Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Melissa Ryan

@melissaryan.bsky.social

37K followers 1.2K following 3.1K posts

I want to help build a world where we can all do our work, share our stories, and live our lives free from hate, harassment, and harm. Newsletter: https://www.altrightdelete.news/ Work with me: [email protected]

www.altrightdelete.news

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

5 28 52

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 10h

Agree.

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 11h

The stupidest fucking people are running the country. They're cruel and heartless, but they're also just really stupid.

Apoorva Mandavilli @apoorvanyt.bsky.social · 12h

The Trump administration on Saturday scrambled to rescind layoffs of hundreds of CDC scientists who were mistakenly fired on Friday night in what appeared to be a substantial procedural lapse.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/h...

Trump Administration Is Bringing Back Scores of C.D.C. Experts Fired in Error

www.nytimes.com

15 68 260

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 13h

Elections are handled in the states but not sure about what if any HAVA funds would be withheld.

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 15h

I am so jealous. Congratulations.

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

sarah jeong @sarahjeong.bsky.social · 19h

I have a theory www.theverge.com/policy/79849...

American politics has devolved into shitposting and aura farming

The Frog is owning the president.

www.theverge.com

85 610 3K

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Brandon Lorenz @bllorenz.bsky.social · 17h

Important read ——->

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

1 2 2

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 17h

It does hurt everyone. It will also be objectively worse for families in red States where state and local government won't step up.

1 1 2

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 19h

This one will hit the red states especially hard. Blue state systems will for the most part work to ensure kids with special needs have access to public education. The red states will leave families to sort it for themselves.

Sara Partridge, Ph.D. @sarapartridge.bsky.social · 19h

There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.

America’s children deserve better than this.

10 76 180

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Democracy Dies in Dorkness @lizamazel.bsky.social · 1d

one point in there: you can always set up a second email account w/proton or tuta, under not-your-name, for political RSVP's 🤷‍♀️

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

2 5

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 19h

I love what Portland is doing so much. Joy is resistance. Dancing animals are resistance. ✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻

Ryan J. Reilly “paints a vivid and urgent portrait of… disarray” @ryanjreilly.com · 20h

PORTLAND, Ore. — A small group of federal agents in camouflage and face masks watched from atop the immigration processing center Thursday night as a unicorn, peacock, dinosaur and raccoon danced to Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time.” www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Costumed protesters in Portland defy description of the city as a 'war zone'

Dancing frogs, peacocks and unicorns outside the federal immigration building present a joyful contrast to the Trump administration's portrait of the Oregon city, they say.

www.nbcnews.com

22 59

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Evan Sutton @evansutton.bsky.social · 20h

In which @brianbeutler.bsky.social tells people in positions of real power: "You are actors in history, you’re writing your own epitaphs." We will need to save ourselves, but we also need to remind the people in power that they will be judged by history and hold them accountable to fight for us.

Scott L Greer @scottlgreer.bsky.social · 21h

"what costs people like us sleep at night isn’t that we aren’t doing enough. It’s that we’ve lost confidence in the people who are in positions to do more. [Don't] let people in power—people who sought power, and people who have power by dint of wealth—off the hook too easily."

How To Reverse The Tide

It's the gap between what's needed and what we have that keeps us up at night.

www.offmessage.net

2 15 74

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Noah Berlatsky @nberlat.bsky.social · 1d

interesting discussion.

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

1 2 9

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks!

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks! I enjoyed writing it.

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

Me too. Only difference is that I didn't hire RFK Jr. to take away everyone else's access to vaccinations.

Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 1d

Trump got a Covid vaccine today.

1 10 50

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 1d

🚨👀 The head of a conservative watchdog organization acknowledged that its report cited by the DOJ did not find evidence that the network of liberal billionaire George Soros had broken the law.

Seems important. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

NYT screenshot:

"Scott Walter, the president of Capital Research Center, agreed that his group had not found evidence that the Soros network had committed a crime.

“They have to have funded something bad and they have to have known they were funding something bad,” to prove a criminal case, Mr. Walter said in an interview. “We actually did not make either of those claims that a prosecutor would need to make.”"

1 19 43

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

5 28 52

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Bhavik Lathia @bhavik.bsky.social · 1d

I spoke with Melissa about protests, data security, and safety in numbers.

Read the piece and make sure to sign up at nokings.org.

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

2 5

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

COURIER @couriernewsroom.bsky.social · 1d

COURIER's @melissaryan.bsky.social examines the conversation around protest safety — and whether or not you should feel comfortable RSVPing to upcoming protests.

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

www.fwiw.news

2 1 8

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

FWIW is a fantastic newsletter, long one of my favorites, because it reports out political digital ad spend data every week. If you aren't already subscribed you should sign up today! www.fwiw.news

FWIW | Lucy Ritzmann | Substack

A newsletter tracking digital spending, strategy, and trends in our elections. Click to read FWIW, by Lucy Ritzmann, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

www.fwiw.news

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you!

1 1

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

#TeslaTakedown @teslatakedown.com · 1d

There are both valid reasons not to RSVP and strong reasons that it can be beneficial for everyone. This piece includes both thought-provoking questions and valuable ideas for anyone who attends or organizes protests. The most important rule? We keep each other safe. #teslatakedown #MuskMustFall

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

4 12 28

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you!

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

Bryant Durrell @innocence.com · 1d

In my non-professional opinion, this is exactly the column to read on the topic of protest RSVPs.

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

1 3 3

Reposted by Melissa Ryan

LOLGOP ❌👑❌ @thefarce.org · 1d

“The risks here are mostly theoretical – law enforcement could ask to see those lists, bad actors could take these lists and make them public, which could cause issues for some people, but the lists are likely packed with email addresses & aren’t a guarantee that someone actually went to a protest.”

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 1d

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Should You RSVP to a Protest?

Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

open.substack.com

1 4 13