#or live alongside them as an active ally

[stephobrien]

Is your pro-Palestine activism hurting innocent people? Here's how to avoid that.

Note: If you prefer plain text, you can read the plain text version here.

Over the last few days, I’ve had conversations with several Jewish people who told me how hurt and scared they are right now.

To my great regret, some of that pain came from a poorly-thought-out post of mine, which – while not ill-intentioned – WAS hurtful.

And a lot of it came from cruelty they’d experienced at the hands of people who claim to be advocating for Palestine, but are using the very real plight of innocent Palestinians to harm equally innocent Jewish people.

Y’all, we need to do better. (Yes, “we” definitely includes me; this is in no small part a “learn from my fail” post, and also a “making amends” post. Some of these are mistakes I’ve made in the past.)

So if you’re an advocate for Palestine who wants to make sure that your defense of one group of vulnerable people doesn’t harm another, here are some important things to do or keep in mind:

Ask yourself if you’re applying a standard to one group that you aren’t applying to another.

Would you want all white Americans or Canadians to be expelled from America or Canada?

Do you want all Jewish people to be expelled from Israel, as opposed to finding a way to live alongside Palestinian Arabs in peace?

If the answer to those two questions is different, ask yourself WHY.

Do you want to be held responsible for the actions of your nation’s army or government? No? Then don’t hold innocent Jewish people, or Israelis in general (whether Jewish or otherwise), responsible for the actions of the Israeli army and government.

On that subject, be wary of condemning all Israeli people for the actions of the IDF. Large-scale tactical decisions are made by the top brass. Service is compulsory, and very few can reasonably get out of service.

Blaming all Israelis for the military’s actions is like blaming all Vietnam vets for the horrors in Vietnam. They’re not calling the shots. They aren’t Nazis running concentration camps. They are carrying out military operations that SHOULD be criticized.

And do not compare them or ANY JEWISH PERSON to Nazis in general. It is Jewish cultural trauma and not outsiders’ to use against them.

Don’t infuse legitimate criticism with antisemitism.

By all means, spread the word about the crimes committed by the Israeli army and government, and the complicity of their allies. Criticize the people responsible for committing and enabling atrocities.

But if you imply that they’re committing those crimes because they’re Jewish, or because Jewish people have special privileges, then you’re straying into antisemitic territory.

Criticize the crime, not the group. If you believe that collective punishment is wrong, don’t do it yourself.

And do your best to use words that apply directly to the situation, rather than the historical terms for situations with similar features. For example, use “segregation,” “oppression,” or “subjugation,” not “Holocaust” or “Jim Crow.” These other historical events are not the cultural property of Jews OR Palestinians, but also have their own nuances and struggles and historical contexts.

Also, blaming other world events on Jewish people or making Jewish people associated with them (for instance, some people falsely blame Jewish people for the African slave trade) is a key feature of how antisemitism functions.

Please, by all means, be specific and detailed in your critiques. But keep them focused on the current political actors – not other peoples’ or nations’ political or cultural histories and traumas.

Be prepared to accept criticism.

You probably already know that society is infused with a wide array of bigotries, and that people growing up in that environment tend to absorb those beliefs without even realizing it. Antisemitism is no exception.

What that means is, there’s a very real chance that you will screw up, and get called out on it, as I so recently did.

If that happens, please be willing to learn and adapt. If you can educate yourself about the suffering and needs of Palestinians, you can do the same for Jewish people.

Understand that the people you hurt aren’t obligated to baby you. Give them room to be angry.

After I made a post that inadvertently hurt people, some were nice about it, and others weren’t. Some outright insulted my morals and intelligence.

And I had to accept that I’d earned that from them.

I’d hurt them, and they weren’t obligated to be more careful with my feelings than I had been with theirs.

They weren’t obligated to forgive me, trust me, or stop being mad at me right away.

I’ll admit, there were moments when I got defensive. I shouldn’t have. And I encourage you to try not to, if you screw up and hurt people.

I know that’s hard, but it’s important. Getting defensive only tells people you care more about doubling down on your mistake than you do about healing the hurt it caused.

Instead, acknowledge that they have a right to be angry, apologize for the way you hurt them, and try to make amends, while understanding that they don’t owe you trust or forgiveness.

Be aware that some antisemites are using legitimate complaints to “Trojan horse” antisemitism into leftist spaces.

This is a really easy stumbling block to trip over, because most people probably don’t look at every post a creator makes before sharing the one they’re looking at right now.

I recently shared a video that called out some of the Likud and IDF’s atrocities and hypocrisy, and that also noted that many Jewish people are wonderful members of their communities.

I was later informed that, while that video in particular seemed reasonable, the creator behind it is frequently antisemitic.

I deleted the post, and blocked the creator. I encourage you to do the same if it’s brought to your attention that you’ve been ‘Trojan horse’d.

EDIT: Important note about antisemitism in leftist spaces:

While it's true that some blatant antisemites are using seemingly reasonable posts to get their foot in the door of leftist spaces, it's also true that a lot of antisemitism already exists inside those spaces.

This antisemitism is often dressed up in progressive-sounding language, but nonetheless singles Jewish people and places out in ways that aren't applied equally to other groups, or that label Jewish people in ways that portray them as acceptable targets.

If you want to see some specific examples, so you can have a better idea of what to keep an eye out for, I suggest reading this excellent reblog of this post.

Fact-check your doubts about antisemitism.

Depending on which parts of the internet you look at, you’ve probably seen people accused of antisemitism because they complained about the Likud and/or IDF’s actions. So you might be primed to be wary, or feel unsure of how to tell what counts as real antisemitism.

But that doesn’t mean antisemitism isn’t a very real, widespread, and harmful problem. And it doesn’t mean many or even most Jewish people are lying to you or being overly sensitive.

So if someone says something is antisemitic, and you aren’t sure, I encourage you to:

A. Look up the action or thing in question, including its history. Is there an antisemitic history or connotation you aren’t aware of? For best results, include “antisemitic” in your search query, in quotes.

B. Understand that some things, while not inherently antisemitic, have been used by antisemites often enough that Jewish people are understandably wary of them. Schrodinger’s antisemitism, if you will.

C. Ask Jewish people WHO HAVE OFFERED TO HELP EDUCATE YOU. Emphasis on WHO HAVE OFFERED. Random Jewish people aren’t obligated to give you their time and emotional energy, or to educate you – especially on subjects that are scary or painful for them.

@edenfenixblogs has kindly offered her inbox to those who are genuinely trying to learn and do better, and I’ve found her to be very kind, patient, reasonable, and fair-minded.

Understand that this is URGENTLY NEEDED.

In one of my conversations with a Jewish person who’d called me out, they said this was the most productive conversation they’d had with a person with a Palestinian flag in their profile.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

I didn’t do anything special. All I did was listen, apologize for my mistakes, and learn.

Yes, it feels good to be acknowledged. But I feel like I’ve been praised for peeing IN the toilet, instead of beside it.

Apologizing, learning, and making amends after you hurt people shouldn’t be “the most reasonable thing I’ve heard from a person with a Palestinian flag pfp.”

It should be BASIC DECENCY.

And the fact that it’s apparently so uncommon should tell you how much unnecessary stress and fear Jewish people have been living with because of people who consider themselves defenders of human rights.

By all means, be angry at the Likud, the IDF, and the politicians, reporters, and specific media outlets who choose to enable and cover up for them.

But direct that anger toward the people who deserve it and are in a position to do something about it, not random people who simply happen to be Jewish, or who don’t want millions of people to be turned into refugees when less violent methods of achieving freedom and rights for Palestinians are available.

Stop peeing beside the toilet, people.

[incessantscreech2000]

Image transcriptions below:

Legendary South African Jewish Freedom Fighters

And Their Condemnation of Israel

Many people don't know that several of Nelson Mandela's closest and earliest comrades and co-conspirators were South African Jews.

These Jewish comrades and their work was pivotal to the defeat of South African apartheid, giving them a unique perspective on the state of Israel.

—

Joe Slovo (1926-1995) was a Jewish South African anti-apartheid activist. In 1942, at age 16, Slovo volunteered to travel to Europe to fight the Nazis. Upon return, he studied alongside Nelson Mandela. He eventually was a founding member of uMkhonto we Sizwe, the paramilitary arm of the African National Congress.

Slovo was exiled to Mozambique by the apartheid government. Whilst there, his wife, legendary Jewish anti-apartheid activist Ruth First, was assassinated by a parcel bomb sent by the apartheid regime.

Working from abroad for the fall of apartheid, he eventually returned and became a Minister in Mandela's government. Throughout his life he remained a staunch critic of Israel.

—

"Ironically enough, the horrors of the Holocaust became the rationalization for the preparation by Zionists of acts of genocide against the indigenous people of Palestine. Those of us who, in the years that were to follow, raised our voices against the violent apartheid of the Israeli state were vilified by the Zionist press."

- Joe Slovo

—-

Denis Goldberg (1933-2020) was a Jewish South African anti-apartheid activist. He spent 22 years in prison, mostly in solitary confinement, for his political activity alongside Mandela.

He was finally freed when his daughter, who lived in Israel, lobbied the Israeli government, which was closely allied to the apartheid regime, to release him. Due to his staunch opposition to Zionism, he refused to join her in Israel.

—

"The violence of the [South African] apartheid regime was nothing in comparison with the utter brutality of Israel's occupation of Palestine."

- Denis Goldberg

—

Beata Lipman (1928-2016) was a Jewish South African anti-apartheid activist. She drafted the original Freedom Charter in her own handwriting in 1952, which became the basis for the constitution of free South Africa after the fall of apartheid.

Lipman was a proud Jewish critic of Israel, penning many letters condeming Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.

—

"We who have fought against Apartheid and vowed not to allow it to happen again can not allow Israel to continue perpetrating apartheid, colonialism and occupation against the indigenous people of Palestine. We dare not allow Israel to continue violating international law with impunity. Apartheid was a gross violation of human rights. It was so in South Africa and it is so with regard to Israel's persecution of the Palestinians!"

- Beata Lipman in joint letter

—

Ronnie Kasrils is a Jewish South African who was also a founding member and Chief of Intelligence for uMkhonto we Sizwe.

In 1992, Kasrils led an unarmed protest when the apartheid government opened fire, killing 28 of his comrades and injuring over 200 others. He went on to serve in various Ministerial roles after the defeat of apartheid.

In 2001, Kasrils was co-author of the

*Declaration of Conscience by South Africans of Jewish Descent, which calls Israel a colonial apartheid-state. He has drawn criticism for stating that Israel has behaved like the Nazis.

—

"We recognise the operation today by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza as a legitimate expression of their right to resist. We support all efforts of oppressed people to liberate themselves from their oppressors in the same way we did in our liberation struggle.

We are saddened by all violence but Israeli Jews will not realise peace until they accept a future where they will live with Palestinians as citizens in a single, democratic Palestinian state, with Palestinians being compensated for seven decades of colonisation, occupation and apartheid."

