#west wing quote is the best

[headbandsandflats]

“It was like A Chorus Line fucked Our Town.”

Bradley Whitford, talking about his Juilliard class meeting up 31 years later, on WTF with Marc Maron

[anghraine]

I know I've ranted about it a million times, but every time someone brings up Roman, Byzantine, and Egyptian inspirations/influences on Gondor in more mainstream Tolkien fandom spaces (not me, because I don't even talk about it off Tumblr/DW), it seems like there's always someone who gets super weird and defensive about it. I've seen so many "well actually there's no need to consider any influences outside of England, mythology for England blah blah" responses.

And it's like! Oh, you want to play the decontextualized Tolkien quotes game? How about this one:

“But this [the setting of LOTR] is not a purely 'Nordic' area in any sense. If Hobbiton and Rivendell are taken (as intended) to be at about the latitude of Oxford, then Minas Tirith, 600 miles south, is at about the latitude of Florence [in Italy]. The Mouths of Anduin and the ancient [Gondorian] city of Pelargir are at about the latitude of ancient Troy [in Turkey]. Auden has asserted that for me 'the North is a sacred direction.' That is not true. The North-west part of Europe, where I (and most of my ancestors) have lived, has my affection, as a man’s home should. I love its atmosphere, and know more of its histories and languages than I do of other parts; but it is not ‘sacred’, nor does it exhaust my affections. I have, for instance, a particular love for the Latin language, and among its descendants for Spanish ... The progress of the tale ends in what is far more like the re-establishment of an effective Holy Roman Empire with its seat in Rome than anything that would be devised by a 'Nordic.'”

Or this one:

we come [in ROTK] to the half-ruinous Byzantine City of Minas Tirith

Or:

In the south Gondor rises to a peak of power, almost reflecting Númenor, and then fades slowly to decayed Middle Age, a kind of proud, venerable, but increasingly impotent Byzantium.

Or:

The Númenóreans of Gondor were proud, peculiar, and archaic, and I think are best pictured in (say) Egyptian terms. In many ways they resembled ‘Egyptians’ - the love of, and power to construct, the gigantic and massive. And in their great interest in ancestry and in tombs. […] I think the crown of Gondor (the S. Kingdom) was very tall, like that of Egypt, but with wings attached, not set straight back but at an angle. The N. Kingdom had only a diadem (III 323). Cf. the difference between the N. and S. kingdoms of Egypt.

Or:

Thank you very much for your letter. … It came while I was away, in Gondor (sc. Venice), as a change from the North Kingdom

Middle-earth is not equivalent to England, or northern Europe in general, and Gondor especially is not northern at all!

[jewreallythinkthat]

It must be lovely for people to have the privilege of just being able to run their mouths on the war between Israel and Hamas because it doesn't affect them in any way, shape or form.

It's so clear they have no interest in peace otherwise they would put in the groundwork (like literally acknowledging that a ceasefire isn't possible without hostages being returned - however that has to happen, and I have complicated feelings about the push for prisoner swaps as it condones the use of taking civilians hostages, but honestly if that is what it takes then I just want this over).

There are literally only two basic things people need to do to show they want to talk to me in good faith -

1. Acknowledge Hamas include combatants with civilians in death figures (whether the figure is correct or not) along with acknowledging that Hamas hide in civilian areas on purpose

2. Understand that while Israeli hostages are in Gaza, this isn't stopping.

Honourable mention: there was a ceasefire on October 6th

If someone is happy to accept both these things are true, then they at least understand it's a complex situation and there aren't easy answers. Obviously there are other things two but these are literally the two points so many people refuse to believe exist.

So many diaspora Jews as well as Israelis (including my aunt) are against this war and want it over and we are literally the best allies rando white people in the West could have because we have the lived experience of what it's like to be (or have family in) Israel and have literally grown up following the situation for years but no, ideological purity so people can have their holier than thou moment is more important to them.

TL:DR for the Reading Comprehension Website

1. I want this war over asap

2. The civilian deaths in Gaza are horrific

3. This will not end until hostages are no longer in Gaza

4. It is not in Hamas' interest to end the war, they have openly said this on global interviews. They include their combatant deaths in with the civilians to make the numbers larger. In literally no other war are the people who are fighting included in the death counts for civilians.

5. Left wing Israelis and diaspora Jews are your best allies for learning about this from the non Palestinian side, he'll go listen to Unapologetic: the 3rd Narrative to hear Arab Israelis talk about it. They're brilliant and far more learned than most people on here.

6. If you're going to quote numbers, at least use the ones Hamas provide. They want Israel to look bad, so why are people randomly pulling numbers out of their ass. It's embarrassing to see people not even able to listen to terrorists who they are siding with .

[pelorsdyke]

ronancetober - day nine: free day [west wing au]

“What the hell was that?”

When she enters Nancy’s office, the woman in question is scribbling furiously on a yellow legal pad, books and highlighters surrounding her on the desk.

“Good morning, Nancy, it’s nice to see you, Nancy, oh, thank you so much, Robin, it’s nice to see you too.” Nancy replies, not looking up from her task. Robin rolls her eyes.

“Good morning, Nancy. What the hell was that?”

Nancy’s pen runs out of ink and she switches for a replacement, tossing the old one into the wastebasket at her feet. Still, she doesn’t lift her gaze, though whether it’s purposeful or just a symptom of Nancy being deep in her work, Robin doesn’t know.

“I did my job,” Nancy replies, and her voice is sincere, if a little ticked, “you know, the thing where they pay me human money to make sure the President doesn’t get torpedoed by a bunch of idiots?”

“Yeah, well, you also directly undermined me to the press corps,” Robin reminds her, still thinking about the way Vickie Stewart pulled her aside after the briefing not ten minutes ago. “You know,” she mocks, “the thing where they pay me human money to make sure the White House has consistent and accurate messaging?”

