Laura Waits
@lwaits.bsky.social
I'm just here looking to add to my understanding of the world from my little blue dot in Texas.
Reposted by Laura Waits
Featured story: His wife visited him in ICE detention on his 50th birthday. She couldn’t even bring him the card she’d made. They could only speak through a phone, divided by a thick pane of glass. It was one of few times she’d ever seen him cry.
Trump's ICE Arrested a Whistleblower Who Exposed Sexual Assault in Detention. Now, He’s Left the Country.
Douglas Menjivar is a survivor and activist. He’s also married to a U.S. citizen, but he was caught up in the president’s mass deportation agenda anyway.
www.texasobserver.org
November 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Featured story: His wife visited him in ICE detention on his 50th birthday. She couldn’t even bring him the card she’d made. They could only speak through a phone, divided by a thick pane of glass. It was one of few times she’d ever seen him cry.
Reposted by Laura Waits
this is wild: while Stephen Miller's guy was in Minnesota for his uncle's funeral, somebody was able to see his entire phone and take pictures of his Signal group chats talking about military deployments to Portland, and brought them to the Strib (gift link: www.startribune.com/trump-offici...)
October 4, 2025 at 1:12 AM
this is wild: while Stephen Miller's guy was in Minnesota for his uncle's funeral, somebody was able to see his entire phone and take pictures of his Signal group chats talking about military deployments to Portland, and brought them to the Strib (gift link: www.startribune.com/trump-offici...)
Reposted by Laura Waits
As accusations of genocide in Gaza mount against Israel, NPR looks at how the term is defined legally and why previously reticent scholars have changed their minds.
A question of intent: Is what's happening in Gaza genocide?
As accusations of genocide in Gaza mount against Israel, NPR looks at how the term is defined legally and why previously reticent scholars have changed their minds.
n.pr
September 26, 2025 at 2:54 AM
As accusations of genocide in Gaza mount against Israel, NPR looks at how the term is defined legally and why previously reticent scholars have changed their minds.
I completely missed that this was just WEEKS before ICE tried to deport up to 300 South Koreans 😳
September 21, 2025 at 6:03 AM
I completely missed that this was just WEEKS before ICE tried to deport up to 300 South Koreans 😳
This is happening on a national level.
A Far-Right Faction Took Power in Odessa. Then It Had to Govern.
After hard-liners purged the civil workforce, they found it difficult to provide standard city services.
www.texasmonthly.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:49 AM
This is happening on a national level.
Reposted by Laura Waits
1/2
In case you were wondering why the incorrect rumor of “trans activist” and “fascist symbols” on ammo started, it’s because arrows and initials are common ways manufacturers stamp ammo.
Including “TRN” the ironsight and a direction broad arrow:
In case you were wondering why the incorrect rumor of “trans activist” and “fascist symbols” on ammo started, it’s because arrows and initials are common ways manufacturers stamp ammo.
Including “TRN” the ironsight and a direction broad arrow:
September 11, 2025 at 11:57 PM
1/2
In case you were wondering why the incorrect rumor of “trans activist” and “fascist symbols” on ammo started, it’s because arrows and initials are common ways manufacturers stamp ammo.
Including “TRN” the ironsight and a direction broad arrow:
In case you were wondering why the incorrect rumor of “trans activist” and “fascist symbols” on ammo started, it’s because arrows and initials are common ways manufacturers stamp ammo.
Including “TRN” the ironsight and a direction broad arrow:
Sometimes you don't see it until it's in red.
Hopefully, we can stop this before it moves on to be more than just ink. #SouthernFuckingNazis
Hopefully, we can stop this before it moves on to be more than just ink. #SouthernFuckingNazis
August 22, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Sometimes you don't see it until it's in red.
Hopefully, we can stop this before it moves on to be more than just ink. #SouthernFuckingNazis
Hopefully, we can stop this before it moves on to be more than just ink. #SouthernFuckingNazis
Reposted by Laura Waits
Talarico owns Will Cain so hard that he has to tap out of their interview based on "time"
August 12, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Talarico owns Will Cain so hard that he has to tap out of their interview based on "time"
Judith Zaffirini and Chuy Hinojosa are finding out how Germans let Hitler happen - by one cowardly choice after another.
Winston Churchill — 'You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.'
Winston Churchill — 'You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.'
🚨BREAKING: The Texas Senate passed a redistricting map after 2 Democrats remained in the chamber, allowing Republicans to vote on a plan that could add 5 more GOP seats. Unlike Texas House Democrats, Senate Democrats were unable to break quorum because of members who refused to participate.
Two Democrats Allow Texas Senate to Pass Redistricting Map as House Holds Out
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
August 13, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Judith Zaffirini and Chuy Hinojosa are finding out how Germans let Hitler happen - by one cowardly choice after another.