- Ronnie Kasrils, 7th October 2023

[alienpossession]

So I recently connected with some other authors here and read some alien-based stories that inspired me. This is a one-off from a series called Check-Up by @fullfriendnerdpurse hopefully I do your series justice

Check Up: Eric

A young and nerdy scientist worked on side by side to let powerful men around his own proximity and even the whole world fell victim to the control of a crash-landed small batch of extraterrestrial civilization. His lustful desire to the idea of having the apex of human civilization succumbed to the control of him and his invader buddies blinded him. He's sick and tired with the way society treated him and constantly paid attention to the type of men that pushed people around with their powerful influencer or their good looks and muscle. One of them is named Eric

The alien shoved into him clearly enjoyed the otherworldly senses it instantly felt upon controlling Eric's muscle tank body. The testosterone that coursed through his physical system, the complexity of his muscle and organ that far exceeded the complexity of the slimy being, the way his whole body emitted this powerful aroma and pheromone, the alien just knows it acquired a very fine specimen in human standard

A gym junkie with a day job as premium real estate agent, Eric is also a fine stepping stones to access an even richer and more douchebag section of the society. He's been proven useful as he managed to work alongside the nerd to acquire more bodies for the alien as he lured in the interested property buyer into the property where the nerd already waited with a scoop of slimy alien ready to be shoved up into these rich people's orifices

The alien inside Eric also love to tap into Eric's hidden submissiveness. While the real Eric might not be too keen to tap into his more vulnerable side, the alien love to exploit it because Eric's body just responded to it very well with the hardening cock that leaked pre which the alien always enjoyed to experience. So sometimes, after a day where he helped the nerd acquire another bodies, the alien would make Eric said things like

"Look at you buff dumb bull. After fucking up your own marriage to serve small puddle of slime, now you fucked up another family! Because of you, the 27th richest man in America and his 31 years old son controlled by alien now and you are fucking hard because of it! You stupid little slut, a body so big but there's nothing inside of it,"

The alien also remain amazed with its vessel's physique even after months living as him. Either through his social media activity that the nerd watched or when they have video call, it is one of the vessel that is having the most fun utilizing its vessel as it makes Eric more on the playful side rather than arrogant.

During his latest check-up after the video call from the previous week, he welcomed the nerd while doing workout in his garage. He's shirtless and only using a pretty colorful socks (something the alien also love to add to Eric's monochromatic attire set) paired with a tight compression that hid nothing to the imagination.

After doing some more rep of his workout while updating the nerd with info about his activity for the past 1 month, they walked in and the nerd then watched him cleaned up after himself for the check up. He skipped showering for most of the time unless he really need to such as meeting prospective buyer, so the idea of clean up is simply him changing clothes.

Being the playful slime that it is, it started teasing the nerdy scientist as Eric suddenly started jiggling his own ass in the tight short shorts and folded himself to present his ass to the nerd with its vial

"Please, it's been a while. I'll shoot my load if you just pressed that tip in, nerd. Just do it,"

The nerd just smirked, the perks of being the number one ally for a cooperative alien civilization really becomes the number one reason why he's constantly in search for more vessel to acquire, and with the way that the slime multiplies, it seems like there's no stopping soon

[hiemaldesirae]

Swap AU:

Vox and Alastor's breakup/Fight was huge--and messy as fuck. Quite simply, unlike what canon is hinting at where Valentino came to Vox's rescue and Alastor ruined one of his Antenna it didn't happen here--and for those 7 years, Alastor lived with the belief he'd killed his beloved Vox. Which is the main reason why Alastor took over the entertainment district--too keep anything of Vox's alive. So yeah, Alastor runs the Vees. TV isn't as powerful--Radio is in every house, but huge televisions are on every corner, running 24/7 informing sinners of news and such and you can rent a tv alongside videos. (And the big TVs show Valentino's porn for a few limited hours at night. Val is....not someone Alastor cares alot for, especially once it comes out Vox sent an SOS to him. Once Velvette and Nifty become friends however, Alastor can see what Vox saw in Velvette.)

Vox's deal with Lucifer is alot more freer then whatever canon Alastor has going on. Lucifer's only command is this: Help and Protect Charlie to the best of your abilities and I'll give you power. The more you help her the more power you'll get in return.

So Vox doesn't really want to free himself at the moment--why would he, when helping the Princess would get him ridiculous amounts of power? (And with this power, he could protect himself from Alastor? He'd never be afraid of dying a second time again.) And that's why he avoids radios, knowing if Alastor picks up his voice the deer will know he's up and alive.

Upon his return and realization that Overlords aren't solo acts anymore and that Alastor owns the Vees and the entertainment district, Vox gets in contact with a hidden Overlord that owes him big time--after all, Vox did stop him from betting his soul and well seeing how Valentino's life is absolute shit at the moment it's a good thing he did.

Husker is, of course grumpy as ever, but agrees to take on his overlord status again and Join Vox at the Hotel--both of them proclaiming themselves as allies and the Hotel and the area around it their territory, easily surrounding the land with hearts, spades and lightning bolts.

While the two overlords are decorating, Angel Dust lifts up his phone, and takes pictures of Vox, and sends them to Valentino.

Valentino prints them out, and drops them off at Alastor's desk, murmuring about how having Angel Dust at the hotel might be a good thing after all.

HI AGAIN SWAP NONNY!!! youre so cool marry me. I mean what wait who said that

oh my GODDDD fuck the idea that alastor thinks he fucking KILLED vox when the other disappeared... im gonna be SICK he thought he killed his beloved and because of it even though he hates modern technology and all the buzz and noise that comes along with it he decided to take control of the entertainment district because itw as the only thing he thought he had left of vox... do you think he kept like voxs old heads or something and like has a makeshift grave or something. and he hates val because vox went to ask him for help but he didnt come in time so he thinks its BOth their faults that vox is gone... oh my god. oh my fucking God........ im really gonna be sick nonny why would you do this to me THEYRE SO FUCKIGn .OWUAUGAHHHHH TEARS MY HAIR OUT

YEAHH husk and vox friendship here is so sweet to me. i like to think that vox and husk join in on the bonding activities at the hotel with charlie and hype her up sometimes. also since theres no niffty here would vox also act as a niffty type person? like he and husk share duties between them of being concierge/janitor/bartender.... imagining vox in a bartender suit and a maid outfit was probably not the best thing to do for my fragile mind tbh but. You know. You see my vision right nonny dont you (i am shaking you gently)

GET A JOB STAY AWAY FROM HIM!!!!!!!! is angel acting like double agent like here or something? or are he and val in less of an employee/abusive boss relationship here and more of a comrades-in-arms relationship here united under alastor's tyranny? whatever it is im excited to hear more :) please dont stop with this nonny the brainrots getting to me

[go-go-devil]

Pate and Patches: What's the Difference?

As an avid Patches Enjoyer, I had initially found myself a bit underwhelmed with Mild Mannered Pate after completing his questline in Dark Souls 2, particularly with his overall lack of any truly devious trickery towards my Bearer of the Curse.

However, I didn't think it was fair to him to completely compare his role to Patches's. So after much assessment and taking in all the gameplay & environmental clues I could, I think I may have finally deduced how Pate's differences to Patches help him fit into his own niche in this game.

Y'see, while Patches is a predator, Pate is a parasite.

Patches goes after his victims directly. He lures them in with the promise of treasure only to flip a switch that'll send them into dangerous/fatal areas or will straight up kick them down there himself. If they somehow manage to get out of his traps then he'll start groveling and offering gifts for forgiveness. He also uses this predatory tactic to determine which of the people around him are both resilient and forgiving enough for him to trust, which leads him to becoming a merchant and thus a kind of ally to you. A sketchy, devious ally, but one who actively benefits you and gives you his occasional musings on the world and its characters.

Pate, on the other hand, doesn't seem to want to get his hands dirty at all when it comes to scavenging his victims' loot. Instead his strategy is to directly attach himself to anyone who proves strong enough to get through any dangerous areas he stumbles upon. He does this by playing the role of an unassuming, cautious treasure hunter who gives you helpful advice about the immediate area and wishes for your safety. It can even be seen through his choice of clothes; Pate dresses in the armor of a common warrior, unlike Patches who proudly wears the thief's set.

I remember at first finding it strange how he of all NPC's was the one who gives you the white soapstone, contrasting how in DS1 it was Solaire, one of the kindest characters in that game, who gave it to us. Looking back, however, it does fit his strategy well. Summons directly benefit from their summoners by getting souls & items for their participation, and so Pate can offer his help by turtling with his greatshield and stabbing the boss safely with his long spear to get his fill of the large number of souls you acquire.

Once he becomes his next victim's "ally," all Pate has to do now is just mosey alongside them and keep finding areas where they can acquire great treasures. But only for them, of course! He's just too nervous about what terrible traps await, but surely his ally is brave and strong enough to persevere while he watches from a distance. If they were to die by a swarm of hollows, or fall into a pit of poison, well, it wasn't HIS fault that it happened! He did warn them, after all...

With that in mind it's easy to assume that Pate was pulling this parasitism on Creighton for a good while, tagging along with him and benefiting from all the undead, hollow or sane, that the man slayed. The two even stored their treasures together in the same hovel. Why exactly he locked him up is never directly explained, but if I were to guess I'd say it had to do with Creighton's claim of wanting to set up a trap for Pate. He began to grow wise (or maybe moreso paranoid) to the fact that he was being used, and once his mild mannered "friend" figured it out he tricked him right back, took what he could from him (that being the Ring of Thorns), and booked it!

And even after all of that, this man still has the gall to share this story with strangers by twisting it around and turning the guy who tried to kill him into this poor, foolish little warrior that Pate tried so hard to stop from falling into such an obvious trap.

That's what separates the two tricksters. Unlike Patches who defines himself by living independently from others, Pate cannot function without hooking his claws onto the trust of more daring individuals to do all the dirty work for him. After surviving Patches's tricks he becomes your merchant and ally, but Pate wants nothing to do with you after surviving all of his traps. While Patches locked up and warns you about Yurt and Lautrec in DeS and DS1 respectively because he was genuinely afraid of how cruel and violent they were, Pate locked up Creighton upon realizing he wasn't beneficial to him anymore and doesn't even bother warning you about the fact that he's a convicted serial killer, instead pretending he doesn't even know the guy.

There's also the fact that if you summon Pate for The Last Giant boss fight, he'll give you his clothes, spear, greatshield, and even the ring (or at least copies of them, he doesn't strip down in front of us). Since this is also when he tells us he's heard of a man who's out hunting for him, it's more than a little suspicious that he would want us to dress to his likeness. Especially if that certain someone might end up mistaking us as him.

All-in-all Pate may seem less harmful than Patches on the surface, but in the end he proves to be far more cowardly and arguably WORSE than him from a moral standpoint.

[lets-try-some-writing]

Just wanted to let you know that your Pretender AU has given me a Smokescreen brain worm.

What is he? What is his purpose? Why is he so secretive and mysterious?

(you don't need to answer these questions)

I am going to answer them anyway because at this point, all of the AUs I am particularly fond of are going to be turned into fics eventually. No use beating around the bush here on Tumblr. Glad to see my Pretender AU has infested a mind other than my own!

Optimus, while devoted to his task, was no fool. With Megatron targeting him and his inner circle of active Pretenders, he needed a failsafe. His initial plan was to create a cache of Pretender larva which would, in time, develop on their own and either come to serve under him or one would naturally evolve to take on the role of Firstborn. Thousands of Insecticons were instructed to remain in stasis alongside the cache as a barrier. Then to be safe, he guarded them through careful artificial EM field generator which gave off the impression that his brood were one huge dweller and carefully never visited. That was Optimus Prime's failsafe.