At this, Nancy looks up.

“I didn’t undermine you,” she says, instant, and her gaze remains locked on Robin’s. Robin scoffs and Nancy shakes her head, repeats herself. “I didn’t undermine you, Robin.”

“Then what the hell is the Post doing asking me about the Speaker of the House?” Robin replies, and Nancy frowns, considering for a moment. It’s one of the woman’s best qualities, especially given her job description, but sometimes it really pisses Robin off. Sometimes, like right now.

“Speaker’s not elected yet, Nance,” Robin reminds her, and Nancy shoots her a look, I know that, idiot clear across her face.

“What’s Stewart claiming to know?” Nancy asks, and if Robin didn’t know better, she’d think the tone in Nancy’s voice on Vickie’s name is jealousy.

“You don’t know it’s Stewart,” Robin says, just to be difficult.

“Nobody else at the Post would tell you,” Nancy fires back, “they’d just print the story and make it your problem at the next briefing.”

Robin bristles. She feels, honestly, a little protective over the journalists in the press room. She knows there’s staff that think she’s too friendly with them, but it’s important to her job to not be antagonistic as much as it’s important to her personally. There’s a non-zero number of people in the White House who consider the press and politicians to be permanently at each other’s throats, and Robin believes that’s a terrible way to run a country. Journalists are, as much as they’re occasionally pains in her ass, an extension of the American people.

“What’s she saying?” Nancy repeats, and Robin shoves her hands in her pockets, desperate for something to fiddle with.

“That Byers is trying to prop up a Democratic candidate to lessen the pressure during the impending investigation,” Robin says, quoting Vickie directly. “Special prosecutor not withstanding.”

Nancy rolls her eyes. “The President is supporting a candidate from her own party for a position in government. The horror.”

“That’s not the problem and you know it,” Robin replies. “We’re staring down the barrel of an investigation that could make or break the presidency— based on accusations of something she did in fact do, in case you’ve forgotten— and people are starting to suggest it could shift toward impeachment.”

“It’s not gonna shift toward impeachment.”

“It will if you’re an idiot about this!”

Nancy’s eyes narrow. “Choose your next words very carefully.” It’s times like this that Robin remembers she’s the least powerful senior staff member, that Nancy is leagues beyond her.

“There’s discussion of attempts on behalf of the presidency to defraud the American people,” Robin holds up a hand when Nancy begins to cut in, “whether you agree with the assessment is not the point, the point is that it’s the conversation being had. Now this kind of thing, maybe she gets a censure, has a black mark on her presidency. Fine. Not great, but not the end of the world. But there’s been talk for a while now about conspiracy.”

“Conspiracy toward what end?” Nancy sputters.

“Conspiracy to win a presidential election,” Robin replies. It’s another thing she’s quoting verbatim, though this time not from Vickie. “Lying to the American people, it’s tantamount to manipulation in some people’s eyes.”

Nancy sighs, drops her head into her hands.

“So tell me, Nance,” Robin says, gentling her voice, “what the hell you were thinking supporting Byers’ move here.”

“The same thing she was thinking,” Nancy replies, lifting her head to meet Robin’s gaze again, “that the investigation is primarily politically-motivated bullshit from a Republican Party that hates her guts. That they’re trying to tank her chances of re-election. That the special prosecutor is a good guy, but we’d rather have someone on our side in his ear.”

Robin considers her answer for a moment. It’s times like these when she really wants to smack everyone in the cabinet over the head with something heavy. Their instinct to not include her in these discussions is typically built on a not so terrible foundation, she supposes, with the idea that if she doesn’t know something, she can’t tell the press, but it’s also unbearably stupid. She’s the president’s first line of defense, the person who’ll get the questions about it, and it’s not a good way to build trust with the public to have your press secretary be an idiot who doesn’t have a clue what the administration is planning to do. Case in point, Vickie Stewart from the Washington Post suggesting that at the next briefing, she intended to ask Robin a question about the president’s push to elect a Democratic congressperson to be Speaker of the House. Robin had laughed, actually, at first, when the reporter had said it.

It also removes her ability to tell them the actually useful thing to do, media-wise, in times like this.

“Okay,” Robin says, sliding into the seat on the other side of Nancy’s desk, “imagine this. There’s three ways this goes, one of which is a Democratic-led investigation against a Democratic President, which ultimately leads— regardless of if they find her guilty or not— to questions of if we put our finger on the scale.”

Nancy wilts, a little. “You can’t be telling me you want to put Republicans in charge of an investigation into the sanctity of Byers’ election process.”

“I’m not telling you what I want, I’m telling you what we have to do. I’ll tell you, I’ll tell Hopper, I’ll tell Byers, I don’t give a damn. It’s not about what I think, it’s about what the American people think.” Robin pushes on. This is one of the reasons she’s gotten to where she has in her career: not only is she smart, people listen to her when she talks. And she talks a lot.

Nancy quirks an eyebrow, permission to continue.

“Number two,” Robin ticks off on her fingers, “is that the special prosecutor, who, by the way, is well-respected across party lines, runs this case independently. Here, you’re just tossing the coin up in the air. You know that, it’s why none of you were backing off on Speaker candidates. I’m not saying it’s pretty, but it’s politics. You know as well as I do that if he runs a clean investigation with nobody’s help, Byers is looking at a loss.”

Nancy sighs. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell anybody.”

“She told Hopper,” Robin says, though she knows it’s futile, and Nancy scoffs.

“And he did bullshit with it, so that’s not exactly helpful here.” Nancy replies, and Robin has to concede that point. “So then, the third way is…”

“Republicans, yeah.” Robin cuts in. “Don’t look so thrilled.”

“Just seems like we’re asking to get our ass handed to us,” Nancy says, and Robin can’t help chuckling a little.

