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Dan Bongard

@danbongard.bsky.social

220 followers 100 following 1.9K posts

Software engineer, video game enthusiast, guinea pig owner, exiled Californian, anti-fascist. Pronouns he/him, or "that nerd" if you went to school with me.

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Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 1h

They get extra security everywhere.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 2h

That is simultaneously both sad and awesome.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 2h

You know, I used to lean right and think the NYT was a shitty newspaper.

Now I'm protesting the rise of fascism and NYT is still a shitty newspaper. I'm glad to see that in these turbulent times there are still some things that don't change.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 2h

I'm just surprised nobody in the Trump administration said "killing Palestinian civilians is the IDF's job. We demand that Hamas respect division of labor".

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 2h

Also, labelling a protest "feel-good performatice activism" is moronic.

All protests are performative activism. That's the entire point. You're putting on a show of how angry you are. Basically these whiners are just saying "lol protesting made you feel good? Poseurs". Fuck off and die please.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 2h

Having private jets isn't crazy. I would rather send a government official and their secret service on a private jet than have my Delta flight screwed up by a bunch of added security crap.

Now, what Noem needs TWO of them for, and what they're using them for -- that, I'd like to know.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 2h

All kidding aside, I feel like a giant inflatable dick would have clashed with the tone and the message of the protest I attended.

That's not grounds for arrest, of course. I'm just saying maybe the giant dick costume is more appropriate for dancing around outside an ICE facility or something.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

I feel like we need a whole bunch of Constitutional amendments here.

Normally whatever party's in power is reluctant to limit "their guy"'s power, but it seems like at least the younger Democrats realize something's got to change.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

San Diego is one of the largest cities in the USA but hardly ever shows up in film (since it is basically "what if LA had basically the same culture but was just generally nicer to live in").

So Anchorman was kind of a "win". :)

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

Thank you for all you're doing.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

Wow, you made those? I have trouble wrapping a Christmas present. Great look too!

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

Two dudebros in maga hats decided to walk back and forth through the protest carrying Trump flags. The only reaction was a cluster of 70-year-old women marching ahead of them yelling "make room, men with tiny dicks coming through".

Don't fuck with Grandma, guys.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

As a child of the 80s I'm pretty sure just listening to "We are the world" against would cause ego death, or at least PTSD flashbacks.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

I have to say, I'm not really a fan of the police, but even though this is a red state the "worst" thing they did was shoo a guy in an inflatable heart costume off the median strip and back onto the sidewalk.

Very positive vibes all around (and amazing turnout).

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

I'm pretty sure Simon and Garfunkel's Concert in Central Park didn't even manage to avoid any arrests.

That two massive political protests managed is nothing short of amazing! Especially given that we're all very, very angry

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

I have no idea if the protests will help the country. Maybe it is too late or maybe there's a better approach. We're in uncharted territory.

What I *do* know is that being surrounded by a thousand people who take this as seriously as I do made me feel better than I have in a year.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

"That grandma with the flag and the 'My father fought the Nazis' sign is a Hamas terrorist" is a really hard sell even for people with terminal Fox Brain.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

My [unnamed] protest buddy were saying to each other "will there be other people? I'm still doing it even if it is just us".

We showed up five minutes before the start time and there were already at least five hundred people. It peaked at over 1000, in a county that went 70% for Trump.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

If it had been a giant *black* dick would the Alabama police response have been worse?

Would they have refused to touch it at all?

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 3h

My gut tells me that non-white people are staying away from situations likely to get them grabbed by secret police.

The protest I attended was very white, although the approving motorists were move diverse. The vibe was "what if an Episcopal church picnic got invaded by inflatable sharks".

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 4h

The truly funny thing is that Trump doesn't realize how weak this makes him look.

Its like if a musician stops the show to yell at hecklers -- that does nothing but show that they've gotten under his skin.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 4h

My five favorite signs from the Florida protest I went to:

- Honk if you're not in the Epstein Files
- Orange Lies Matter
- No Kings, Only Queens [rainbow]
- You're Out of Your Element, Donny
- Don't Cherry Pick the Constitution the Way You Do the Bible

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 1d

I just wanted to say that I love the facial expressions on the sign language interpreter.

I don't know if that is just part of the sign language or if she's just having her own reaction to the speech, by either way, thumbs up.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 1d

The "good" news is that this is one area where MAGA has less harm it can do because the overwhelming majority of school funding and curriculum is state or local level, particularly in blue states.

Dan Bongard @danbongard.bsky.social · 1d

One corporate gig can pay as much as dozens of club gigs, and you don't have to be on the road for months at a time. The downside is that you don't get the exposure you would have at the club gigs so it isn't a stepping stone to a Netflix special or comedy tour. So comedians tend to do both.