However, without his knowledge, his creator began yet another experiment.

Optimus was the first, and his biggest folly was being put into the wrong mech. If his host had been ANYONE else, his life would have been all but safeguarded and he could have grown his brood in peace and even become an ally to Autobots and Decepticons alike given enough time. But Orion Pax was influential, and that meant that Optimus was, for all intents and purposes, a failure in Shockwave's optics. He was too well known and in such extreme circumstances that he could neither be studied or fulfill his function properly. With all that in mind, Shockwave attempted to create another Firstborn in order to have a backup.

Everything went according to plan. A new Pretender was made, and this time its biology was adjusted so that it would not require a host. Shockwave built its CNA so that it would have its monstrous form and a completely normal civilian appearance. Then, in order to keep Megatron from noticing his creation, Shockwave quietly placed his newest creation amongst the last generation of sparklings to emerge from the Well. It was then taken in and raised amongst soldiers and Shockwave returned to serving Megatron, content in the knowledge that his Pretenders, his failsafe to ensure the survival of their species, were going to fulfill their function one way or another.

But of course, biology tends to act of its own accord. Smokescreen instinctually knew from the moment he could think for himself that there was already an active Firstborn. And thus, instead of shifting and becoming one himself, he instead adjusted his very CNA over time. He served in the Elite Guard with the express purpose of getting to the only living Firstborn and was quick to take the opportunity to serve Alpha Trion if it meant access to relics that could be of use. He did not intend to be thrown into a pod and sent careening toward Earth, but it all worked out in his favor in the end.

(He did in fact try to eat the phase shifter to store it before Alpha Trion caught him.)

Smokescreen had the potential to be a Firstborn, but with Optimus very much alive and well, he changed to fulfill a less critical role. His entire functioning revolves around safeguarding the future. If he cannot create new life himself, he will protect the future of their kind, consequences be damned.

Backstory out of the way, Smokescreen is an Attendant. He is a one of a kind, but likely won't remain that way if the Pretenders are allowed to increase their ranks. His entire purpose is not necessarily to protect living Pretenders, or even attach himself to any of them. Rather, he developed to be a pragmatic and logical entity more focused on long term planning. He does not care a great deal about any other living Pretender because of the way he functions. If he knew about the cache, he would have been guarding it with his life until he sensed the death of the other Pretenders and knew it was time to wake his kin. But as he was unaware of it, he has settled for throwing his entire spark into taking care of Optimus now that he's on Earth.

Smokescreen does everything he can to keep Optimus relaxed and secure. A happy Patriarch is one who will produce more lava. More lava means more Pretenders. And of course, since Optimus is at war all the time, Smokescreen is able to satisfy his lingering desire to rear young via tending to Optimus's spawn. He is creepy even to other Pretenders. He is a little too obsessed with Optimus, or rather Optimus's spawning capability, for any Pretender to like him all that much. The only reason he is tolerated is because of how much calmer Optimus is around him. The Prime himself assumes that Smokescreen was an early hatcher from his failsafe cache, which is why he is unconcerned with Smokescreen's strange behavior and lack of true attachment to the group.

Smokescreen is well aware he is not well regarded by anyone save for Optimus, and so he has conjured up countless plans to take as many larva as possible and flee in the event things go up in flames. He's a schemer, and he is not willing to risk his life when the Pretenders are yet at risk. Their species comes before all else. Let Optimus fight, Smokescreen will secure their future.

[simplysedusa]

How do you think the girls and boys will make/maintain friendships? The relationships they have outside of each other intrigues me. Like the girls are instantly popular due to their heroic status but might have a hard time making friendships that don’t feel surface level. You mentioned before that Townsville’s acceptance for them is very conditional and I can see them developing a sort of trust issues as they catch on to this. Probably very few like Robin make their way inside their core group and know them outside of their superhero identities. The boys have it rough and they are aware that their reputation didn’t come out of nowhere and isn’t exactly unwarranted. All they’ve known is to rely on each other for all their lives and letting someone else in was never an option. Like the girls they trust each other unconditionally but still they wonder, one more than the other, about a connection that isn’t familial. A few of the school delinquents might feel bold enough to start talking to them but the boys have this thing about feeling used by people, so these losers trying to hire them to be their sort sort of super powered hitmen kind of rubs them the wrong way. One kid remarks ‘wow that was awesome how you handled [name of random bully] and they’re like ‘yeah it was.’

Asks like these always make me giddy, but I find it very difficult for me to formulate my thoughts because I have a lot to say and I wanna seem coherent, so bare with me, lol. 😁

Elementary school is easy for the Powerpuff Girls, everyone is friends with everyone so long as you're nice (for the most part). And when you're the city's beloved superheroes, making friends is as easy as breathing. Just look at how many girls they invited to their sleepover in "Slumbering With The Enemy".

Meanwhile, for the Rowdyruff Boys, making friends for them isn't even on their radar yet. There's a 50/50 chance they can't even define the word, "friend". Remember how I said Butch had the most codependent tendencies? All these three know are each other, and honestly, to them, they're all they need. I could see the boys "making allies" with those they believe to be on their level but given the current roster of Townsville villains, no one makes the cut. The Gangreen Gang (and my version of the Powerpunks) comes close, but they're frenemies at best. For my WIPs, the Powerpunks and Rowdyruffs (prior to being adopted by Ms. Keane), temporarily bond over some criminal activity until the Ruffs say some misogynistic shit and get their teeth kicked in.

Middle school age is where things get interesting. While I also feel that the Puffs have a few codependent tendencies amongst themselves, all three girls have strived to be individuals in their own right (as in "The Bare Facts", "Super Zeroes", "Three Girls and a Monster", etc.), so I'd imagine this to be the starting point of where their specific, individual friendship circles start to form. While attending school with superheroes would probably lose its appeal with middle schoolers, they'd still find the girls to be cool. Buttercup and Mitch would still be friends alongside the Floyjoydson Twins and whoever the athletes are. Blossom could be friends with Elmer, Clara, and others who are more studious. Bubbles would be the clique hopper who's still clinging on to her elementary school days, but her main clique could consist of the artists or the "weird kids". MTH has her main friend group be the kids from "Mojo Jonesin'" and I think that's perfect. Their only shared friend, and closest friend, would be Robin (and for my WIPs, Elmer and Mitch as well). The Puffs are still pretty young around this age, but they're also becoming teenagers (and that means, middle school drama *shudders*). This would be where the girls start to develop some edge to them. They don't seem as enthusiastic or peppy as they once were. They're not smiling as often as they used to. Perhaps they're a bit wittier. While the girls wouldn't mind saving the city and are still happy to do so, a few citizens of Townsville would see the differences between the 12-13 year old Puffs and the 5 year old Puffs and start complaining. For one specific WIP, the girls are homeschooled during this time so they're starving for social interaction. They've still managed to maintain their friendship with Robin, Elmer, and Mitch since Robin's their next door neighbor, Mitch sometimes stays the night when needed, and Elmer gets examined by the Professor due to his new glue abilities.

12-13 year old Ruffs would definitely get bored with each other and would want to start seeking social interaction elsewhere. Butch would be the least willing of the three to do so and start to stick to his brothers (mostly Brick) like glue. However, since the three get placed in a foster care group home for a few years, their opportunities to make friends are very, very limited and temporary. And again, no one really knows or understands what these three have gone through, so what would be the point? They'd definitely push people away with empty threats.

Now they're high schoolers. They've matured, but they're still teenagers. By this point, the rose tinted glasses are off and ineffective. The girls see how certain people react when Buttercup's caught sneaking out to go party at night. Or how annoyed certain people get with Bubbles' activism (protesting for animal rights, BLM, LGBT+, against genocides being committed across the globe (😉), etc). Or how others will see a clip of Blossom politely correcting an interviewer on robotic engineering and suddenly think of her as a pompous, arrogant know-it-all who needs to be humbled. How Townsville would see them at this point would be synonymous to how people view child stars who are maturing in the public eye. The girls have realized that Townsville's opinion of them could change at a blink of an eye, and that they had before (In "Major Competition" the girls are replaced by Major Man and are seen as less than. In "Down 'n' Dirty", an angry mob chases after a 5 year old for not bathing. In "The Rowdyruff Boys", the girls immediately assume that the city doesn't want them to defend them anymore after losing to the Ruffs. In the movie, the city (and the world) deems the girls to be bug eyed monsters. In "Save Mojo", animal rights activists interfere and temporarily stop the girls from fighting Mojo, deeming their actions to be cruel despite the evil schemes Mojo has attempted in the past). So, for the average peer, the girls would be friendly but cautious.

Another concern I see the Puffs running into would be clout chasers. Even if they're not as beloved as they once were as kindergarteners, these girls are still well known, they're practically famous. And anyone looking to better their social standing would see the girls as a perfect opportunity. Both Blossom and Buttercup are usually pretty good with sussing out acquaintances with ulterior motives (or at least Blossom, I could see Buttercup being manipulated somewhat easily), while Bubbles on the other hand gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, and often time gets manipulated for it.

I could see Buttercup having the most friends, I think she'd be the most popular of the three in a high school setting, but she wouldn't necessarily have many that she'd be able to be vulnerable with. It'd be pretty easy to make friends if you're partaking in sports, especially team sports in school. I'd imagine a few athletes get jealous and accuse Buttercup of cheating (despite the fact that in my WIPs, Professor Utonium invents a Chemical X tracker that shows when Chemical X is being used so people know when the Puffs or Ruffs are using their powers against other normies).

Blossom, to me, feels like she'd struggle the most individually in the friend-making department; I think she'd have the hardest time differentiating between when to be a superhero and when to just be a girl. She'd be popular in the sense that everyone knows her, and she's that smart girl you wanna pair up with for school projects, but not many would know her on a personal level. She'd be a bit of an enigma, and most would already believe her to be a narc (and simultaneously a hypocrite considering all of the crimes the Puffs had committed in the past).

Bubbles, on the other hand, would be the one throwing herself at others platonically and just casually trauma dumping about how she has the weight of the town's (and subsequently, the world's) safety on her shoulders, and how she feels that her childhood was essentially stolen from her. Somehow though, she'd have the most friends who know her outside of the superhero persona, but still less friends than Buttercup overall (or at least, real friends anyway).

In my HS WIP, the girls finally go back to public school during their sophomore year, so they might be a bit more naive, but you get the picture.

High school aged Rowdyruffs wouldn't be as hostile as their younger counterparts, but they're every bit as guarded. Any idiot who'd try to condemn them will be made into an example. Even so, there would be moments where they'd feel alienated, and perhaps this time around, they'd be much more honest about it.

Individually, Boomer might have it the easiest out of the three, since he looks like he'd be the least intimidating one and would be the most popular one as a star athlete of several sports teams. Even so, his reputation precedes him.

Butch, again being the most codependent brother, would be somewhat of a loner without his brothers around. He plays sports like Buttercup and Boomer, but his are individual based such as swimming, wrestling, and gymnastics. While both of these are great social outlets, I doubt many would go out of their way to talk to him. Butch (or Brick, maybe all three of them, idk) gives me the vibes of someone who'd sit beside you if you're all alone in a school library, the cafeteria, or a pep assembly (basically some place you can't easily escape) and just sit there in silence and see how you react. They'd see it as a challenge, filtering out who the pussies in school are and who passes the vibe check.