“We are,” she replies, smirking when Nancy’s brow furrows with confusion. “We’re absolutely asking for them to fuck us over, Wheeler. Keep up. I’m a member of the American public, watching the proceedings, thinking about who I’m gonna vote for, and I see a bunch of Republicans taking a break between their trips to Fox to sit on a panel for forty-five minutes and talk shit about Byers to run a politically-motivated trashing against her from Congress, during an election year?”

Nancy’s jaw drops open a little in surprise, but she quickly swallows down the emotion, the corners of her lips twisting up into a smile instead. “Christ, Buckley,” she says, after a second, “you’re fucking terrifying.”

“Oh, stop,” Robin replies, pleased as punch, “you’re gonna make me blush.”

[blazeperalta]

in my josh and toby feelings today

anyone else have this weird soft spot for their relationship? I absolutely love all the dynamics on the show and although there are far greater (and by that i just mean “easier”) platonic friendships to enjoy while watching, those 2 make me ache more than any other.

I remember richard talking about his relationship with bradley on twww and how they’ve known each other so long so they’ve had their fair share of arguments/disagreements, and he said something like “I love him like a brother and i hate him like a brother” and it’s stuck with me because it describes josh and toby perfectly. And idk if it was meant to parallel their off-screen relationship (although i sincerely hope brad and richard’s relationship isn’t quite as antagonistic because i love this cast and want them to be friends forever lol), but I think about that quote every time i see toby and josh interact. They’re brothers who reluctantly love each other.

All this to say, it’s been over 4 years since i watched the west wing for the first time and i still haven’t been able to bring myself to rewatch drought conditions. The words they say to each other just wreck me and i genuinely tear up every time i think about it, and when I talk to someone else about it, I actually start to cry. I was furloughed, because covid, and was staying with my mum, and I just remember walking downstairs weeping telling her they had a huge fight. Again, i don’t really know why it made such an impact because it’s not like they were best friends and now they could barely even look at each other (i had plenty of that pain from josh and donna thank you!) there was always issues with them, but it was so difficult watching them be so cruel to each other, but *knowing* it comes from a place of hurt and there’s still so much love there.

[bestwwquote]

Welcome to Best Quote from The West Wing!

Inspired by all the polls about best quotes from different media/hottest actors from different media I wanted to do one for one of my favourite pieces of media The West Wing.

RULES:

1. It has to be a quote. There are some great unsaid moments but the competition is 'best quote' so it needs to be something someone said.

2. It can only come from the TV show 'The West Wing' that aired from 1999 to 2007. Interviews are not allowed, and anything from 'A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote' that was NOT already in the episode 'Hartsfields Landing' doesn't count.

3. Yeah I already have the end of 'Two Cathedrals' in here.

[spicymalepolls]

ROUND ONE: POLL #15

ROUND ONE POLLS [HERE]

PROPAGANDA BELOW

Lan Qiren:

Image #1

Josiah Bartlet:

Okay so he is one of the absolute best fictional presidents around. but. did you know he was also a professor at Dartmouth??? Strong morals. Commending presence. Loves his family-wife and daughters. Loves his would-have-been-burnt-out-if-it-were-the-real-world staff. (big protag energy). And the way he angry quotes Latin at God--IN CHURCH. be still my heart! oh and did i mention, he does taxes for fun???

[labbaik-ya-hussain-as]

Israel’s Plans For The West

I think it’s fair to say that most of the right is anti-mass immigration.

But then it begs the question: Why are there so many right-wing Zionists?

Now, that question might be confusing to some.

“How on earth are the two related?”

Well, I’ll explain.

There are a few on the right who get it.

Some would be:

Ryan Dawson (@RyLiberty) 🇺🇸

Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) 🇺🇸

Lucas Gage (@Lucas_Gage_) 🇺🇸

Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) 🇺🇸

Sam Parker (@SamParkerSenate) 🇺🇸

Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) 🇺🇸

Nick Fuentes 🇺🇸

Jayda Fransen (@JaydaBF) 🇬🇧

Nick Griffin (@NickGriffinBU) 🇬🇧

Keith Woods (@KeithWoodsYT) 🇮🇪

But, a large portion of the right do not.

Israel has made their goals very clear.

Here are a few quotes from high-ranking Israeli officials:

Palestinians should ‘go to Ireland or the deserts’ - Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu

"The ongoing war in Gaza presents an opportunity to concentrate on encouraging the migration of the residents of Gaza.” “It is a correct, just, moral, and humane solution” - Israel’s National Security Minister - Itamar Ben-Gvir

"Europe has a long history of assisting refugees fleeing conflicts... countries around the world should offer a haven for Gaza residents who seek relocation" - Former Israeli Ambassador to the UN and current Knesset member Danny Danon

The former deputy director of Mossad, Ram Ben-Barak, added onto Danon’s statement by saying, "Countries can accomplish this by creating well-structured and internationally coordinated relocation programs.”

And then Israel’s Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, added onto those statements by saying:

“I welcome the initiative of members of Knesset Ram Ben-Barak and Danny Danon on the voluntary immigration of Gaza Arabs to the countries of the world. This is the right humanitarian solution for the residents of Gaza and the entire region,”

“A cell with a small area like the Gaza Strip without natural resources and independent sources of livelihood has no chance to exist independently, economically, and politically in such a high density for a long time.”

“The reception of refugees by the countries of the world that really want their best interests, with the support and generous financial assistance of the international community and within the state of Israel, is the only solution that will bring an end to the suffering and pain of Jews and Arabs alike.”

“The state of Israel will no longer be able to put up with the existence of an independent entity in Gaza,” he added.

You see it now?

Israel plans to ethnically cleanse Gaza, steal the land, and then send millions of Palestinian refugees to western nations.

Now among those refugees, extremists will arise.

Why?

Well, whichever country hosts them, they will believe that country was complicit in the butchering of their people.

