James M. Thomas (JT)
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insurgentprof.bsky.social
James M. Thomas (JT)
@insurgentprof.bsky.social

Husband. Father. Sociologist. Author. Co-editor of Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. Newest book: The Souls of Jewish Folk
https://ugapress.org/book/9780820365077/the-souls-of-jewish-folk/

Currently writing a book about White people .. more

Political science 42%
Sociology 33%
Pinned
For The Conversation, I wrote about how White Southerners are making sense of what it means to be White in these times.

In a nutshell, it’s complicated.

I hope you’ll read and share widely.

theconversation.com/its-a-compli...
‘It’s a complicated time to be a white Southerner’ − and their views on race reflect that
How do white Southerners think about their racial status in a world that is scrutinizing white advantages? Researchers found people across the political spectrum grappling with what being white means.
theconversation.com

Good mornin’
Stephen Miller’s Wife @katiemiller : “Can you cite the statute that makes the boat bombings illegal?”

@bakarisellers.bsky.social : “The due process
clause in the constitution.”
Peter Drucker, a lecturer at Frankfurt University when the Nazis took over, recalled a faculty meeting where the new Nazi boss said Jews were banned and anyone complaining would be sent to a concentration camp. A professor then asked a question: “Will there be more money for research in physiology?”
Northwestern University agrees to pay $75 million as part of deal with Trump administration that restores frozen funds | CNN
Northwestern University has reached a $75-million deal with the Trump administration which restores frozen federal funding and ends an antisemitism investigation, the Department of Justice announced F...
www.cnn.com

HollyLou, STL
The Trump administration has reacted to a small scale lone wolf attack by in DC announcing a sweeping collective punishment, using the organs of government to heap blame on partisan rivals, and potentially dissuading anyone from collaborating with US forces abroad for a generation.
CIA statement about the Afghan man identified as the gunman who shot two National Guardsmen in Washington
CIA statement about the Afghan man identified as the gunman who shot two National Guardsmen in Washington
Trump's speech about the shooting in DC veered into him attacking the Somali community in Minnesota, which of course had nothing to do with the shooting. Gives away his bigoted game.
Reuters reached out to everyone that Trump or his subordinates singled out publicly for retribution, and reviewed hundreds of official orders, directives and public records. The result: the most comprehensive accounting yet of his campaign of payback.

www.reuters.com/investigates...

Reposted by James M. Thomas

From @us.theconversation.com:

Immigration raids, tariff changes and cuts to food assistance programs have left farmers short of workers and money, food rotting in fields and warehouses, and millions of Americans hungry. And then there's the administration’s actual destruction of edible food.
As US hunger rises, Trump administration’s ‘efficiency’ goals cause massive food waste
Despite the administration’s claim of streamlining the government to make its operations more efficient, a range of recent federal policies have, in fact, exacerbated food wastage.
theconversation.com

Reposted by James M. Thomas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said it would cost $244.64 to review the emails between Abbott and Musk, which @kutnews.bsky.social and The Texas Newsroom paid.

After the check was cashed, Abbott’s and Musk’s lawyers sought to keep the records secret.
Gov. Greg Abbott Was Ordered to Release Some of His Emails With Elon Musk. Most Are Blacked Out.
Months after fighting to keep secret emails between Gov. Greg Abbott and Elon Musk, Texas officials released 1,400 pages of records. But they reveal little about the two men’s relationship or Musk’s i...
www.propublica.org
when the tryptophan hits
lol sign worked

Sweet potato for sure. Possibly one more

I view it as a high compliment that my MIL basically trusts me to handle the turkey and pies by myself, w/ no assist.

The party of billionaires.

Roughly 1 in every 13 dollars spent in 2024 elections was donated by a handful of the country’s richest people.

More than 80 percent of federal campaign spending by the 100 wealthiest Americans went to Republicans.

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
How billionaires took over American politics
The current concentration of wealth is unlike anything in history. So is billionaires’ involvement in politics.
www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by James M. Thomas

“Junior officers, fearing potential legal exposure, asked military lawyers for written sign-off before taking part in strikes...

“It does not appear that such memos were furnished.

“Some personnel are worried they might need attorneys” under a new administration

wapo.st/43FXQfO
White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats
The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say.
wapo.st
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules

The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules
www.nytimes.com

Had my Intro students take what we learned about theories of social movements and apply it to issues, causes, and concerns they have.

Really interesting to learn about their worries (mostly housing and parking!)
NEW: ICE has finally released post-shutdown detention data. The latest data reveals that a full 40%(!) of people arrested in the interior and held in ICE detention have no criminal record; no criminal charges or prior convictions. That is up from just 4% when Trump took office.

Party of Billionaires
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.

We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.

washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
Why do they give?

“If you’re a billionaire, you want to stay a billionaire,” John Catsimatidis told @bethreinhard.bsky.social. “I worry about America and the way of life we have.”

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
How billionaires took over American politics
The current concentration of wealth is unlike anything in history. So is billionaires’ involvement in politics.
www.washingtonpost.com
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.

We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.

washingtonpost.com/politics/int...

Reposted by James M. Thomas

Roughly 16,000 families waitlisted for child care vouchers as Mississippi providers struggle to stay open

Parents are losing their jobs, children are suffering inconsistent care, child care workers are being laid off and providers are going without pay or shuttering their facilities, according to…
Roughly 16,000 families waitlisted for child care vouchers as Mississippi providers struggle to stay open
Parents are losing their jobs, children are suffering inconsistent care, child care workers are being laid off and providers are going without pay or shuttering their facilities, according to advocates and industry leaders who spoke with Mississippi Today. 
mississippitoday.org
Behind this important reversal is a member of the Coast Guard who saw what was happening and had the courage to leak it to the press. That person deserves serious praise.

Reposted by James M. Thomas

Mississippians who rely on SNAP to afford food are still waiting to receive full November benefits more than a week after the government shutdown ended due to technical issues with 40-year-old computer systems.

There’s no guarantee full payments will arrive by Thanksgiving or even before December.
Mississippians Still Waiting on Full SNAP Benefits
Mississippi SNAP recipients are still waiting for full payments more than a week after the government shutdown ended due to technical issues.
www.mississippifreepress.org

The head of CBP testified in federal court and after the judge found him to be a lying liar who lies (I’m paraphrasing).

Any “good apple” still left would have sense enough to resign at this point.

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/20/i...

Pretty sure the evidence that ICE and CBP are, broadly, lying sacks of shit and unworthy of taxpayer support is overwhelming after today
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.

I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.