Brick's the most infamous of his brothers since he's the leader, so on one hand, he's the most feared. On the other hand, those who may not be the biggest fans of the Puffs might seek him out and attempt to befriend him through what they'd assume to be their mutual dislike/hatred of the girls (these people would piss him off, his past with the Puffs would be the last thing he'd want to talk about). Since Brick wouldn't be as involved in extracurriculars like Boomer or Butch, he wouldn't have as much of an opportunity. Brick's circle would be small, like two to three people tops. Most of his friends would probably be the kids he met in detention. Much like how he treated Bubbles in "Bubble Boy", I'd see Brick talking about the crimes he'd committed as some sort of vibe check.

In my HS WIP, most would steer clear until they've officially made up and befriended the girls. It'd be much harder for the boys to find friendships that aren't just surface-level (and that aren't the Puffs). At this point in their lives, I'd like to think they'd officially befriended the Gangreen Gang though, so that's something.

Adult Puffs and Ruffs would just cling on to whatever close friends they made in the past since befriending other adults is a challenge in itself.

[toastandjamie]

Sometimes I think about the way Tuon and Mat’s relationship is set up before Tuon is introduced. We are introduced to the Seanchen, and they are active antagonists and then Rand drives them from Falme back into the sea. Then one book later we get the Aelfinn prophecy “to die and live again. To marry the daughter of the nine moons. To give up half of light of the world to save the world.” And it’s sandwiched in between these two very frightening prophecies of danger. Mat treats the marriage aspect as just as much of a threat as literal death and that’s utterly fascinating to me; but we as an audience are also alarmed by this prophecy, not for the same reasons as Mat but because the title “daughter of the nine moons” isn’t exactly the most friendly sounding name. We spend the rest of the book wondering who she is right alongside Mat and as we get closer to meeting her we are given more distinctly threatening foreshadowing. First we learn about the Court of The Nine Moons which confirms that Tuon is Seanchen and right on its heels Egwene receives a prophetic dream vision of Mat being wrestled to the ground and collared by a Seanchen woman. The Seanchen remain as a threatening antagonistic force at this time with the only allied characters from Seanchen we’re introduced to are desenters like Aegenin. Then there’s the way Mat talks about his future marriage, discussing with equal parts curiosity and fear and saying things like “the daughter of the nine bloody moons will walk in to take me.”. And finally the Seanchen invasion of Ebou Dar, where Mat is knocked unconscious by falling building and the reveal of the daughter of the nine moons arrival. We don’t yet know what life under Seanchen occupation is like for those not actively fighting it since we’ve only seen the violent occupation of Amadicia and Tanchico.

Even if we as an audience aren’t conscious of it RJ sets up this expectation that Tuon will “steal” or “take” Mat by force. That Mat is going to be captured by her and forced into this marriage by fate. Only to have our expectations subverted when Tuon is- well, not quite the towering and evil figure that we expect her to be. That Mat is being kept in Ebou Dar not by the Seanchen who have done nothing to restrict the coming and going of civilians but by Tylin who has only grown More abusive and possessive since A Crown of Swords. Then Tuon asks Tylin if she can buy Mat and for moment you might think that things are back on track but then Mat kidnaps her and we’re once again thrown for a loop. Over the course of their courtship we see the push and pull of their dynamic, as they play their own mini version of daes da mar to see who holds the power in their relationship and it remains constantly influx. This subversion of what we expect Tuon to be mirrors Mat’s own surprise over who Tuon is. Mat has always been endlessly human to the audience, we’ve seen him struggle and grow as a person, we’ve seen him fuck up and we’ve seen him succeed. He was always human to the audience and to the people who perceive him in universe. Tuon conversely, is set up as almost an omen of doom, an ever present and impossible to escape fate that the audience and the character fear. We see her as the world sees her, she’s inhuman, a concept, something to be looked upon with curiosity and fear. Then as Mat learns about her, so does the audience, we peel away the layers of mythologizing that Seanchen and the foretellings have placed upon her to see that she is just as human as Mat. Just as curious and scared of a fate she can’t escape, of a man she knows shes destined to marry but knows nothing about. The prophecy she receives about Mat is just as threatening as the one Mat receives and she reacts similarly with anger hiding her fear. Both believe the other will steal them away and in the end they both DO steal eachother, for Tuon in the literal sense and for Mat the metaphorical.

God I’m so feral about them

[bloggedanon]

People are out here arguing that gatekeeping cpunk from people is actually perfectly fine because able-bodied ND people have mad- and neuropunk and that's "perfectly fine" with them and it's actually annoying as fuck imo, large explanation under the cut I forgot to add originally

• First of all, try to tell me that physically disabled people are mentally perfectly fine and have never had their mental health compromised as a result of their physical disability. Just try, I'll wait. Just like how I'm waiting to hear about "able-bodied" ND people not having any physical issues purely as a result of being ND.

• Secondly, that doesn't make gatekeeping with the mad- and neuropunk communities okay EITHER, even IF the first bullet SOMEHOW happens to be true. The separatist mind-body dichotomy is predicated in entirely false pretenses. The experiences between the physically and mentally disabled communities have SO much overlap. One "form" of disability is not inherently more or less disabling than another, that's down to the individual(s) and their conditions. A lot of either "form" can restrict people's abilities to perform a lot of the same tasks regardless of what the tasks may be or what "form" of disability is responsible for it. A lot of medical conditions (and systemic ableism) can produce a whole lot of symptoms that present like mental disorders.

• In the same vein, we DO have to acknowledge that some people have their disabilities affect them in ways that not everyone experiences. The experience of having a psychotic break isn't comparable to the experience of being wheelchair-bound. But neither is the experience of being a low support needs autistic that can function independently and being a high support needs autistic who can't bathe or dress independently and will need lifelong supervision, and this is just two examples of the same disorder! A person who's chronically bedbound isn't going to have a comparable experience to a Deaf-Blind individual, even if they both wind up with lifelong caretaking requirements. If we can acknowledge that experiences in the mentally disabled and physically disabled communities aren't going to be universal even WITHIN our own communities and we don't turn to separatists about it, what makes the physical and mentally disables communities as wholes any different?

• This one's the big one, and I see it a lot, you guys really need to learn what punk actually means. PUNK isn't about the "by X group and for X group" mindset at all. It's not about "X group of people vs X group of people." It's a community of people who are standing together against a SYSTEM. It's about highlighting society's wrongs and shouting about it, and trying to enact change in whatever way we can. Its praxis is just activism. You don't have to be black to stand with the Black community and fight for their rights, and fight systemic racism. You don't have to be a woman to be a feminist, and fight the patriarchy. You don't have to be queer to get down in the trenches with them and fight queerphobia (allies still get bottles 'n shit thrown at them regardless). You don't have to be disabled to stand against systemic ableism. You don't have to be the direct target of systemic oppression, or specific, targeted systemic microaggressions to fight it.

What punk is is getting down in the thick of oppression right alongside those who have to deal with it as a concrete force in their daily lives and being right next to them when shit hits the fan, fighting the same fight they are, and taking the blows as if you were one of them, because to those who want to perpetuate it, you might as well be. Anyone can be an ally, and allyship IS what punk is, just as much as being a member of a targeted group fighting for their rights. Systemic oppression doesn't care about the nuances when it lines us all up against the wall, and our infighting is doing its job for it. The second we start singling out groups of people for their identities is when we've already lost. Anyone standing up against these sytems is punk.

Anyone GATEKEEPING a punk movement isn't a punk, they're a fucking poser. A cop. A fed, even, because there are no cops at punk.

Can you have specific communities OF [x people with x identity and experiences], by and for that group by definition, to discuss their specific experiences unique to their situation(s)? Sure! Just don't do any fakeclaiming in the gatekeeping, mmk?

And don't you DARE call it fucking punk.

[helix-enterprises117]

Two Chiefs?

The Master Chief we know, a veteran of countless battles, his Mjolnir armor scuffed from countless encounters, stands across a younger version of himself. This one is sans the helmet, sporting instead a slick, streamlined, high-tech combat suit and a nifty eye-piece, a monocular range-finder, that seemed to scan the room — and its counterpart — with keen interest.

"Wouldn't have pegged myself for a twin," Prime!Chief quipped, his voice carrying through the helmet with a touch of surprise. He scrutinized the youthful Spartan, noting the absence of a helmet and the cybernetic enhancements. "Running without a helmet, huh? Bold move."

Alt!Chief chuckled, a light, easy sound that felt odd in the Spartan's usual stoic world. "Times are different where I come from. Risks too," he said, flicking his fingers, each tip glowing briefly with contained energy. "Plus, we've got our own tricks up our sleeves."

Their conversation shifted naturally to their respective worlds. Prime!Chief spoke in measured tones of the wars he'd fought, the allies he'd lost, and the relentless enemies that had tested humanity's resolve. His words were measured, carrying the gravity of his experiences.

Alt!Chief listened, his face somber, reflecting an understanding only someone with a shared burden could offer. "Your world sounds... harsher than mine. We've always known the Covenant, grown alongside the threat. But we've also faced things beyond the realm of science; magic and mysticism are more or less a part of our daily lives."

"Magic?" Prime!Chief couldn't hide his intrigue. The concept felt alien, yet not entirely unwelcome. "How does that work with everything else?"

"It's... messy. But it makes you appreciate the unpredictability of the universe," Alt!Chief explained, a hint of excitement in his voice for the first time. "And Cortana?" Prime!Chief's question was tentative, revealing a depth of emotion rarely expressed.

"She's integrated directly with me," Alt!Chief tapped the side of his head, "not just assistance, but enhancement. Makes for a formidable partnership." His voice carried a warmth, a clear indication of the bond they shared.

Their moment of camaraderie was shattered by the sudden activation of the facility's defenses. Without missing a beat, the two Spartans positioned themselves back-to-back, ready to face whatever came their way.

"Looks like we've got company," Prime!Chief noted, his rifle ready. Alt!Chief's fingers spark with anticipation, "Let's give them a welcome they won't forget."

(Note: No, I don't know if this should be Reloaded!John or not. You guys decide whether or not this is Reloaded!John from the Reloaded AU.)

[sepublic]

I will say though; I love the design for General Alex Miles from Federation Force. It perfectly blends the Federation Marine and Federation formal attire together perfectly;

Given one is from Prime and the other from the mainline games, Miles’ outfit basically marries the two depictions of the Federation from either series together. The gold is such a nice touch too… I’d love to see fanart of Miles in a non-chibi art style, and as a full-body portrait too; I don’t think we ever see Miles in person, just from the chest up?

They’re an interesting character to me; Neither their gender or even species is clarified, but the latter might be human because of the name and build. Miles’ name reminds me of Adam Malkovich… Alex Miles… They’re the Federation Force’s CO, their own Adam, just as the pilots themselves are akin to Samus in terms of gameplay and being unique Federation assets. Miles notably wants the Metroid egg on Talvania, saying it could bring “good” to the galaxy… Big red flag of course.