They will believe that country played a part in them being evicted from their homeland.

And they will be right!

And that may unfortunately lead to some Palestinians being displaced in North America, Europe, and Oceana who want nothing more than to take revenge on the country that played a role in displacing them.

But Israel won’t care.

It’s not their problem anymore.

And for all you boomer-Zionist idiots that say:

“oH WeLl WhY Do wE HaVe tO TaKE iN ThE ReFuGeEs? nO tO ImMiGration!”

WAKE UP.

You’ll HAVE to take in the refugees because YOUR government is CUCKED by Israel.

Here’s another list for you.

🇺🇸 Just SOME of the Pro-Israeli lobbies operating in the US:

American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)

J Street

Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)

Christians United for Israel (CUFI)

The Israel Project (TIP)

American Jewish Committee (AJC)

StandWithUs

The Israel Allies Foundation (IAF)

The Middle East Forum (MEF)

The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC)

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI)

Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America

The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)

The Jewish National Fund (JNF)

The Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA)

The Jewish Policy Center (JPC)

Americans for Peace Now (APN)

The American Friends of Likud

B’nai B'rith International

Emergency Committee for Israel

Z Street

The Israel Forever Foundation

Fuel For Truth

The David Project

Israel Bonds (Development Corporation for Israel

The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA)

Ameinu

The American Friends of Magen David Adom

The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise (AICE)

The Israel Action Network (IAN)

The American Friends of Shalva Israel

The American Friends of Libi

🇨🇦 Just SOME of the Pro-Israeli lobbies operating in Canada:

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)

B’nai Brith Canada

Canadian Friends of Peace Now

StandWithUs Canada

Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation (CAEF)

Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF Canada)

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC)

Zionist Organization of Canada (ZOC)

Israel Bonds Canada

🇬🇧 Just SOME of the Pro-Israeli lobbies operating in Britain:

Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI)

Labour Friends of Israel (LFI)

Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel (LDFI)

BICOM (Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre)

Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland

Jewish Leadership Council

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI)

Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA)

Christian Friends of Israel (CFI)

Anglo-Israel Association (AIA)

Northern Ireland Friends of Israel

We Believe in Israel

The Pinkster Centre

Israel Britain Alliance (IBA)

🇪🇺 Just SOME of the Pro-Israeli lobbies operating throughout Europe:

German-Israeli Society (DIG) 🇩🇪

Italy-Israel Foundation for Culture and the Arts 🇮🇹

Friends of Israel Initiative (FOII) 🇫🇷

CIDI (Centre for Information and Documentation Israel) 🇳🇱

Belgian Friends of Israel 🇧🇪

Finnish Friends of Israel 🇫🇮

Accion y Communicacion sobre Oriente Medio (ACOM) 🇪🇸

Austrian-Israeli Society (ÖIG) 🇦🇹

Czech Friends of Israel 🇨🇿

Danish-Israeli Association (Dansk Israelsk Selskab) 🇩🇰

Hellenic-Israeli Chamber of Commerce 🇬🇷

Hungarian-Israeli Friendship Society 🇭🇺

Polish-Israeli Chamber of Commerce 🇵🇱

Luso-Israeli Chamber of Commerce 🇵🇹

Swedish-Israel Friendship Association 🇸🇪

Slovenian-Israeli Business Club 🇸🇮

Estonian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce 🇪🇪

Latvia-Israel Chamber of Commerce 🇱🇻

Lithuanian Friends of Israel 🇱🇹

Bulgarian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce and Industry 🇧🇬

Romanian Friends of Israel 🇷🇴

Croatian-Israeli Business Club 🇭🇷

Cyprus-Israel Business Association 🇨🇾

Luxembourg-Israel Chamber of Commerce 🇱🇺

Malta-Israel Cultural & Friendship Society 🇲🇹

🇦🇺🇳🇿 Just SOME of the Pro-Israeli lobbies operating in Oceana:

🇦🇺 Australia:

Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ)

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC)

Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA)

United Israel Appeal of Australia (UIA)

Jewish National Fund of Australia (JNFA)

Shalom Institute

Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC)

🇳🇿 New Zealand:

New Zealand Jewish Council

Israel Institute of New Zealand

United Israel Appeal New Zealand

Do you understand now?

Our governments won’t stand up to Israel because effectively, they ARE Israel.

The majority of the western world is controlled by a ZOG (Zionist Occupied Government).

And all you right-wing Zionists have been barking up the wrong tree, and nothing will change unless YOU change who you direct your anger at.

The right-wing has blamed ‘Islamic Extremism’ for the west’s problems.

No, the west’s problem is ISRAEL.

If you had to flee your homeland because it was being blown to bits and everyone around you was being slaughtered, wouldn’t you be angry?

Now YOU may not commit acts of extremism, but can you guarantee none of the others who also feel angry, won’t?

The Zionist Occupied Media (ZOM) have convinced the masses that it’s all due to the fault of ‘Islamic Extremism’.

When in reality, it is extremism being committed by a group of people that have had their lands terrorized, and are angry at their host country for partaking in it.

Now, in no means am I justifying acts of extremism.

Such acts should be condemned and the perpetrators prosecuted.

However, it’s important to understand the root cause.

ISRAEL is the root cause.

Israel lobbies governments, blackmails important figures, and stages false flags to get western countries to fight their wars for them.

As a result, much of the Middle East is destabilized, entire countries are blown up, Middle Eastern leaders are assassinated, millions die, and millions end up being displaced to western countries.

Is it so surprizing that some turn out to be extremists?

Israel doesn't take in any of the refugees; it’s a Jewish supremacist state, why would they?

Among those millions displaced, extremists rise up due to anger directed at their host countries for ruining their homeland and butchering its people, and unfortunately, acts of terror take place.

Then the ZOM, and other well known figures on the Israeli payroll, convince YOU that it’s the fault of ‘Islamic Extremism’.