Winston Churchill — 'You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.'
Winston Churchill — 'You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.'
Reposted by Laura Waits
No, you did not give those of us who happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor any due process. And that was profoundly wrong. It destroyed our lives.
August 8, 2025 at 6:46 PM
No, you did not give those of us who happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor any due process. And that was profoundly wrong. It destroyed our lives.
Reposted by Laura Waits
For those who’s till think these guys can be reasoned with... talkingpointsmemo.com/live-blog/co...
August 8, 2025 at 7:48 PM
For those who’s till think these guys can be reasoned with... talkingpointsmemo.com/live-blog/co...
Reposted by Laura Waits
400+ corporations state their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion -- DEI or by any name. The U.S. government is siccing its rabid dogs on people of color. Any employer standing strong on DEI is engaged in an act of courage and resistance.
www.impactivize.org/dei-employer...
www.impactivize.org/dei-employer...
Companies that support DEI
✅ Impactivize Employers of the Day™ Suggest a Company View Criteria A growing list of corporations that have publicly stated their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. These emp...
www.impactivize.org
July 24, 2025 at 6:46 PM
400+ corporations state their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion -- DEI or by any name. The U.S. government is siccing its rabid dogs on people of color. Any employer standing strong on DEI is engaged in an act of courage and resistance.
www.impactivize.org/dei-employer...
www.impactivize.org/dei-employer...
Reposted by Laura Waits
Trump is gutting the police that stop corporations from looting — the EPA, IRS, SEC, Labor Department, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Product Safety Commission, FDA, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Be warned.
Be warned.
July 24, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Trump is gutting the police that stop corporations from looting — the EPA, IRS, SEC, Labor Department, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Product Safety Commission, FDA, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Be warned.
Be warned.
Reposted by Laura Waits
"As an emergency health care worker, FEMA responder and proud woman of faith, I know this tragedy stems from years of climate denialism and reckless cuts to science, preparedness and infrastructure."
--Powerful words from Dr. Nathalie Beasnael, writing in HuffPost.
--Powerful words from Dr. Nathalie Beasnael, writing in HuffPost.
I’m A FEMA Responder. Here's What No One Is Telling You About The Tragic Texas Floods.
"In church, I’ve heard people say 'God is in control' to dismiss the crisis – but my faith calls me to speak up, gently but firmly."
www.huffpost.com
July 14, 2025 at 2:54 PM
"As an emergency health care worker, FEMA responder and proud woman of faith, I know this tragedy stems from years of climate denialism and reckless cuts to science, preparedness and infrastructure."
--Powerful words from Dr. Nathalie Beasnael, writing in HuffPost.
--Powerful words from Dr. Nathalie Beasnael, writing in HuffPost.
Reposted by Laura Waits
FACT THREAD on New Interstellar Object #A11pl3Z
This story unfolded pretty fast yesterday for a few reasons. The object was discovered on July 1st UTC by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS team. A #NASA funded survey at the University of Hawaii. atlas.fallingstar.com 🔭🧪
This story unfolded pretty fast yesterday for a few reasons. The object was discovered on July 1st UTC by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS team. A #NASA funded survey at the University of Hawaii. atlas.fallingstar.com 🔭🧪
July 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
FACT THREAD on New Interstellar Object #A11pl3Z
This story unfolded pretty fast yesterday for a few reasons. The object was discovered on July 1st UTC by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS team. A #NASA funded survey at the University of Hawaii. atlas.fallingstar.com 🔭🧪
This story unfolded pretty fast yesterday for a few reasons. The object was discovered on July 1st UTC by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS team. A #NASA funded survey at the University of Hawaii. atlas.fallingstar.com 🔭🧪
Gotta cover the cost of bombing Iran. Pure cruelty.
"U.S. Department of Defense announced Tuesday it would no longer process and deliver data essential to most hurricane forecasts"
www.local10.com/weather/hurr...
"U.S. Department of Defense announced Tuesday it would no longer process and deliver data essential to most hurricane forecasts"
www.local10.com/weather/hurr...
Critical hurricane forecast tool abruptly terminated
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it would immediately stop ingesting, processing, and transmitting data essential to most hurricane forecasts.
www.local10.com
June 27, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Gotta cover the cost of bombing Iran. Pure cruelty.
"U.S. Department of Defense announced Tuesday it would no longer process and deliver data essential to most hurricane forecasts"
www.local10.com/weather/hurr...
"U.S. Department of Defense announced Tuesday it would no longer process and deliver data essential to most hurricane forecasts"
www.local10.com/weather/hurr...
Reposted by Laura Waits
ProPublica obtained records showing how a DOGE software engineer with no health care or government experience created an AI model to identify contracts to kill at the VA.