But it IS worth noting that the primary objective of the mission is to destroy all Metroids on Talvania by activating the self-destruct; The egg is optional and secondary. And when the Metroids are released from containment after the Federation Force activated the self-destruct countdown, Miles tells them to forget about the Metroid egg and just focus on getting out of there; You have to go against their orders by retrieving the egg anyway, and risking yourself to do so.

So Miles is interesting to me in that they might actually be well-intentioned? Or at least care for their troops. Given their introduction in Federation Force, which sets up Sylux’s plans in Beyond, it makes you wonder if Miles will appear there too. Are they corrupt? Do they care, in a “The path to hell is paved with good intentions” sort of way?

Will we see them replace or work alongside Dane in Beyond? They’re a General, which means they command ground troops and infantry; Dane commands the fleet. I speculate the planet we see at the start of Beyond, as well as the rainforest, are both the same world; Probably Cylosis, possibly across different points in time. Which means we won’t see much of space nor the Federation fleet; Which makes Miles more suited as a CO for Samus here, since all Federation allies will be situated on the ground.

Then again, Miles is seen commanding a fleet during the Doomseye battle in Federation Force, so maybe the titles are being loosely used and the developers don’t care for real world accuracy when it comes to military ranking and hierarchy; Tbh I’ve normally never cared either and am only researching it for the sake of reconciling the different depictions and uniforms of the Federation, as well as considering how characters such as Dane, Adam, and Miles interact.

I remember seeing someone suggest that Alex Miles is Sylux; This is why they suggested getting the Metroid egg, and how they were able to sneak in, operate the tech, etc. But this makes you wonder, if they hate the Federation, why value the Force’s lives? Why help them defeat the Space Pirates in the Bermuda system? I guess it all boils down as to the exact nature of Sylux’s hatred for the Federation, if it’s because they’re corrupt but they sympathize with troops they know personally as good people.

Granted Sylux’s intro in Hunters might indicate otherwise, but there could also be other context to that scene, or they don’t know those troops and can’t take the time to evaluate them. As for attacking the Space Pirates, maybe Sylux is strategically maneuvering both factions into destroying one another; It would explain why they’ve never worked with the Space Pirates before and even competed against Weavel in the Alimbic Cluster; They hate the pirates too!

Miles is probably meant to be male and the developers just never considered the gender-ambiguity of the name Alex. But it’d be fun if Miles was a woman, maybe even an alien because Chairman Keaton has a name like that despite also looking like that. And we could meld this with Female Sylux speculation if they’re the same character after all. They’re both mysteriously masked too, though for Miles I imagine it’s because the developers thought a human face would look too silly in the Chibi art style, hence why everyone wears helmets, and Samus never takes hers off. I guess ‘Sylux’ and ‘Alex’ have similar second syllables…

[stephobrien]

Is your pro-Palestine activism hurting innocent people? Here's how to avoid that. (Plain text version)

I kept getting "needs pt" tags on the original post, so here's the plain text version:

Over the last few days, I’ve had conversations with several Jewish people who told me how hurt and scared they are right now.

To my great regret, some of that pain came from a poorly-thought-out post of mine, which – while not ill-intentioned – WAS hurtful.

And a lot of it came from cruelty they’d experienced at the hands of people who claim to be advocating for Palestine, but are using the very real plight of innocent Palestinians to harm equally innocent Jewish people.

Y’all, we need to do better. (Yes, “we” definitely includes me; this is in no small part a “learn from my fail” post, and also a “making amends” post. Some of these are mistakes I’ve made in the past.)

So if you’re an advocate for Palestine who wants to make sure that your defense of one group of vulnerable people doesn’t harm another, here are some important things to do or keep in mind:

Ask yourself if you’re applying a standard to one group that you aren’t applying to another.

Would you want all white Americans or Canadians to be expelled from America or Canada?

Do you want all Jewish people to be expelled from Israel, as opposed to finding a way to live alongside Palestinian Arabs in peace?

If the answer to those two questions is different, ask yourself WHY.

Do you want to be held responsible for the actions of your nation’s army or government? No? Then don’t hold innocent Jewish people, or Israelis in general (whether Jewish or otherwise), responsible for the actions of the Israeli army and government.

On that subject, be wary of condemning all Israeli people for the actions of the IDF. Large-scale tactical decisions are made by the top brass. Service is compulsory, and very few can reasonably get out of service.

Blaming all Israelis for the military’s actions is like blaming all Vietnam vets for the horrors in Vietnam. They’re not calling the shots. They aren’t Nazis running concentration camps. They are carrying out military operations that SHOULD be criticized.

And do not compare them or ANY JEWISH PERSON to Nazis in general. It is Jewish cultural trauma and not outsiders’ to use against them.

Don’t infuse legitimate criticism with antisemitism. By all means, spread the word about the crimes committed by the Israeli army and government, and the complicity of their allies. Criticize the people responsible for committing and enabling atrocities.

But if you imply that they’re committing those crimes because they’re Jewish, or because Jewish people have special privileges, then you’re straying into antisemitic territory.

Criticize the crime, not the group. If you believe that collective punishment is wrong, don’t do it yourself.

And do your best to use words that apply directly to the situation, rather than the historical terms for situations with similar features. For example, use “segregation,” “oppression,” or “subjugation,” not “Holocaust” or “Jim Crow.” These other historical events are not the cultural property of Jews OR Palestinians, but also have their own nuances and struggles and historical contexts.

Also, blaming other world events on Jewish people or making Jewish people associated with them (for instance, some people falsely blame Jewish people for the African slave trade) is a key feature of how antisemitism functions.

Please, by all means, be specific and detailed in your critiques. But keep them focused on the current political actors – not other peoples’ or nations’ political or cultural histories and traumas.

Be prepared to accept criticism. You probably already know that society is infused with a wide array of bigotries, and that people growing up in that environment tend to absorb those beliefs without even realizing it. Antisemitism is no exception.

What that means is, there’s a very real chance that you will screw up, and get called out on it, as I so recently did.

If that happens, please be willing to learn and adapt. If you can educate yourself about the suffering and needs of Palestinians, you can do the same for Jewish people.

Understand that the people you hurt aren’t obligated to baby you. Give them room to be angry. After I made a post that inadvertently hurt people, some were nice about it, and others weren’t. Some outright insulted my morals and intelligence.

And I had to accept that I’d earned that from them.

I’d hurt them, and they weren’t obligated to be more careful with my feelings than I had been with theirs.

They weren’t obligated to forgive me, trust me, or stop being mad at me right away.

I’ll admit, there were moments when I got defensive. I shouldn’t have. And I encourage you to try not to, if you screw up and hurt people.

I know that’s hard, but it’s important. Getting defensive only tells people you care more about doubling down on your mistake than you do about healing the hurt it caused.

Instead, acknowledge that they have a right to be angry, apologize for the way you hurt them, and try to make amends, while understanding that they don’t owe you trust or forgiveness.

Be aware that some antisemites are using legitimate complaints to “Trojan horse” antisemitism into leftist spaces. This is a really easy stumbling block to trip over, because most people probably don’t look at every post a creator makes before sharing the one they’re looking at right now.

I recently shared a video that called out some of the Likud and IDF’s atrocities and hypocrisy, and that also noted that many Jewish people are wonderful members of their communities.

I was later informed that, while that video in particular seemed reasonable, the creator behind it is frequently antisemitic.

I deleted the post, and blocked the creator. I encourage you to do the same if it’s brought to your attention that you’ve been ‘Trojan horse’d.

EDIT: Important note about antisemitism in leftist spaces:

While it's true that some blatant antisemites are using seemingly reasonable posts to get their foot in the door of leftist spaces, it's also true that a lot of antisemitism already exists inside those spaces.

This antisemitism is often dressed up in progressive-sounding language, but nonetheless singles Jewish people and places out in ways that aren't applied equally to other groups, or that label Jewish people in ways that portray them as acceptable targets.

If you want to see some specific examples, so you can have a better idea of what to keep an eye out for, I suggest reading this excellent reblog of the original post.

Fact-check your doubts about antisemitism. Depending on which parts of the internet you look at, you’ve probably seen people accused of antisemitism because they complained about the Likud and/or IDF’s actions. So you might be primed to be wary, or feel unsure of how to tell what counts as real antisemitism.

But that doesn’t mean antisemitism isn’t a very real, widespread, and harmful problem. And it doesn’t mean many or even most Jewish people are lying to you or being overly sensitive.

So if someone says something is antisemitic, and you aren’t sure, I encourage you to:

A. Look up the action or thing in question, including its history. Is there an antisemitic history or connotation you aren’t aware of? For best results, include “antisemitic” in your search query, in quotes.

B. Understand that some things, while not inherently antisemitic, have been used by antisemites often enough that Jewish people are understandably wary of them. Schrodinger’s antisemitism, if you will.

C. Ask Jewish people WHO HAVE OFFERED TO HELP EDUCATE YOU. Emphasis on WHO HAVE OFFERED. Random Jewish people aren’t obligated to give you their time and emotional energy, or to educate you – especially on subjects that are scary or painful for them.

@edenfenixblogs has kindly offered her inbox to those who are genuinely trying to learn and do better, and I’ve found her to be very kind, patient, reasonable, and fair-minded.

Understand that this is URGENTLY NEEDED. In one of my conversations with a Jewish person who’d called me out, they said this was the most productive conversation they’d had with a person with a Palestinian flag in their profile.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

I didn’t do anything special. All I did was listen, apologize for my mistakes, and learn.

Yes, it feels good to be acknowledged. But I feel like I’ve been praised for peeing IN the toilet, instead of beside it.

Apologizing, learning, and making amends after you hurt people shouldn’t be “the most reasonable thing I’ve heard from a person with a Palestinian flag pfp.”

It should be BASIC DECENCY.

And the fact that it’s apparently so uncommon should tell you how much unnecessary stress and fear Jewish people have been living with because of people who consider themselves defenders of human rights.

By all means, be angry at the Likud, the IDF, and the politicians, reporters, and specific media outlets who choose to enable and cover up for them. But direct that anger toward the people who deserve it and are in a position to do something about it, not random people who simply happen to be Jewish, or who don’t want millions of people to be turned into refugees when less violent methods of achieving freedom and rights for Palestinians are available.

Stop peeing beside the toilet, people.

[undercoverbisexualfrog]

INFECTION AU - False Demodragon Disease Survivors Infected Cured Immune Unknown Part 1

Masterpost

Leonardo is doing all he can to keep his two remaining brothers safe. He has been keeping a journal to document the disease. He failed Michelangelo and Raphael already. He never will again.

Raphael sacrificed himself to save his brothers when they were cornered by Bradford. He is currently at Stage 4 of the disease, nearing 5. He continues to attack anyone in sight, with the exception of Michelangelo.

Donatello is tired. He is working in the lab alongside Stockman and Zeck. He knows that curing victims is possible, but finding the necessary resources is difficult. He spends almost every second creating a cure, but the virus is starting to mutate.

Michelangelo is the first to be cured. He was at Stage 2, but is now recovering. He still has blackened eyes and sharp teeth. He is aggressive but no where near as aggressive as the infected, however he tends to lash out. Most of the other survivors don't trust him, other than his brothers and Xever, who was also cured. Leonardo never leaves him alone anymore.

April knows that if she was to get infected, it would be the bridge between mutants and humans. She barely leaves the survivor hideout.