But again, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

The reason why it’s ‘Islamic Extremism’ is because it is Islamic countries that are being bombed.

It's only logical that if a country is subjected to butchering and bombing, and then its refugees are taken in by the very nations responsible for their plight, it is inevitable that some of these refugees, overwhelmed by anger at these actions, might resort to acts of terror.

If we minded our own business and never destabilized their countries at Israel’s request, then guess what?

We wouldn't have to take in millions of refugees, some of whom might turn out to be extremists, because we hadn't destabilized the region.

They wouldn’t want to come to North America, Europe, or Oceana because their homeland would be doing fine.

And now the exact same thing that happened with Iraq, Libya, Syria, etc., is happening with Palestine.

Israel is butchering them with the complicity of our governments, and then they'll send millions of rightfully angry refugees our way while they continue to steal more Palestinian land.

It’s time to say NO.

Palestine is for the Palestinians.

WE should control OUR governments, not Israel.

It’s time for Israel to be held accountable for their reign of terror over the past 75 years.

If we want to fix our countries, and the world, we MUST address the root cause.

And the root cause is ISRAEL.

So I ask those who GENUINELY want change:

DIRECT YOUR ANGER AT ISRAEL.

[mihrsuri]

🕊🐧🦤?

🥰🥰🥰🥰

🕊️ a sweet quote (something sweet, fluffy! maybe it’s cute or funny banter! or sappy wedding vows!)

The children have been and now they have withdrawn to give them both a moment alone, just the two of them - one moment before Anne will have to pretend to the world that she has not lost both halves of her sundered soul. But she will smile for her Thomas, her steady hand even though she cannot stop her tears.  “You were so brave, my darling, my heart. So brave when you should never had to have been so - all your life you have been so brave. You can rest now, my sweetheart. Close your eyes and I will hold you.”

(Okay yes it’s sad but it’s also one of the sweetest things I’ve written I think)

🐧 a funny quote (silly! laughs! jokes! puns!)

Zoey looked at her sister with a conspiratorial air. “You know how Ellie is Toby’s favourite and I’m Josh and Sam’s? Well you are CJ’s?” “ME. I’m CJ’s favourite. CJ ‘our fathers chief media adviser who I have kind of a crush on’ Cregg’s favourite? Zoey, you chose this moment to tell me, when I could have totally leveraged...”  “I’d take my vengenance upon you Zoey but you have my nibling in there and also I don’t want to spoil your outfit because CJ would murder me and not in a fun way.”

(This is a little ‘Bartlets as the British Royal Family AU’)

🦤 a quote you had to delete :( (but still wanna share!)

”How are you even still alive and why do I help you remain so?” “My stunning good looks” Danny elbows Josh in the ribs for that one and they find themselves seats in a corner of the ‘a capital interpretation of a rustic district twelve dive bar’ that seems to be on every second corner these days. Unfortunately the food is good, which annoys Danny more than he can say. They find a booth, order and both of them manage not to get in a fight with two other patrons who are talking loudly about how hot Sam Seaborn is without a shirt as they wait for CJ. When she walks in it’s not Victor!CJ (which is essentially sleekly tailored gowns, diamonds and the kind of make up that screams ‘glamorous weapon’) but CJ in her oldest jeans and a sweatshirt. She’s carrying a coffee from the best coffee shop in the capital and she’s clearly apprehensive, however much the rest of the world might not know it.

(A West Wing Hunger Games scene that didn’t make it into the actual fic)

[earlgreytea68]

Hi there! Like you, I find the idea of Pete's facial memory fascinating, but for a different reason. Think about how much that helped build a super loyal following for any band he was in during the early days of the scene. There's some quote from a guy who knew him then, something like "he made your band better just by being in it but not because he was a great musician". Imagine that in these smaller crowds he genuinely remembers and appreciates the people who show up to multiple shows. How could you not respond to that? And it just kills me that he's still (recently!) saying stuff like "we're happy to be the boat that takes you to the island of misfit toys"--like, they're still making a place for people who feel like they don't fit in anywhere else, which is how they started out. Everyone is welcome there and also, HE SEES THEM. That is an amazing and powerful thing.

Also, I feel like I read somewhere that Bill Clinton has this kind of facial memory too, which doesn't surprise me because it seems really useful for a politician. In another life (haha) imagine what Pete's poli sci degree, his facial memory, and his parents' connection to Joe Biden could've led to....

It's so deeply true. Pete is excellent at relationships in all ways, from networking to fandom. He's not the best musician but he innately understands what a band needs to grow a following and he's really, really good at it. Not everyone needs to have epic facial recall to build a fandom, but I think it definitely helps. You're right that it's hard not to respond to that kind of personal approach of being recognized, of getting a smile or a wave that tells you that you're seen and you're special. Especially for people who often feel neither.

I think Pete feels himself like he never fit in. He talks about it sometimes in interviews. He was an uncomfortable fit in his family, in his neighborhood, in his life. I think that's why he feels such a kinship with everyone else he feels that way. He gets it and he's never forgotten it.

omg now THERE'S an AU. Pete Wentz the president. There's the West Wing AU lol

[nancypullen]

Tick Tock (not to be confused with the controversial platform, TikTok)

Guess who received a surprise in the mail yesterday? This girl! Matthew is a techy gadget guy (Who am I kidding? All of the men in my family are techy gadget guys) and got in on the ground floor when this particular gadget was in development. He contributed early and many months later when the product was ready he received two. We're some of the first people in the world to have this very cool item.

You guys, it's SO cool! Every minute of the day gets a quote from a work of literature that mentions that time, and it's not the same every day - for example, 9:35am isn't going to be the same quote day after day. I find myself checking the clock all day long.

