative."

They also cited recent and proposed legislation — including an education bill dubbed by critics as "Don't Say Gay" that limits how topics like gender are discussed in classrooms — as examples of what they called dangerous power grabs.

"It's exactly what we were taught about in schools about how the Nazis rose to power," Adrien said. "Textbook, bullet point for bullet point."

DeSantis' office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on the criticism.

Adrien said that while they've faced hate and harassment before, there are newer concerns about people attending drag shows undercover to take pictures and videos that, out of context or falsely edited, could be used against queens.

The environment in the state is increasingly hostile, they said.

'THOSE SAFE SPACES WILL GO AWAY'

Jason DeShazo is president of Rose Dynasty Foundation Inc. and performs as drag queen Momma Ashley Rose.

Rose Dynasty Foundation is a non-profit "whose mission is to provide a safe and family-friendly atmosphere for all people no matter their gender, race, sexual orientation, and/or religion," according to the website.

Their drag brunches, as documented by NBC News, have welcomed children and families.

But after DeSantis' move to revoke liquor licenses at the Hyatt Regency and two other locations, drag performers like DeShazo's group and Adrien could face difficulty finding work.

DeShazo called the efforts "a witch hunt" and fears the legislation and efforts to limit drag could prevent LGBTQ kids from finding communities to support them.

"This could very well change the way our whole organization is ran, if we can even function as an organization," DeShazo said. "Those safe spaces will go away."

According to both DeShazo and Adrien, the economic effects of Florida's rhetoric is already being felt: venues are concerned about their performances' content, shows have been canceled, and queens have dropped out of events out because of fears of public backlash.

Adrien said it's hitting drag queen's wallets.

"They want us to be broke and they want everyone to be afraid of us," they said.

Despite concerns, advocates are still protesting.

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