Casey is immune to the disease due to being human. While he's thankful for this, he wishes he could do more to protect his friends. He and April helped most of the humans of New York evacuate. Those who stayed are fools.

Karai and Shinigami live away from the other survivors. They reside in the Foot Clan lair, where their human soldiers guard them. Neither trusts anyone other than each other. Shinigami already cured Karai once though magic. And it took all her energy to do it. She knows she wouldn't be able to again. Unlike Michelangelo and Xever, Karai has no symptoms of the disease leftover due to being cured through magic.

Tiger Claw was a fool. Before his infection, he and the rest of Shredder's Foot Clan allied themselves with the turtles. The tiger was infected while fighting, trying to make up for summoning Kavaxas by defending the survivors every chance he got. He is now at Stage 3.

Chris Bradford is patient 0. While the virus didn't activate until Kavaxas was defeated, it still lay dormant in Bradford. He is at Stage 5. If you see him, you're already dead.

Xever Montes was cured from Stage 3. He was unknowingly infected from the moment he went with Bradford on the mission for the Kuro Kabuto. He is currently the third and last to be cured, however he has partly formed horns and wings and is still extremely aggressive. He is still recovering and other than Yasmin (OC) and Michelangelo, no one trusts him, especially since he was at Stage 3. Not that he blames them. He feels something is off He feels great.

Baxter Stockman works with Donatello and Zeck in the lab, searching for a cure. He's terrified. He hasn't stepped foot outside of the shelter since he first arrived there. He knows the virus is mutating. He and Donatello have agreed not to tell anyone that information in fear of making them panic more. Not even Zeck, their fellow lab mate, knows of this.

Anton Zeck and Ivan Steranko have always been together. All it took was one moment for everything to go to shit. Anton mourns his lover more than anything, promising to help him. He spends his time in the lab with Donatello and Stockman, who haven't told him of the virus mutating. This is to protect his already deteriorating mental state. Ivan is at Stage 3, nearing 4. So far every encounter with him has left injury.

Yasmin Nayak (OC) is one of the foolish humans who didn't escape earlier. She knows she should have, but her only friend, Xever, was infected. She couldn't bring herself to leave. Before Xever was cured, she spent every waking moment looking for him. Now that he finally is cured, she spends her time helping with his recovery.

The Mighty Mutanimals have not been seen since the virus began and are presumed infected.

Alopex searches for refuge. Since she can no longer sense Tiger Claw, she believes she is one of, if not the last remaining mutant.

The Shredder is dead. Infected yes, but was permanently killed when he took Kavaxas back to the Netherworld.

Ask Me Stuff!

[sleep-deprived-luka]

Prsk Wings of Fire au infodump (second try, I say with wet eyes)

Just the basic overview: Names/Tribe/Origin/Extras of the blorbos

L/n

Starrynight (Ichika): An orphan Nightwing who lives with the Tenmas in a Oasis close to the border between the Kingdom of sand and Icekingdom. She was the only one staying with Fennec when the war started.

Fennec (Saki): Sandwing with development issues caused by hatching early. Her wings are unusually small and she's prone to Sickness. Her family controls the Oasis l/n lives at. Fell severely ill right before the war. After recovering Fennec then ran away with Star to find the others.

Bole (Honami): Mudwing who was kicked out of her troop for appearing two-faced. She ended up meeting and befriending l/n. She was the first that left when hostility grew because of the war.

Snowhare (Shiho): Runaway Icewing princess. Finding herself unfit for the higher cycles she fled Icekingdom, passing out in the desert, for heatstroke reasons. Leoneed found the Icewing and swiftly adopted her. In the Tenma oasis Snowhare spends most of the day sleeping in her cave, only being active at night where the temperature is lower. Time she spends stargazing and singing with the others. She was the second one to leave when hostility grew

MMJ

Otter (Minori): unsuccessful Mudwing soldier, whose original troop died. She joined many different groups as an unsib, but got quickly kicked out of most of them. Her affiliation with Penguin is hard to explain. During the time the Mudwings and Seawings were allies, Otters old troop fought alongside the wing Penguin lead, so she frequently saw Penguin on the sidelines. Then the Mudwings switched sides, fights broke out, Otters troop gets mostly eradicated (Not by Penguins wing btw, dear god no I'm not that cruel) and Otter winds up traveling alone.

Penguin (Haruka): Seawing ex-soldier. Penguin grew up at a Seawing village close to Skykingdom, the same Mirage lived in. When the war started she was sent to the deep palace to join the military. Proving herself capable Penguin was allowed to lead a wing and aid the Mudwings against the Skywings. When the Mudwings switched sides it came to multiple battles the last one leading to countless casualties. Penguin blames her herself for the incident and left the military right after. That leads to her meeting Otter.

Finch (Airi): Skywing ex-soldier. Her previous goal was to be a respected and skilled soldier and she did have the skills, but in the end Finch got put into the position of public speaker. She begrudgingly accepted that for a while, since going against the Queens wishes would be a death sentence, but when the great escape happened she like many left the Palace. During her time outside she found Thaw lost and alone.

Thaw (Shizuku): Icewing princess. Being the eldest daughter had the pressure to perform well and be in the highest circle. Thaw being the airhead she is, sge barely manages that, so Snowhare was expected to overtake the throne. But Snowhare ran away because of the added pressure, therefore making Thaw the only real option they have. Yet things didn't seem to go for the better so as a final chance of redemption Thaw was commanded to lead an attack against the Skywings. But on her way there she got separated from the group and ended up lost. Finch found her

VBS

Lizard (Kohane): Sandwing prisoner who got caught when she accidentally stumbled into combat. Despite her inexperience she was able to defeat a Icewing in the arena, impressing Mirage who made her her partner (in crime)

Mirage (An): Sky/Seawing hybrid and prisoner. When the war broke out her skywing father and his Seawing partners disappeared, so Mirage flew to Skykingdom to find them. Unlucky for her there was Chaos in Skykingdom, for RADder pulled of the great escape, freeing dozens of prisoners. She got caught in the crossfire and turned prisoner, but Miriage made it her goal to not only free every prisoner, but to destroy the arena as well.

Smoke (Akito): Fireless Skywing prince. Goalless, he mainly stuck to the sidelines keeping himself away from Chimeras impulsive killings, but nothing more. When the great escape happened though, he saw a way to rebel against Chimeras cruel rule. That inevitably lead to him ending up in a mock trial where he was given the choice of what punishment he should receive. Smoke chose the arena.

Summit (Toya): Icewing prince (Branch family) and prisoner in Chimeras arena. He mostly stuck to himself, but Ash convinced him to join forces. The Icewing is unsure of the reality of such a dream, but he's willing to indulge it

WxS

Sun (Tsukasa): Boisterous Sandwing and Fennecs brother. Being the oldest and healthiest dragonet, he spent most of his time taking care of the peace and general mood of the oasis, also engaging in the occasional play. When Fennec and Star ran away he immediately went out to try and find them. During his search he first met Emu who was eager to help and then met both Director and Shadowsong. During their travels they got sidetracked and started trying to find an end to the war.

Emu (Emu is just a legit Rainwing name): Energetic Rainwing who left the rainforest to help the other dragons to be happy :D! She was the one who got wxs to consider stopping the war.

Shadowsong (Nene): Timid Nightwing who spent most of her time hiding in Shadows. She didn't like living on the island, but also wasn't that eager to get to the mainland. Director was able to convince her to escape with him, by creating an enchanted statue, she can control, as her guard.

Director (Rui): Nightwing animus who built the tunnel between the volcano and rainforest. He frequently snuck through that tunnel to explore the jungle occasionally meeting up with Charming while at it. After a time he thought of running away from Nightwing island convincing Shadowsong to escape with him

Niigo

Siren (Kanade): Nightwing who hatched during a bloodmoon. Through that she gained, or more was cursed with, the ability to predict the deaths of dragons she encounters. Sadly Siren isn't aware that those are visions of a future about to happen, so she's convinced that her visions are malicious thoughts that bring horrid futures to innocent dragons. To try to avert these faits she sings about them at night, causing her to be known as the Siren by the local Seawing community. Siren lives on the island her deceased parents raised her on, niigo meet up there.

Jellyfish (Mafuyu): Seawing animus, that genuinely should explain most of it lmao. Being used as the royal animus, she felt a part of herself getting lost over time. Are the spells at fault or the incredibly toxic and manipulative situation she's in? Idk. She for some reason found solace in Sirens songs.

Inferno/Kite (Ena): Firescale Skywing who previously was used as Queen Chimeras (it's Teto btw) killing machine. She ran away, when Smoke picked the Arena as a punishment, for obvious "I don't want to kill my brother" reasons. She ended up living on Sirens island.

Charming (Mizuki): Animus Rainwing. They left the rainforest for multiple reasons, the main ones being an outcast for being trans and accidental unethical usage of magic. Charming mostly traveled around until she wound up mostly staying at Sirens island

[firelance2361]

What If...The Ronin Took The Ten Rings?

Following up on my recent train of What If…? ideas, here’s a cool design for an idea I had connecting a few different parts of the MCU together.

——————

[In this universe, after losing his family in the Snap and donning the Ronin persona, Clint Barton’s quest for vengeance as the Ronin led him into the sights of Xu Wenwu and the Ten Rings. While the other members found the Ronin to be a threat to their regime, Wenwu saw in the former Avenger a possible new means to return Shang-Chi and Xialing to him.

Setting up a fake hit job to lure in the Ronin, Wenwu approached Clint with an offer to join him, telling them they can protect the world better than his former allies did.

Clint points out his Ten Rings, recognizing him as the true Mandarin who was responsible for Tony Stark’s capture in Afghanistan. Wenwu laments to him about his family’s death, emphasizing with him over his wife Ying Li’s death. He tells him that he can help him clear the board and remove players like Kingpin and Power Broker from the table. Ronin accepts his offer, becoming Wenwu’s enforcer, but in secret forms ulterior motives to overthrow him.

——————

Over the course of a year and a half, Ronin works as the Ten Rings best assassin alongside Razorfist and Death Dealer, removing their enemies in places like Madripoor, New York, Hong Kong, etc. He clears through his targets one after the next, leaving nothing but death and bloodshed in his wake.

His warpath drew the attention of people like Wilson Fisk and Sharon Carter, who saw the potential threat of this assassin if he were to rise to power, as well as his former friend Natasha Romanoff who becomes worried for her friend’s safety and mentality as his rampage grows more dangerous.

All the while, as the Ronin rises in the ranks of the Ten Rings, he starts building his own group of followers within it, working towards his ultimate goal of overthrowing the Warrior King.

——————

During a mission to infiltrate the Power Broker’s operations, he spots her with Xu Xialing discussing the potential prospects of the new batch of Super Solider Serum. Seizing the opportunity, the Robin goes rogue; he knocks out the lights, takes out Sharon and her guards and corners Xialing, engaging her in a duel. While Xialing easily overpowers him and is prepared to kill him in a chokehold, Ronin breaks free by grabbing her by the arm, dislocating it, allowing him to knock her back down.

As he takes her away, Sharon, still groggy, puts in a distress call to Natasha, believing if anyone can stop him, she can. She relays the message to Fisk, who in retaliation sends Maya Lopez after him, knowing this could go south if the Ronin succeeds in his plan.