How's that for a happy surprise? I'm so tickled. It's really a lovely piece, heavy and well-made. I'm so crazy about it! I'll bet you know a bookworm that would love one of these. Speaking of being a bookworm. I'm doing a display at work with puffy clouds and silver raindrops for the month of April. I'm calling it Rainy Day Reads and I'll stock it with books that are known to be page-turners, books that pull you in and you can't stop reading until you know what happens next. I've been quizzing everyone I know, asking them to name a book that they simply couldn't put down. I don't care about genre - romance, thriller, mystery, spies, historical fiction, sci fi, chick lit, whatever! I'm hoping that I can find enough of the titles in our library's collection to keep the display full all month. Is there a book that kept you up reading past your bedtime? Tell me! New subject. Did I mention that I finally found someone who can cut my hair? Her name is Kelly and she works at a salon in Easton. She gave me the best haircut of my life. Not kidding. Surely that's a sign that things are starting to get better around here. The stylist was recommended by someone at work, a coworker who has thick hair. I asked her where she got her hair cut and she told me that I'd love her girl. She was right. In fact, this hair magician is so good that my sister drove all the way from Elkton (over an hour!) for an appointment and swears it's her best cut too! Where has this woman been all my life? For the last month I have actually liked my hair. That's a first. If you have crazy hair, go see Kelly at West Wing Salon in Easton. You will leave happier. I drove to Easton today just to run a couple of errands and ended up with a splitting headache. It's my own fault. I have a really cute little air freshener that dangles from my rear view mirror. I bought it on Etsy.

It was filled with a yummy fragrance oil and some dried flower petals. Every so often you tip it upside down and the oil soaks the wood top and keeps your car smelling pretty. When the original oil ran out I didn't want to pay Etsy prices for a refill, so I ordered a tiny bottle of Honeysuckle fragrance oil from Amazon and poured it in. Problem solved. Turns out, I probably should have diluted it because it is STRONG. Like, holy-cow-who-spilled-a-bottle-of-perfume strong. By the time I was halfway to Easton I could taste it. Then my right eye started twitching. I rolled a window down and that helped, but I'll have to pour some out and add water. Maybe that'll fix the issue. I could probably hang it on the porch and let the neighborhood wonder who has honeysuckle blooming. We'd be the first on our street to spot hummingbirds, for sure. Okay, on that silly note, I'm heading upstairs to soak in a bath and get into some jammies. There's rain on the way and I want to be under the covers when it starts dancing on the roof. Is there anything better than rain at bedtime? Sending our loads of love tonight, take what you need, pass it on. Wishing you sweet dreams and ,as always, stay safe, stay well. XOXO, Nancy

[twwpress]

Weekly Press Briefing #66: September 24th - 30th

Welcome back to the Weekly Press Briefing, where we bring you highlights from The West Wing fandom each week, including new fics, ongoing challenges, and more! This briefing covers all things posted from September 24 - September 30, 2023! Did we miss something? Let us know; you can find our contact info at the bottom of this briefing! 

Challenges/Prompts:

The following is a roundup of open challenges/prompts. Do you have a challenge or event you’d like us to promote? Be sure to get in touch with us! Contact info is at the bottom of this briefing.

@callixton hosted The West Wing Pride Week (@twwpride here on tumblr) September 17 - 23. More details here, and you can check out the AO3 collection here! 

This Week in Canon:

Welcome back to This Week in Canon, where we revisit moments in The West Wing that occurred on these dates during the show’s run.

Season 1, Episode 2: Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc aired on September 29, 1999.

Season 4, Episode 1: 20 Hours in America Part I aired on September 25, 2002.

Season 4, Episode 2: 20 Hours in America Part II aired on September 25, 2002.

Season 5, Episode 1: 7A WF 83429 aired on September 24, 2003.

Season 7, Episode 1: The Ticket aired on September 25, 2005.

Photos/Videos:

Here’s what was posted from September 24 - September 30:

Bradley Whitford posted a photo of his wife Amy Landecker along with a sweet message for her birthday. 

Marlee Matlin posted a photo of herself with her daughters in honor of National Daughters Day. 

Marlee Matlin posted a photo of herself and her sister getting their hair done together over FaceTime. 

Marlee Matlin posted photos of herself with her sons in honor of National Sons Day. 

Marlee Matlin posted photos of herself out on the ice for an NHL game. 

Rob Lowe posted a throwback photo of him swimming underwater in the ocean. 

Donna Moss Daily: September 24 | September 25 | September 26 | September 27 | September 28 | September 29 | September 30

Daily Josh Lyman: September 24 | September 25 | September 26 | September 27 | September 28 | September 29 | September 30

No Context BWhit:  September 24 | September 25 | September 26 | September 27 | September 28 | September 29 | September 30

@twwarchive: September 24 | September 25 | September 26 | September 27 | September 28 | September 29 | September 30

@bestofcjtoby: September 24

Editors’ Choice: 

Because it premiered this week in 2005, we’re rounding up some of our favorite fics that take place during or after the events of The Ticket (Season 7, Episode 1). 

I don't wanna miss you like this (come back... be here) by WitchyPrentiss | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | This starts as the part in the rom-com where everything feels like it won’t end up okay and some sad song is playing as the leads go about their lives without each other - but bare with me because every rom-com has a happy ending. Post the ticket, pre the Al Smith dinner Title: Come Back Be Here by Taylor Swift

As Swords Go by thefinestmuffins | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | After his disaster interview with Donna, Josh gets some advice from Leo and does his best to makes amends with the help of emotional vulnerability and Chinese takeout. Post-Ep Fix-It for The Ticket

see right through me by itwasit | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | Lou shoves him into the room with her and he’s not prepared. He doesn’t have his folder full of her quotes to remind him of why he can’t miss her. He doesn’t have his memories prepared, in the front of his mind, of the specific ways her leaving hurt.

taylor swift song fic (josh's version) (the archer)

Spoiling for a Fight at Midnight by LizaCameron | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | Josh and Donna finally fight it out, post The Ticket

You're Gonna Die Bloody (and All You Can Do is Choose Where) by onekisstotakewithme for daylight_angel, miabicicletta, Luppiters, hondagirll | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C.J. Cregg  | Complete | The hearings will turn over every rock in her life, every email, every phone call – and of course they’ll see Danny’s name – but she can’t drag him down any further. 

