Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 1d

Couldn't be bothered? State Democrats *choose* to be centrist and deliberately exclusive, as does the national Democratic old guard. They HATE the party base.

Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 1d

I am grateful to @lukeslamdunkwilson.bsky.social, @cdamianwrites.bsky.social, @mfsavoices.org, and Darren Calhoun for courageously raising their voices for queer youth and for reform in religious communities. ❤️

Sojourners @sojo.net · 1d

The Supreme Court seems likely to overrule a law banning conversion therapy for minors, horrifying queer faith leaders and their allies after years of fighting to protect queer children.
sojo.net/articles/new...

The Christian Activists Supporting a Conversion Therapy Ban

“It’s about affirming that every person, including every queer person, bears the divine image and deserves to live free from psychological and spiritual harm,” Bridget Cabrera said.

sojo.net

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Politico @politico.com · 2d

Two more members of a Young Republican group chat strewn with racist epithets and hateful jokes stepped down from their jobs Tuesday after we published an exclusive report on the Telegram exchanges.

‘It’s revolting’: More Young Republican chat members out of jobs as condemnation intensifies

POLITICO report on private Telegram chat filled with racist slurs and tropes ignites debate from New York to Washington.

www.politico.com

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Reposted by Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل )

Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 3d

"People often ask me what journalism I trust. So today I’m handing out letter grades to some major players." —Mark Jacob. www.stopthepresses.news/p/im-handing...

I’m handing out pro-democracy grades to the media

The Guardian gets an A, the NY Times gets a C, CBS gets an F

www.stopthepresses.news

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Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 2d

Hmm. No mention of fact-checking.

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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 3d

POLITICO: “.. They referred to Black people as monkeys and ‘the watermelon people’ and mused about putting their political opponents in gas chambers. They talked about raping their enemies .. and lauded Republicans who they believed support slavery.

@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

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Dr. Jonathan N. Stea @jonathanstea.bsky.social · 5d

When scientists look under the tinfoil hat, they see that conspiracy mentality is linked to distress, impulsivity, negative affect, and lack of intellectual humility.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

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Alison Tomlin @alisontomlin.bsky.social · 14d

Back at #Bradford2025 for Rizwan Muazzam Qawwals. The only other Qawwali band I ever saw was their uncle, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the 80s (also at St George's Hall), so this was a treat. Not quite as big a treat as the Master himself but hey. Highly energised. Loving the audience response.

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 14d

Yet the percentage of respondents who said they would disobey specific illegal or unconstitutional orders is substantially lower than the percentage of respondents who recognized the responsibility to disobey in general.

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 14d

Just over 40% of active-duty servicemembers listed specific examples of orders they would feel compelled to disobey, including "harming civilians" and torturing prisoners.

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 14d

Who will the U.S. armed services obey when Trump gives unconstitutional orders?

Nine percent of active-duty troops said they would “obey any order” from the president. Another 9% “didn’t know,” and 2% had “no comment.”

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theconversation.com/4-out-of-5-u...

4 out of 5 US troops surveyed understand the duty to disobey illegal orders

As National Guard troops head to the streets of Washington, and likely civilian encounters, a new survey reveals service members’ understanding of the distinction between legal and illegal orders.

theconversation.com

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 14d

Among Republicans, 77% identify as rightist, 18% as moderate, and 4% as left-leaning.

Among Democrats, 55% identify as left-leaning, 34% as moderate, and 9% as right-leaning.

So, not even counting independent voters, nearly half of so-called "liberals" are moderate or right-wing.

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 14d

In 2023, Gallup reported that 36% of U.S. adults describe their political ideology as right-leaning, 36% as moderate, and 25% as left-leaning.

news.gallup.com/poll/548459/...

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · 14d

What many people (including the media) call "liberals" are, 43 percent of the time (not including independent voters), moderate or rightist.

A short thread:
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Danny Satterfield @wildweatherdan.bsky.social · 16d

Well put. At some point we might need to call them fascists but let’s hold that word in reserve until they meet the definition. Bigoted and racist authoritarians is still correct.

Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social · 17d

Violence: Not even close to a fascist regime
Popular mobilization: Not remotely
Extreme nationalism: Weak beer compared to fascist regimes
Dictatorial leadership: They wish
Militarism: Nope (unless you just got drafted)
Personality cult: Check
Scapegoating: Check

Will Holland @wholland.bsky.social · 17d

Extreme nationalism: check
Dictatorial leadership: check
Militarism: check
Violence: check
Personality cult: check
Scapegoating: check
Popular mobilization: check

What am I missing? This admin fits the classic definition of fascism. Or wants to.

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Reposted by Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل )

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 16d

Hertling: His comments about putting hands back on recruits… We moved away from that 30 years ago because it’s ineffective…

You know where it didn’t go away? The Russian army.