After locating and tracking down her brother Shang-Chi at his apartment in San Francisco, the duel lasts a bit longer than expected, with Shang-Chi managing to actually pin the former Avenger down for a killing blow, until Nat arrives, telling him that’s Clint Barton. Ronin uses this to his advantage, using Shang-Chi’s pendant as a projectile to activate Nat’s Widow’s Bites, before pushing Shang-Chi right in the line of fire, shocking him unconscious.

Nat tries to stop him, but Ronin throws a smoke bomb at the ground, blinding her. When it clears, he’s gone with Shang-Chi. Knowing where he’s likely going, she races off to try and stop him, unaware that Maya is watching and following her all the while.

——————

Back at the Ten Rings’ HQ, Wenwu and Razor Fist are looking over the scrolls of Ta-Lo, trying to find the gateway to it, when the guards start clamoring outside as something is happening. Wenwu armors up and steps outside, only to his horror to find both Xialing and Shang-Chi tied up, bloodied, and held hostage by Ronin and his loyalists.

A grief-fueled Ronin then calls out Wenwu for his actions, and that even a man over a thousand years could never understand what it was like to live as a mere mortal like him, one gave everything to the world despite having no powers or special abilities, yet was shunned and received nothing but shame, ridicule, and ultimately death. He challenges the Mandarin to a duel: One match against him for his children’s life, or else they die.

Remembering what the Iron Gang did to Ying Li on these very grounds, Wenwu ultimately accepts, wanting to put the Ronin back in his place for the sake of his family.

——————

Elsewhere, Nat is trying desperately to reach the fortress in a rainy blur, until she gets stopped by Maya Lopez, still hellbent on avenging her father and killing Clint.

As Nat fights to get there first, both factions of the Ten Rings gather around the palace; Shang-Chi and Xialing, still bound, are forced to watch the duel that will decide their fate and their family’s. Clint and Wenwu, both armored up, draw their weapons, the rain shimmering around the both of them.

The battle begins, the two warriors engage in an all-out melee, Wenwu’s power only being matched by Clint’s swiftness and agility, his sword clashing with the Rings’s in a cacophony of combat. Eventually though, Wenwu’s sheer strength starts to overpower Clint, beating him senseless, but Clint anticipated this, waiting for the moment when Wenwu would get more reckless in his attacks. Meanwhile, back outside, Nat manages to knock off Maya’s leg and stun her with a Widow Bite, apologizing for that before running off to stop Clint.

As Clint gets smashed into the ground, Wenwu raises his fist, readying his Rings to kill him, but in doing so gives Ronin the opening he needed. Clint manages to slip a piece of sharp debris into his glove when he was pinned, so now, using the same trick as he did with Shang-Chi with his deadly accuracy, ricochets his new projectile right into Wenwu’s median nerve, severing it.

Wasting not a second, Clint grabs his sword and stabs Wenwu in the leg, further crippling him. As he continues fighting, Wenwu’s strength begins to give, as the Ronin keeps hitting him at critical points to take him off the edge. Then the game-changer comes as Wenwu tries to blast Clint with the Rings, allowing Clint to knock him down as he calls them back to him. Whirring around, Clint manages to catch the Rings on his own arm mid-flight, before spinning back to finish off Wenwu with a downward slam, knocking everyone back. He continues beating into Wenwu, visions of his family, of his pain, of everything he suffered though, and yet even that was never enough.

——————

Nat sees the concentric bursts of power from the palace, knowing that either way, something’s wrong. As Wenwu lays bloodied and defeated, Ronin uses his new Rings to take the rest from Wenwu, claiming them for himself. Shang-Chi and Xialing try to break free to save their father, but Ronin uses the Rings to hold them in place and watch. Wenwu looks over at them, accepting that his goal of reuniting his family was somewhat successful in the end, telling them both to avenge their family.

Wenwu accepts his fate, surrendering to the Ronin as Shang-Chi and Xialing are left helpless to watch. Clint then channels the Rings’ power into his blade, preparing to finish off the Mandarin for good.

Nat then barges in, witnessing the unfortunate scene before her. Clint glares at her, the friend she once knew gone, now replaced by a madman. As Ronin unmasks himself, Nat tells him she’s sorry she failed him, that she knows why he’s doing this but that he needs to stop, but Clint isn’t having any of it. As Nat begs for Clint to see reason and asks what will it take for him to listen, he simply tells her the same thing he’s told all his enemies:

“What I want…you can’t give me.”

He stabs Wenwu, as Nat, Shang-Chi, and Xialing watch in horror. Nat leaps in to try and stop him, but Clint just throws the two at her, before ordering his men to take them captive. Razor Fist breaks through and holds Ronin’s loyalists back, allowing them time to escape, but sacrificing himself in the process.

As the three make their escape, they find Maya on the ground still reeling from the Widow Bite. Nat removes it and tells her that if she wants to live, then they all need to go. As the group escape the oncoming convoy of troops after them, The Ronin watches on, not even fazed. He admires this new strength and commands the rest of his troops to submit to him or die, gesturing to Wenwu’s and Razor Fist’s dead bodies. The other troops submit to him, declaring the Ronin as their new leader.

——————

As both groups report to their higher-ups - Nat, Shang-Chi, and Xialing to the other remaining Avengers; Maya to Wilson Fisk and Sharon Carter - both sides receive a message from Ronin, informing them that Wenwu’s death was just the beginning. He tells them all that a new era has begun, one from which only reckoning will come for all who bar him from his goal.

With that, the Ronin assumes his new throne as the ruler of the Ten Rings, his aim and his empire now secured as one, all while forces beyond watch in preparation.

——————

Sorry if the bio’s a bit lengthier than most, but I thought it would be an interesting concept for a future What If..? scenario plus a fun way to revisit a more unexplored part of Marvel’s past with the Blip.

Hope you like it!

[post-leffert]

Anarchists Against Counter-Revolution

9/5/2024

There has been a disturbing trend within anarchism in the last few years. It could be called the right wing of anarchism, liberal anarchism, anarchism in name only, or reformism. Whatever it is called, people who believe that they are anarchists have taken positions that side with colonizers, nation-states, and western hegemony.

The most glaring of these positions are: 1) the Resistance in Palestine should not be supported or should only be partially supported because Hamas is not sufficiently 'anarchist.' 2) Money and solidarity should be sent to 'anarchist' battalions in Ukraine which fight alongside fascist battalions and under the direction of the Ukrainian State and the United States. 3) Armed struggle against the US is a foolhardy endeavor.

Let's look at each of the three examples in more detail to explore their specific contradictions.

The Resistance in Palestine:

While once the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) was one of the strongest Resistance factions in Palestine, Hamas has become the most prominent. This marks a shift from leftists at the forefront of the Resistance to a group that is known for its focus on Islam. Islamic Jihad (PIJ),“a national Palestinian Resistance movement which is rooted in our people’s faith, culture and belief, namely Islam,”i bridges the gap between leftism and Islam. Dr. Mohammed Al-Hindi of PIJii has explained that this transition was not imposed, but rather rose out of a desire from the people. During this transition period, Palestinians were looking for Islamic groups to play an active role in the Resistance and when they did not initially find recourse through the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic groups. Groups like Islamic Jihad and Hamas arose to fulfill the need. Despite the differences in ideology, all of the Resistance factions (from the PFLP to Islamic Jihad to Hamas and others) have committed to working together in Al Aqsa Flood.

The Palestinian struggle is a massively significant struggle against one of the most egregious colonizers in the region, an agent and ally of the US and the west. The entire takeover of the region and creation of the Zionist entity was facilitated by the original colonization of the area by England. Armed settlers of the area come predominantly from the US and Europe and are highly visible Western agents of its hegemony. People in struggle are literally fighting the right-wing neighbors of those of us who live in the west.

When people in the west (purportedly as part of a liberatory movement) evaluate Hamas based on their own narrow definitions of what is the right and wrong way to build a movement, they are ironically bringing a western measuring stick to a struggle against the west. They form the second tier of colonization: measuring and categorizing a people's struggle to judge and decide if it is worthy of their solidarity. This process reinforces differences between us. It is the same process of 'othering' that creates acceptance for colonization within civil society to occur in the first place. The colonized people are designated as the 'other,' a concept the allows for a process of dehumanization: to use the differences of culture as a wedge that forces them out of our shared humanity and into a new category that allows for exploitation. If people are different from us, should they be colonized? Any anarchist would adamantly say, no! The people of Palestine want to fight back against torture and attempted genocide and out of this desire groups like PIJ and Hamas were born.

As anarchists it is our duty to understand why our politics are not the unique driving force behind oppressed people as it once was. In Palestine, while having some adherents to traditional revolutionary left politics, in PFLP and DFLP, the left has generally faded as the main oppositional ideology. If we want to become relevant again, our role, as anarchists, is to understand how Hamas has become so relevant to people there and what role Islam plays in the Resistance.

Furthermore, withholding support while the Resistance factions are being bombed and shot at does not put your movement in a strong position to make suggestions after the war. The strongest bonds are forged through struggle and the connections between those who fight side by side will continue after the fighting is over. There is a reason Aaron Bushnell'siii likeness is spread throughout the Resistance areas. His action speaks loudly over the din of naysayers critiquing the Resistance and with his action he has brought anarchism to the forefront of the struggle by showing unequivocal solidarity. May he rest in peace.

Russia-Ukraine War:

Contradictorily, while now questioning the legitimacy of Hamas, liberal anarchists had been rallying support for the Resistance Committees of Ukraine, which were nominally anarchist battalions that fought with the Ukrainian military and even within fascist battalions.

What was clear from the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict was that the pressures and overtures of the west had pushed the Russian state to its breaking point. Since the end of Cold War, the United States promised Russia that NATO, an aggressive military alliance, wouldn't move past Germany. Since then, there have been several expansions of NATO, under Clinton and then Bush. The red line for Russia was always the inclusion of Georgia and Ukraine in NATO. In 2008 at the Bucharest Summit, the US announced that Georgia and Ukraine would join NATO - a direct provocation. In 2014 the Maidan uprising occurred in Ukraine, with protagonists being funded on one side by the United States and on the other by Russia. Simultaneously a conflict was brewing in the Donbas region, between Russian separatists and the Ukrainian State. Some Ukrainian anarchists joined the state in fighting against the separatistsiv. Anti-fascists from Europe arrived to fight on the side of the Russians. This area became the center point of the conflict, as Russia sought to bring it back within its fold and Ukraine, with the support and at the bidding of the West, fought to keep the region.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, anarchists from Ukraine took a nationalist position that they needed to fight Russia in tandem with the Ukrainian state. This put them under the direct control of the Ukrainian military, and thus the United States. The Ukrainian military has received training and billions of dollars from the US since 2014v. This year a direct arms ban against the fascist Azov Battalion was lifted by the US Congressvi. Azov is among many fascist battalions that had heeded the call to combat and had already been fighting in the Donbas region. Even beyond it's association with the US and the many far-right battalions, the entire Ukrainian military has a fascist bent, with soldiers wearing patches of and commanders sitting beneath the portrait of Stepan Bandera, the former fascist leader of the radical militant wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Ukrainian anarchists have been fighting shoulder to shoulder with fascists and many eventually directly joined Azov battalionvii.