Chianti by TheBreakfastGenie | Rated G | Josh Lyman & Toby Ziegler, C. J. Cregg & Toby Ziegler,Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | Complete | The bag hits the ground with her, and the bottle breaks, spilling dark wine all over the driveway. He stares at the dark liquid spreading over the ground, staining the ice. It’s more purple than red, but it might as well be blood. make

an honest stand by jazzjo | Rated G | C. J. Cregg/Kate Harper | Complete | Oliver Babish asks her, once, then again after a dizzying go-around, if she trusts Kate. She does; she trusts Kate Harper with her life.

Please hold while we reblog with this week's fics!

[goddesspharo]

movie must-knows! 2, 3, 19, 21?

[movie asks! I love movies!]

2. Your most rewatched movie.

I used to rewatch movies a lot more before than I do now. When I was a little kid, I watched the Disney animated Cinderella at least once a week on VHS. (I am An Old.) Not animated, I watched A Few Good Men so many times when I was a teenager - especially once TNT/TBS deemed it A New Classic and showed it every weekend when we all still had cable subscriptions - that it nearly got banned in the house. People will tell you that Aaron Sorkin's best work is The West Wing, but they would be wrong. It's the script for this movie, which I do quote a lot. Speaking of which...

3. A movie you quote on a daily basis.

I don't quote anything on a daily basis (because everything is situation specific!) but I quote Clueless at least once a week out of context. And weirdly reference Beavis and Butthead Do America more than you would think?

19. An underrated actress.

A few years ago, Maika Monroe wound up on my most watched list on letterboxd for that year and it's because even if she's not always in the greatest movies, she's always captivating in them! When is she going to be a bigger deal? When are she and Samara Weaving going to be final girls together? Why did she and Joe Keery break up? I have so many questions! I still think about the clamshell e-reader from It Follows all the time.

21. An overrated actor.

He is probably overrated only in the eyes of the Academy because the real ones can see past his thirst for awards, but Bradley Cooper's acting was only ever good as Will Tippin on Alias (relatively...in some scenes...okay, mostly when he was hanging out with Jack Bristow). There is not a single acting nomination that he has ever received that I thought was deserved and as long as he keeps casting himself in vanity projects, he'll never win a damn thing. And although I enjoy watching him in things, there is a...mumbly emo-core sameness to Timothee Chalamet's acting in everything he does (despite being wildly different movies/characters) that makes it difficult for me to forget that he's a hipster who has used a smart phone. He'll still get my money at the box office, but I'm never walking out of a movie thinking "Damn, Lil' Timmy Tim was acting circles around the rest of the cast in this one!"

[datasoong47]

Hunh, always wondered where "based" came from

Based comes from the slang basehead, a term from the 1980s to describe people addicted to freebasing cocaine, a method which makes the drug smokable. The term basehead became synonymous with the crack epidemic that swept the United States at the time. Over time, calling someone based was a way of saying that they were a crack addict, or acting like one, especially in West Coast street slang.

In the way slang things go, people acting eccentric or abnormal were labelled based. At least that’s what seems to have happened with quirky West Coast rapper Brandon “Lil B” McCartney. In reaction to people calling him based, Lil B decided to redefine the term. In 2007, his group, The Pack, released their debut album, Based Boys. In a 2010 interview in Complex magazine, Lil B described his new definition of based: “Based means being yourself. Not being scared of what people think about you. Not being afraid to do what you wanna do.”

It’s not clear when Lil B started calling himself Based God, but by 2011 that nickname was firmly associated with him. Eventually, a cosmology of Based God (or BasedGod) emerged, referring to becoming a sort of higher power that Lil B could access, allowing him special abilities, such as the power to curse basketball player Kevin Durant.

The re-invented based, as a signal of power and swagger, was picked up by the alt-right/white nationalist community online in the 2010s. In 2014, during a controversy over female video-game reviewers known as Gamergate, conservative commentator Christina Hoff Sommers was referred to as Based Mom for pushing back against criticisms that video games and their culture are sexist. Since then, referring to alt-right or right-wing conservative figures as based has become a sign of approval in online social-media forums like the pro-Trump subreddit, r/The_Donald.

Who uses based?

Being based is a core part of Lil B’s brand, and so it’s no wonder he—and his fans—are all about that based life. In this hip-hop subculture, it’s all about being a based God—someone with “maximum swagger, a mansion, sports cars, wonton soup, and the inherent ability to fuck your bitch,” as one user on Quora put it. Not sure if the wonton soup bit is universal, but we think the point is that you can have whatever you want.

A catch phrase for Lil B fans is Thank You Based God—a sort of tongue-in-cheek conflation of a sincere thanks to God and an expression of Based God fandom. It even has its own acronym: TYBG. This catchphrase is a popular meme, typically shown over image macros of someone crying dramatically.

On the other side of the spectrum, alt-right, white nationalist, and other Trump supporters online have, incongruously, adopted based for their own purposes. They routinely post on forums like Reddit with headlines describing someone whose actions they approve of as based (e.g. “Based Boris Johnson refuses to apologize for saying women in burkas look like letterboxes.”).

In 2016, Slate writer Ben Mathis-Lilley perhaps best summed up this strange turn of events with based, worth quoting at length:

“So what we have here, then, is a word that was created amid an addiction epidemic in urban communities being adopted by bigoted fans of a presidential candidate who was demonstrated unprecedented contempt for, and ignorance of, said communities.”