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
June 19, 2025 at 12:01 AM
ProPublica obtained records showing how a DOGE software engineer with no health care or government experience created an AI model to identify contracts to kill at the VA.
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
We've now gotten to the point of having to state which side your community stands on - support the Constitution and Bill of Rights or support Trump. 🤔⚖️🇺🇸
www.kxan.com/news/local/t...
www.kxan.com/news/local/t...
www.kxan.com
June 18, 2025 at 3:40 AM
We've now gotten to the point of having to state which side your community stands on - support the Constitution and Bill of Rights or support Trump. 🤔⚖️🇺🇸
www.kxan.com/news/local/t...
www.kxan.com/news/local/t...
This also applies to psychologists.
"Caplan said the rules opened the door to doctors questioning patients about whether they attended a Trump rally or declining to provide healthcare to a veteran because they wore a button critical of JD Vance or voiced support for gay rights."
"Caplan said the rules opened the door to doctors questioning patients about whether they attended a Trump rally or declining to provide healthcare to a veteran because they wore a button critical of JD Vance or voiced support for gay rights."
‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans
Trump order allows VA staff to decline providing healthcare to patients based on political affiliation or marital status
www.theguardian.com
June 17, 2025 at 2:17 AM
This also applies to psychologists.
"Caplan said the rules opened the door to doctors questioning patients about whether they attended a Trump rally or declining to provide healthcare to a veteran because they wore a button critical of JD Vance or voiced support for gay rights."
"Caplan said the rules opened the door to doctors questioning patients about whether they attended a Trump rally or declining to provide healthcare to a veteran because they wore a button critical of JD Vance or voiced support for gay rights."
Reposted by Laura Waits
If you condemn Russia’s ‘preventive’ attacks on Ukrainian cities, including hospitals & journalists, but don’t condemn Israel’s ‘preventive’ attacks on Iranian cities, including hospitals & journalists, then you’re not actually opposed to Russia’s attacks.
You’re just a partisan.
You’re just a partisan.
June 16, 2025 at 9:00 PM
If you condemn Russia’s ‘preventive’ attacks on Ukrainian cities, including hospitals & journalists, but don’t condemn Israel’s ‘preventive’ attacks on Iranian cities, including hospitals & journalists, then you’re not actually opposed to Russia’s attacks.
You’re just a partisan.
You’re just a partisan.
Reposted by Laura Waits
(📣) UPDATE: Hi all, I’ve now added so much new content to this. Many new photos from new locations (see the top of the archive); improved photos for existing locations; a very long and critical Coda at the end of the report; a new sidebar (on right-wing violence) in the first section; and much more.
Over 250 Photos From Around the Nation and the World From the Historic “No Kings Day” Protests
Almost no one showed up to Donald Trump’s surprisingly timid, depressing, and generally lackluster birthday party in Washington, but protests against him were bursting at the seams across the globe.
sethabramson.substack.com
June 16, 2025 at 3:15 AM
(📣) UPDATE: Hi all, I’ve now added so much new content to this. Many new photos from new locations (see the top of the archive); improved photos for existing locations; a very long and critical Coda at the end of the report; a new sidebar (on right-wing violence) in the first section; and much more.
Reposted by Laura Waits
Veteran photographer Michael Nigro was shot in the head with a non-lethal bullet while covering anti-ICE protests in LA. "It felt very very intentional," Nigro tells NPR, "a chilling effect to convince us to go away."
Other reporters say they have been targeted too.
My story below:
Other reporters say they have been targeted too.
My story below:
The Los Angeles Press Club says law enforcement officers have violated press freedoms of reporters covering anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles more than three dozen times. https://n.pr/3Zw0tPg
Journalists dodge rubber bullets in covering L.A. immigration protests
The Los Angeles Press Club says law enforcement officers have violated press freedoms of reporters covering anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles more than three dozen times.
n.pr
June 16, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Veteran photographer Michael Nigro was shot in the head with a non-lethal bullet while covering anti-ICE protests in LA. "It felt very very intentional," Nigro tells NPR, "a chilling effect to convince us to go away."
Other reporters say they have been targeted too.
My story below:
Other reporters say they have been targeted too.
My story below:
Reposted by Laura Waits
You seriously cant make this shit up
A law enforcement officer points a taser at a person wearing a hot dog costume during a protest Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
A law enforcement officer points a taser at a person wearing a hot dog costume during a protest Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
June 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
You seriously cant make this shit up
A law enforcement officer points a taser at a person wearing a hot dog costume during a protest Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
A law enforcement officer points a taser at a person wearing a hot dog costume during a protest Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Reposted by Laura Waits
The fact that this is barely an exaggeration...
June 3, 2025 at 4:44 PM
The fact that this is barely an exaggeration...