The result was the absurd situation of having so-called anti-fascists on both sides of the conflict, fighting each other alongside fascists and at the bidding of and for the ends of State actors. Despite this contradiction, anarchist groups all over Europe and the US beat the war drum for the fighters, encouraging solidarity and cash donations. One anarchist group raised over 100,000 Euros for fighters on the side of the USviii. The justification for this bizarre alliance was that the anarchist community should put its concerns aside and follow the lead of local anarchists and that they were fighting 'imperialism.' Yet what good is listening if one cannot see the broader context? And is there one type of imperialism that is better than another?

This point is not to argue in any way that Russia is a good choice of the two and that the military regime of Russia will be any more liberatory than NATO. There is no good choice in this conflict. In an ideal situation anarchists would be able to create a third front and take advantage of the melee to take their own territory. Unfortunately the capacity for this does not exist. And, unfortunately, it never will if the movement doesn't strengthen anarchist projects that are committed to anarchist principles. The result is a half-hearted bumbling down a path towards liberalism. In the end liberalism always strengthens fascism.ix

Whereas the Palestinian Resistance is clearly fighting western colonialism, Ukraine is fighting on the side of the US and the west. It must be asked: why can western so-called anarchists overcome the contradiction of anarchists fighting alongside the US military and with fascists, but cannot accept that Hamas is a legitimate fighting force for the Palestinians? The answer is probably more complex than they themselves can answer, but it does appear suspiciously pro-west, leading this author to wonder if they are subconsciously harboring nationalistic sentiments. Furthermore, the overtones of racism cannot be ignored.

The Critique of Taking Up Arms Against the US State:

At the same time that these reformists in the west have been beating the war drum for NATO and denying solidarity with the Palestinian Resistance, they have been taking a stance against armed struggle against the US state.

This hypocrisy was explained and well-documented by the authors of the text 'No War But Class War: Against State Nationalism and Inter-Imperialist War in Ukraine: “A concerning and not-unrelated double standard has also developed among some US/NATO-aligned anarchists, with regard to anarchist and anti-racist/anti-fascist struggle in the US. In August 2020, on the heels of the George Floyd Uprising, anti-fascist Michael Reinoehl shot and killed fascist Aaron Danielson, a supporter of the far right group Patriot Prayer in Portland, OR. Before anyone knew the details of what had happened, CrimethInc. and their allies at Ill Will Editions and the Vitalist International (two projects that include 'Tiqqunists' who have flirted heavily with the far right) denounced what they assumed had happened by calling on comrades 'not to be drawn into grudge matches…[or] seek revenge in symmetrical warfare.' They lamented, 'The escalation to lethal force is tragic for all.'”x

Sadly and misguidedly, these groups were not referring to the actions of the State, which gunned Michael Reinoehl down in the street. They were referring to the actions of the comrade himself. This was a clear denunciation of using arms to stand up against homegrown fascism in the United States.

This sentiment was further solidified in this group's text, 'Against the Logic of the Guillotine.'xi They couch it softly by first admitting that, “self-defense is necessary” but modify this statement with, “but wherever we can, we should take the risk of leaving our adversaries alive.” Yet later in the text they pull back the cover entirely to show their true feelings and state point blank, “We don’t want to exterminate our enemies.” The absurdity of this statement is apparent in the modern day chain gangs in Alabama, migrant detention camps, the poisoned waters of Flint, Michigan, systemic raping by prison correction officers, and the list goes on. But the author separates themselves from these realities to show their class and privilege when they explain how they had come to this conclusion: “As for our immediate adversaries...[h]owever selfish and rapacious they appear, at least some of their values are similar to ours...” And because they seem to identify so closely with fascists and agents of the US state, they giddily assert that the struggle of their revolutionary project should be for their benefit: “When we are compelled to use coercive force, the only possible justification is that it is a necessary step towards creating a better world for everyone—including our enemies....”

This same group of so-called anarchist-journalists were the first recipients of Aaron Bushnell's footage of and statement about his self-immolation for Gaza. He entrusted them with this content, believing that they were conscientious actors who would treat his final moments with the gravity and respect they deserved. According to CrimethInc., Bushnell emailed the group: “Today, I am planning to engage in an extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people. The below links should take you to a livestream and recorded footage of the event, which will be highly disturbing. I ask that you make sure that the footage is preserved and reported on.”

While not a direct armed confrontation with the US, this is a powerful action by a sober and politically driven comrade who intended to make the ultimate sacrifice to bring attention to the martyrs and civilians of Gaza who were being bombed and gunned down relentlessly. Instead of honoring his sacrifice, CrimethInc. wrote a text passing many judgements on the deceased.

They wrote: “Many things that are worth doing entail risks, but choosing to intentionally end your life means foreclosing years or decades of possibility...” And with even more scorn towards his actions, they proselytize, “It is not willingness to die that will sway our rulers.” They even go so far as to say he should not be considered a martyr.xii

It is difficult to comprehend and bear the weight of a young comrade taking such a final and meaningful action only to be judged harshly by the very group he entrusted with publicizing it. Instead of focusing their piece on the actions and thoughts of Aaron Bushnell, CrimethInc. chose this moment to reflect on their role as journalists, and the effect and power they might have by publishing this action. They were worried they would inspire others to follow suit. It is strange to see such a phenomenon displayed so brazenly: that the reflection of themselves outweighs their responsibility to a comrade, his sacrifice and his desire to draw attention to Gaza.

This may be the key to understanding why this reformist tendency has taken root in the United States in particular, and why this group would be so horrified by a revolutionary sacrificing their life. These reformists are so focused on their own overblown role in the movement, they cannot see the bigger picture: the colonial role of the United States, the war on black and brown people in the US itself, and certainly not the humanity and self-determination of people from the global south. They are deeply ensconced in the conception that their thoughts and considerations far outweigh those of other people – yet another hallmark of western superiority.

The final point of this heartbreaking episode is that it is clear that while reformists anarchists write eulogies of people who fought with the Ukrainian State, and promote articles about the Resistance Committeesxiii - including the armed branch - of Ukraine, they are critical and skeptical of an action for Gaza on US soil.

In this last section I have referred to the journalist-'anarchists' CrimethInc. exclusively but they are merely a public representation of a broader tendency and set of beliefs. It is clear from their popularity that in espousing these positions, there are many who are anarchists in name only, unwilling to jeopardize their comfortable position within the US and therefore not fully dedicated to the end of colonization and the destruction of nation-states (especially when it is their own).

They have essentially become a mouthpiece for US state propaganda: trafficking in Islamophobia, pushing the west's agenda in Ukraine, and fear mongering against living up to an anarchist's greatest responsibility: to fight the nation-state where they reside.

These three positions are miles away from the original intentions of the anarchist movement. Anarchism has always been based on 1) building a society of federated communes 2) fighting against the nation-state where you reside 3) fighting colonial powers 4) creating counter-narratives to State propaganda 5) fighting fascists and against fascism 6) operating with an international purview in a borderless struggle 7) standing and fighting on the side of the oppressed.

When you consider the clear tenets of anarchism as a political and social movement, it is hard to imagine how any of the deviations I have detailed here could occur. Yet there is another facet to consider. The fact is that anarchists do not have as strong a pole in the world as we once did. In the heydays of the Spanish Civil War, Emiliano Zapata, Nestor Mahkno, and the Shinmin Prefecture, there was a widely understood definition of the anarchist position, regions functioning based on anarchist principles and militant battalions defending these regions and launching attacks against imperial and colonial forces.

Despite the movement being at such a low point, it is not time to give up and settle into the values of a colonial society. Instead it is up to those of us who call ourselves anarchists to rebuild the movement to not just it's former status, but, having the ability to reflect on the successes and failures of former initiatives, to use our hindsight to destroy the States that have wreaked colonial havoc on the world for so long, create long lasting liberated territories and form a foundation from which to truly support the liberation of all people.

To have success, we must have a look at the situation and take into account important considerations. The first is to look very deeply and concertedly at what anarchism is as a revolutionary movement: to study former examples of anarchist movements and societies. The second is to bring a stronger understanding of the current situation in global politics to bear. For example, to understand the bloody and fascistic role of the United States in Central and South America, to understand the history of colonization in West Asia, to study and understand the fights of the Polisario Front and West Papua. That is to say, anarchists must have an anti-colonial and anti-imperialist understanding of the world. To support this perspective, we must learn to decipher the propaganda of the State and differentiate between that what we stand for.

Next, anarchists – particularly those in the west - must learn how to listen to people who have been colonized or oppressed. When a group of Marxists traveled to Chiapas to put their textbook left movement into practice, they were met with questions and the different perspectives of people in the region. After discussions and a melding of ideas, the current Zapatista movement emerged: a mix of leftism and indigenous concepts and traditions. It is in this melding of ideas that our movement will become relevant and much stronger. Anarchism's strength does not come from maintaining a rigid measuring stick to judge would be comrades, but from allowing a multitude of perspectives to co-exist simultaneously. However to be clear, there is no room or time to entertain right wing or fascist perspectives. These must be rooted out and crushed.

Finally, anarchists, particularly in the west, must establish militancy in their home terrains– not in the service of colonizers, but in the service of oppressed people. It is time for anarchists to turn the guns from fighting in the service of western interests, and point them at the perpetrators of so much grief and devastation worldwide. The armed struggle must fight fascism and weaken the State where they live. They must use their force to fight for the colonized, to challenge western hegemony, and to defend the type of society that anarchism stands for. The west is currently in a decline in terms of its global position, and anarchists have a political opportunity to stand on the right side of history, as well as the strategic potential of this moment. Many other armed groups are taking advantage of the changing global order and it is time for anarchists to step up.

It is only in this way that anarchists can avoid being a proxy of the very forces we are supposed to fight, to live up to the sacrifices of our predecessors, to hold up the torch of anarchism for the martyrs of the movement and its history, to stand on the side of those who have been thoroughly wronged by this global system and finally to become relevant again to everyone who struggles around the world.

-Friends of Russell Maroon Shoatz

i https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/oslo-is-over

ii ibid

iii Aaron Bushnell was an anarchist and servicemen in the US Air Force who set himself on fire outside the 'Israeli' Embassy in Washington DC to protest the attack on and ongoing colonization of Gaza. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-immolation_of_Aaron_Bushnell iv Ukraine's Anarchist Militants Fighting neo-Nazis. 5:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5ZLpFIsMH8&rco=1

v https://www.dvidshub.net/search/?filter[type]=news&filter[tags][]=jmtgu&...

https://theconversation.com/in-2014-the-decrepit-ukrainian-army-hit-the-...

vi https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/us-lifts-ban-azov-brigade-ukraine-ame...

vii https://www.anarchistnews.org/content/no-one-will-be-forgotten-new-losse...

viii https://abcdd.org/en/2022/03/23/update-donation-for-solidarity-with-anar...

ix The evidence of this can be seen both in the election of Donald Trump in the US and at the end of the Spanish Civil War

x https://abolitionmedia.noblogs.org/post/2022/04/12/no-war-but-class-war-...

xi https://crimethinc.com/zines/against-the-logic-of-the-guillotine

xii https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/crimethinc-this-is-what-our-ruli...

xiii https://crimethinc.com/2022/02/24/russia-and-ukraine-grassroots-resistan...