Amanda Helms
@amandaghelms.bsky.social
2.3K followers 940 following 250 posts
Writer of SFF and sometimes H. Fiction in/forthcoming from LIGHTSPEED, Uncanny, FIYAH & elsewhere. Editor at Diabolical Plots. Parent. Biracial. She/her. Rep: Paul Lucas
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Reposted by Amanda Helms
courtneymilan.com
I have blocked this person, but I keep seeing people say things like this, and I’m begging people to understand two things.

(1) Just because peaceful protest may not be sufficient to win this moment does not mean that it is not necessary.

It is.
From: Olde Stuffe @annalsofwarren.bsky.social 

i appreciate your words very often
Germans were very angry at their own government for not being truthful about the fierce nature of their enemy in WWI
this betrayal by leaders and mouthpieces led directly to Hitler and NSDAP
we're telling Americans peaceful protest will solve this
it won't
Reposted by Amanda Helms
ericmgarcia.bsky.social
Special education isn't a "nice thing to have." It isn't "charity" or doing something to make us feel better. It is a right. The right to a Free Appropriate Public Education is codified in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, signed by a Republican president.
crampell.bsky.social
U.S. Department of Education fired nearly everyone in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in a wave of new layoffs that began Friday, according to the union representing the agency's employees. www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says
The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
www.usatoday.com
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Or maybe I should have called it “whatever your state and district puts in place to replace IEPs,” and vote for people who will help create such a thing.
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Pay attention to your local school board elections, US folks. If your kid, like mine, has an IEP, you’ll want board members who will fight to see it’s adhered to, rather than have your kid’s rights to an education stripped away. (School board elections were always important; triply so now)
Reposted by Amanda Helms
carlbergstrom.com
Thankfully, some of yesterday's CDC firings have been rescinded.

But this should be a major scandal, not business as usual in this shitshow of an administration. It's either spectacular incompetence or an effort to make even politically untouchable positions feel precarious to those in them.
helenbranswell.bsky.social
100s of #CDC employees were notified Friday they were being fired — RIF'd. The firings cross multiple parts of the agency, endangering its core mission of keeping Americans safe.
Saturday, some were informed they were RIF'd in error.
Hard to imagine how this happens www.statnews.com/2025/10/11/c...
CDC battered by government shutdown firings, while some are rescinded
The White House’s mass firing of CDC staff on Friday has decimated offices related to injury prevention, respiratory disease surveillance, and chronic disease, according to four people familiar with t...
www.statnews.com
Reposted by Amanda Helms
kenwhite.bsky.social
Also: if you work for ICE, even if you’re not one of the ones arresting citizens or tackling 15-year-olds or zip-tying kids together and segregating them by race, you’re part of the mechanism making it happen, and you should suffer long-term social and post-regime-change consequences.
aricohn.com
Some weirdo on Twitter has been absolutely melting down for like 36 straight hours because I posted:

When this is over, do not forget what ICE did, and what ICE is. And do not make room for them in society. Make sure they know that they are, and will continue to be, reviled and beneath contempt.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
ifycomedy.com
I think we really should stop using antifa and just fully say anti-fascist and get them saying they are against anti fascism. Using antifa is giving them some distance and I genuinely think some of their base don’t even know that’s what it stands for.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
sarapartridge.bsky.social
There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.

America’s children deserve better than this.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
molliekatzen.bsky.social
"President Trump continued to describe Portland as a city on fire Friday even as residents enjoyed the first fall rain and the lone demonstrator at the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement building was dressed as a pink Care Bear."

Sometimes there is a good sentence or two in the NYT.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
sacredsapling.bsky.social
This is HUGE! Please share so people with ME/CFS can learn about this incredible medical breakthrough!!

It not only helps develop a diagnostic test, but also points to immune and inflammatory changes to aid future treatments. After 80+ years of no treatment, there’s some hope, finally!!
Reposted by Amanda Helms
matthew.flux.community
There is no left-wing violence in Chicago or Portland. It simply is not happening.

It's so not happening, in fact, that Republicans in Oregon took footage from two South American countries to create a hoax photo about Portland.