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Camilo Pérez-Bustillo @cperezbustillo.bsky.social · 26d

México faces unprecedented UN review for persistent impunity regarding massive number of recurrent forced disappearances, as Morena gov’t continues to fall short of its commitments & victim’s demands

www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2025...

Los de abajo

“Ya no creemos en las palabras de la Presidenta”.

www.jornada.com.mx

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Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · Sep 12

Ezra Klein's take is just mind-boggingly bad.

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

No, Charlie Kirk was not practicing politics the right way

His assassination deserves full condemnation; his full impact should not be sidestepped.

www.motherjones.com

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Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · Sep 11

I'll be on PBS Newshour tonight discussing the slow civil war. To what I had the opportunity to say, I'd add that this isn't a "both sides" moment, because to MAGA there is only MAGA & enemies of MAGA. Even if the shooter turns out to be, say, a Groyper, that worldview is MAGA or enemy,.

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Reposted by Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل )

Rural Anarchy @ruralanarchy.bsky.social · Sep 11

A couple of months ago, the entire MAGA ecosphere was talking about releasing the files. Then the Trump admin leaned on them to shut about and toe the line. Kirk was one of the first to do the about face. Thinking this is Epstein related will just lead you down conspiracism rabbitholes.

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Bruce Wilson @brucewilson.bsky.social · Sep 11

You might want to inform anyone you know in their 60s or older about this.

Cory Booker @corybooker.com · Sep 11

Donald Trump has lied again. They are cutting Medicare and it will affect millions of Americans who receive Medicare, who provide medical services, and who work in the health care economy.

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Sufism on Bluesky @sufism.bsky.social · Sep 11

9/11: Before... and after

#september11 #neverforget

A wide, surreal mixed-media digital painting. On the left side stand two tall glass-like skyscrapers resembling the Twin Towers, cracked and glowing faintly in cool blue and white tones. The towers rise from a dark water surface, where their reflections ripple downward. To the right, the horizon depicts a fiery war-torn desert landscape under swirling red and black clouds. Angular explosions light up the sky, and in the background a Middle Eastern cityscape is silhouetted, with domes and minarets clearly visible.

In the foreground, diverse human figures stand waist-deep in the dark water. Their bodies are shown in shades of orange, brown, and blue, with bowed heads and faces covered by their hands. Large tears and streams of light flow from their eyes and mouths, merging into a luminous river of sorrow that runs across the bottom of the image, connecting the towers on the left with the war scene on the right.

The overall tone is mournful and symbolic, with deep blues and silvers contrasting against fiery oranges and blacks, evoking grief, memory, and shared humanity.

A wide surreal painting showing two bright beams of vertical blue-white light shining upward into the night sky on the left, symbolizing the Tribute in Light memorial. The beams rise from a dark body of water, reflecting faintly below. In the center and foreground, several diverse human figures stand waist-deep in the water. Their heads are bowed, faces covered by hands, or eyes shut in grief. Streams of tears and light flow from their eyes, merging into a glowing river that runs across the bottom of the image.

On the right, the horizon glows with fiery orange and red explosions, jagged shards bursting into the sky. Dark smoke and storm clouds swirl above. Against this fiery backdrop, the silhouette of a Middle Eastern city is visible, with distinct domes and tall minarets, clearly marking the location as the Middle East.

The palette contrasts cool, solemn blues on the left with harsh, burning reds and oranges on the right. The overall style is painterly, semi-abstract, and dreamlike, evoking sorrow, memory, and the shared grief of humanity.

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Reposted by Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل )

Jon Hutson @jonhutson.bsky.social · Sep 10

Some of us, Paul included, denounce all political violence practically every day. Let's work for a society and a global community where that is not necessary. In related news, release the immigrants and the Epstein papers. End mass incarceration. End all political violence, don't stop short.

Paul Bland @fpbland.bsky.social · Sep 10

I'm opposed to any celebration of political violence.

In my last job, several times I got death threats related to my advocacy, sometimes pretty specific. I can't believe this needs to be said, but murdering someone for their views is always wrong.

I'm disheartened by some of the commentary here

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · Sep 7

Why are progressives defending Hyundai’s importation of cheap foreign construction workers instead of fair-wage U.S. citizens?

www.cnn.com/2025/09/06/u...

Inside the raid: How a monthslong federal immigration operation lead to 475 arrests at a Hyundai plant in Georgia | CNN

A sprawling Hyundai manufacturing plant in a quiet southeast Georgia community became ground zero on Thursday for one of the most extensive immigration raids in recent US history. The operation, month...

www.cnn.com

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Michael Airhart (عارف) (ميخائيل ) @airhart.me · Sep 4

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For life is given by the sovereign of our universe: given to be savored, to be luxuriated in, to be respected.
But that is no secret. You're intelligent. You know as well as I what is needed to be done.

—Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles