Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 7h

This is a great factcheck on the DHS sizzle videos of them rounding up immigrants: they are leaving a lot of context out.

Jacob Soboroff @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social · 7h

here’s more context to the videos DHS is putting out from Chicago.

3 140 380

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 8h

I love this so much. Funny, sweet, hopeful, and kind of bad-ass.

youtu.be/bw5zxdSObso?...

A Message From The Frog Resistance

YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

youtu.be

7 180 610

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 3h

That's what matters! The time you sit with and the *informed* judgment (the wisdom!) you apply to it!

5

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 3h

...I read + watched all their work (I'd been following along for yrs), read all their letters, and just spent about six hrs distilling it all into 1200 words. When the work is good, as this is, *my* work is such a pleasure + honor. It's like making a prism out of rainbow. I'd never outsource this.

2 30

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 3h

Today I was part of a thread in which a few academics mentioned that they know colleagues who use AI to write their faculty reviews. I just finished *my* part — the rsrch + creative practice section — for a promotion-to-full cmte (I was pulled in from outside the uni to join bc of my expertise)...

1 14

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Bryan Edward Stone (שָׁלוֹם) @bestonetx.bsky.social · 7h

The only reason to get rid of interlibrary loan is that you prefer ignorance and illiteracy.

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 1d

“ALL of Florida lost its [interlibrary loan] services as of October 1. This, of course, most harms those in rural communities. That means those with the most to lose and with the weakest access to education and entertainment materials are now wholly dependent on what their own library owns…”

The Current State of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (October 2025 Edition)

Grant money that should be going to library projects is going to state-sponsored propaganda, among other IMLS updates.

buttondown.com

2 40 130

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Amanda Katz @katzish.bsky.social · 16h

Unbelievable story of Afghan refugee, a highly vetted fluent English speaker who helped the US against the Taliban and now lives here with his US citizen kids, declared “illegal” and perhaps about to be shipped home by the Trump admin to his likely death

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 16h

He supported America’s war, escaped Afghanistan and started a family in the U.S.

Then ICE arrested him.

If he is deported, he expects the Taliban to kill him.

America saved him from the Taliban. Trump wants to send him back.

He supported America’s war, escaped Afghanistan and started a family in the U.S. Then ICE arrested him. If he is deported, he expects the Taliban to kill him.

www.washingtonpost.com

27 400 860

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Patrick Wyman @patrickwyman.bsky.social · 1d

My favorite aspect of the Columbus legend is him getting rejected by the Portuguese gets spun as them not recognizing the genius of his idea. No - he went into a roomful of expert navigators and made basic math mistakes, they thought he was a moron, and they wouldn't fund his idea on that basis.

64 720 3.7K

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Karl Bode @karlbode.com · 12h

like his illegal destruction of the digital equity act, which immediately destroyed funding for affordable broadband and digital literacy training in a large number of red states

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

After bragging about permanently cutting "Democrat programs," Trump says "we're not closing up Republican programs."

10 66 160

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Yvonne Lam @yvonnezlam.bsky.social · 11h

People have actual problems that need solving, and I would like S. Altman to stop making up new ones, please and thank you.

Solomon @solomonmissouri.bsky.social · 13h

Samuel Please

6 24

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 9h

If your first thought as a reporter when racing to the scene where an invading fed paramilitary of murderous freaks are blanketing yet another neighborhood in chemical weapons after kidnapping people is to count how many objects are thrown at them, just quit. Just quit

7 210 1K

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Andrea Thomer @akthom.bsky.social · 8h

Infuriating.

"Through this unlawful process, IMLS’s new leadership has decided that nearly all of the $14.1 million allocated to the National Leadership Grants for Libraries program is going to a single recipient, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission for its America250 project"

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 1d

“ALL of Florida lost its [interlibrary loan] services as of October 1. This, of course, most harms those in rural communities. That means those with the most to lose and with the weakest access to education and entertainment materials are now wholly dependent on what their own library owns…”

The Current State of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (October 2025 Edition)

Grant money that should be going to library projects is going to state-sponsored propaganda, among other IMLS updates.

buttondown.com

17 22

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 8h

@ this @haymarketbooks.org “Solidarity Against Sadism” panel, @keeanga.bsky.social brilliantly calls out hypocrisy among university leaders — eg, Penn + Barnard — denouncing the Trump compact while still upholding the 🇵🇸 exception: “lecturing the public about having tough conversations, except for 🇵🇸”

Solidarity Against Sadism: An Emergency Town Hall

YouTube video by Haymarket Books

www.youtube.com

2 9

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 16h

I'm sorry, is the Trump Administration talking to a tech platform?

Is it...requesting content moderation?

Today following outreach from @thejusticedept, Facebook removed a large group page that was being used to dox and target @ICEgov agents in Chicago.
The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs. The Department of Justice will continue engaging tech companies to eliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violence against federal law enforcement.

190 1.3K 4.8K

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 9h

Good. Even if this doesn’t work, it’s time to go on offense.

www.newsweek.com/jb-pritzker-...

JB Pritzker looking at prosecuting ICE agents in Chicago

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has suggested that state prosecutors might examine the conduct of ICE agents.

www.newsweek.com

720 4.9K 21K

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

jen sometimes aph 🌻 @bunnibytz.bsky.social · 1d

"How to Stand Up to a Dictator" author @mariaressa.bsky.social explains how social media companies used the Philippines as a testing ground for mass manipulation before employing their tactics in the U.S.

via @thedailyshow.com

27 390 850

Reposted by Shannon Mattern

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 18h

we’ll see how his mayoral tenure shakes out but i am convinced that Mamdani has the juice. not just the charisma to win an election but the temperament to govern and the measured pragmatism of someone who genuinely believes what they’re saying and wants to accomplish real things.

Inside the Improbable, Audacious and (So Far) Unstoppable Rise of Zohran Mamdani

www.nytimes.com

330 2.3K 16K

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

I am writing just such a letter for just such a person right now. I wouldn’t dream of outsourcing this. It’s so important, it’s such a sensitive rhetorical document, and it’s an honor to write it.

2 3

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

I wish you all the best! ❤️

1

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

I’ve been so disappointed to see all this complicity :(

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

❤️

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

So sorry to hear it!

1 1

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

Thank you! I had a great dentist in NYC – but I just couldn’t find anybody, in any specialty, in Philly, which meant I neglected things for three years. I’m now back in NY and with my old dentist, which is 🤗

1

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

So sorry to hear this! And thank you! 🙏

1 1

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 15h

I’m sorry! And yes! The stress of the world and the cruelty of our institutions are not only making it impossible to find time and resources for care, but they’re also actively exacerbating the problems!

5