They have no actual violent footage to put forward.
Republicans post fake image of Oregon protest – using photos of South America
A federal judge had blocked Trump’s request to deploy California national guard to Portland
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Amanda Helms
demsec.bsky.social
Stephen froze like a deer in the headlights and pretended to have connection issues because he unintentionally gave away the game plan.

“Plenary authority is complete, absolute power over a specific area or issue, with no significant limitations."

Show people this clip. This is an insane slip up.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
protecttruth.bsky.social
The CBS takeover by Larry Ellison and Bari Weiss is the most foreboding move in a while, and I’m not saying that lightly.

It will have an effect on the 2026 elections: CBS will now lie to people and normies will believe it.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
nghivo.bsky.social
1-866-952-4456 to tell Netflix that in no way do you want Elon fucking Musk determining what you watch.

I just called, got through in about 15 seconds, and told them that I strongly support queer inclusion in their programming and that I will cancel my subscription if they cave.
erininthemorning.com
1. Led by Elon Musk, the far-right has exploded in a campaign to get Netflix to remove shows with queer and trans characters.

If Netflix capitulates to their demands, an already strained market for LGBTQ+ animators might become even more dire.

Subscribe to support our journalism.
Elon Musk Leads Campaign To Force Netflix To Remove Shows With Trans Characters
Musk's posts have been seen by tens of millions of users, and many conservatives are now attempting to force Netflix into a removal of LGBTQ+ content.
www.erininthemorning.com
Reposted by Amanda Helms
aoc.bsky.social
Most of the power authoritarians have is freely given. We should not comply with them in advance.

Trump is far weaker than he looks. So is the GOP. We should draw them out, drain them at every opportunity, and fight for people’s wellbeing at every turn.

We have been sent here to fight for people.
acyn.bsky.social
AOC: I think there's two things that are happening at once: One, there absolutely is an unprecedented abuse of power, destruction of norms, erosion of our government and our democracy in order to prop up an authoritarian style of governance

However, they are weaker than they look…
Reposted by Amanda Helms
wiswell.bsky.social
This is what they've done.
effies.bsky.social
This is super cool bc:

1) Many of the highest-risk conditions, like ME/CFS & Long Covid, aren't on the list

2) The best way to protect the vulnerable is to protect the population so others don't infect them

3) None of this accounts for Novavax which is not mRNA

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
CDC panel votes to limit who is eligible for this fall's Covid vaccine
Only people 65 and over or with underlying health conditions should get the shots, the advisory group recommended. There may be insurance roadblocks for others.
www.nbcnews.com
Reposted by Amanda Helms
chrismurphyct.bsky.social
Good morning.

The government is shut down because Trump wants to act like a king and steal from you.

Democrats have no obligation to support a budget that funds the destruction of our democracy - and DOUBLES health premiums to fund a tax cut for billionaires.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
manakanda.bsky.social
In light of today’s absolutely fucking deranged “I’m in a war movie” speeches by Trump and Hegseth, I give you the plaque at West Point.
Reposted by Amanda Helms
melaniemitchell.bsky.social
Andrew Ng: "AI is the new electricity!"

Cory Doctorow: "AI is the asbestos we are shoveling into the walls of our society and our descendants will be digging it out for generations."

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(pluralistic.net/2025/09/27/e...)
Reposted by Amanda Helms
atrupar.com
I hope it's clear to everyone now that Trump really is going for it - he's trying to become a dictator. I don't know if he'll succeed, but he's working to install himself as an autocrat unaccountable to voters. And he's weaponizing the military against Americans who oppose him as part of that effort
Reposted by Amanda Helms
donmoyn.bsky.social
"We are asking the Department of War to deploy to our cities" should be a statement that ends any Governor's political career.
atrupar.com
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry: "Tonight, we're sending the Department of War a request to send the National Guard, asking them to deploy the National Guard here in Louisiana into our cities like New Orleans and Baton Rogue and others."
Reposted by Amanda Helms
jbau.bsky.social
AI is the asbestos we are shoveling into the walls of our society and our descendants will be digging it out for generations”
Reposted by Amanda Helms
othersidespec.bsky.social
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OTHERSIDE Kickstarter art. Text says OTHERSIDE Kickstarter LIVE NOW! over our purple and banner art with the Wanderer, a small figure on floating rocks, on the right.