[onekisstotakewithme]

❓for the WIP Game. Please & thank you.

❔Choose a random WIP and talk about it.

It's going to have to be the story tentatively labelled 'sperm donor'.

My other, bigger WIP is plane crash, but I think I've talked about that one enough! As a result, you get this one.

Essentially, spring of 2004, so post-Supremes but pre-the rest of season 5, a couple of bills have come up that have made CJ start to think about the future, and what's next.

She starts wondering if she's ready to have kids, and if so, how? The answer: a sperm donor.

Which leads to the next question, of who?

And the answer to that is, of course, Danny.

Basically another fic about legacy (why are all my west wing longfics about legacy) even though this was supposed to be a light silly distraction from plane crash. hashtag oops. 💀

thank you for the ask!

Since I'm feeling goofy, i will also share a snippet:

“I’m concerned… about what our legacy is going to be. Not the President’s, but mine. Yours. What we pass on to… to the next generation.” “To our kids, you mean.” “Yes.” “Okay. Well… okay.” It seems unreal to be sitting here, talking about the next generation as CJ holds Toby’s daughter, to think about the real generational impact and legacy of the things they do day in and day out. Change is measured in increments, CJ thinks a little wistfully, but it’s change all the same. “Saw the piece in Vanity Fair,” Toby says after an awkward silence. “Yeah.” “She made you the story.” “I tried to warn her off, but… yes. She did.” “‘I wanted to be able to someday look my kids in the eye and know I did the best I could to make the world better for them?’” Toby quotes, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not the only one who can craft a soundbite there, spanky.”

[ironverseocs]

Who is your current muse, and who is their faceclaim/what do they look like? What is one item that you associate without fail to them? What is their favourite colour? Is there a song you associate with them? If not, what quote fits the best for them? What do they like doing in their spare time? How much spare time do they get? What one fact do you love about them, but might not have had the chance to share yet?

My current muse is Andrea "Andy" Pereira, an OC from the Parks & Rec fandom who is in a queerplatonic relationship with another one of my creations Stephen Sebastian Knope-Wyatt. (I know technically he's canonised as of the farewell season, but due to my interpretations and heavy cultivation of a personality and life-story for him, I consider him oc-status. If you will... a #Schrödinger'sOC, as I've come to dub these types of characters.)

Andy doesn't have a face claim currently, but she does have a pinterest board which includes a general visage close to the one I hold in my head. In terms of visuals, the closet I have come to finding an fc is Sophia Black-D'elia (image at bottom), but I'm not completely sold on her. For now, Andrea remains officially face-claim-less.

—

Several items make me think of her, such as big hiking backpacks or converse shoes paired with flannel, but I think the most 'Andy' object would be those white, tin mugs you take on camping trips for your morning coffee. Her favourite thing? Opening up the back of her offroading vehicle and screwing on the gas canister for her little JetBoil stove to make coffee at 5:30 am just so she can watch the sun rise with a hot drink in her hand. She started doing this long before she met Stephen, long before she even left South America.

—

Andy's favourite colour is the kind of orange you only see in a mountain sunset, somewhere where the air is so clear you cannot smell the industrialisation anymore. Somewhere where the water runs crystalline blue and the birds cross the sky without a flap in their wings, the smoothest soar. A place where no one knows; a sunset no one else will ever see. An orange so vibrant, it's fire without the burn. An orange she would never have seen in the smoggy, polluted city she grew up in.

—

Two songs I associate with Andy:

Some Italian Mountain - Sophie May

And I hate to admit it But I can't wait till October when I'm allowed to escape him And move my life to some Italian mountain Mmm mmm mmm mmm

Traffic in the Sky - Jack Johnson

It's enough to make me cry But that don't seem like it would make it feel better The answers could be found, we could learn from diggin' down But no one ever seems to be diggin'

—

In her spare time, she loves kicking back with a good book. While a solid majority of the time, you can find her pushing the boundary of human-recognised lands, she isn't above every now and again recollecting herself with a sit in and a good book, especially if she and Stephen find a good place to park their van on some West Coast desert land. Oh, with the sun shining down just right... after whipping out the camp stove to make a little noontime meal... She'll set up her canvas chair, take out her current read, and while away the rest of the daylight hours getting lost in the words.

—

Due to the nature of her living situation right now (aka: she lives a nomadic life in a van), she has a lot more spare time than most people do these days. That being said, she still has a job to ensure that she can afford this lifestyle. She (very strictly, might I add) makes sure her work doesn't go past 5pm, as she is very conscience of the line between "work" and "rest", guarding her free time with her life. Andy believes there is more to life than work. She believes, first and foremost, in experiences and living.

—

Not particularly a fact I love about them (although it's not like I hate the fact lolol) but a fact I'm proud of creating for her is about her origin town as it weaves its way into who her character is currently. She was raised on the cusp of poverty in a city where the streets were dingy and the air a polluted, breathing hazard. Growing up, she hated it and would often spend her afternoons picking up trash along the sidewalks of her neighbourhood. As soon as she was able to, Andy left home for wider, cleaner pastures (so to speak). She saved up money in a piggybank all her teen years to backpack in the Andes, which wasn't enough by far but that didn't stop her; with an old rucksack, a sleeping bag given to her by one of the climbers she met passing through her town one day, and plastic baggies of food and safety equipment and toiletries, she set off. The people she met along the trail, some of them became her friends, and one of them... became her best friend: Stephen Sebastian Knope-Wyatt. That was the first time he helped her out of a jam (after all, she was ill-prepared for backpacking despite her best efforts), and since, they've been helping each other since.

-

*Closest FC I've found for her: Sophia Black-D'elia

Forever tag: @arrthurpendragon @foxesandmagic @shrinkthisviolet @ochub @ocappreciation | if you'd like to be added, send me a dm or ask ✨💓✨