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Reposted by Simone Sebastian

Jennifer Smith Richards @jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 6d

To understand the Trump administration’s vision for American education, @megomatz.bsky.social and I studied dozens of hours of political appointees’ speeches and podcasts and essays. What emerged is a desire to dismantle the nation’s system of public schools.

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

www.propublica.org

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Simon Rosenberg @simonrosenberg.bsky.social · 6d

A beautiful love letter to independent journalism, and hope.

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Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 13d

If you are following the story of The Pentagon's new policy, nicknamed, "you must check with us before you dream of doing any journalism," you may enjoy this update from @status.news

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 18d

Not justifying. I'm saying erasing/lumping in oppressed Christians (immigrants, Black folks) with their oppressors is an odd choice when "white nationalism" is sitting right there as a perfectly apt term for what's happening on the political right

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Dude, I'm not a practicing Christian. You've lost the plot

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Ok....no one is forcing you to believe in Christianity. It's absolutely legitimate to believe Christianity is a myth. My only point is that MAGA is far more defined by its white nationalism than by its Christianity

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

You support discarding churches that provide sanctuary for immigrants facing state violence? You support discarding churches that get old/rural/infirm Black folks to polls despite voter suppression? You support discarding the Christian orgs that help victims of domestic violence, poverty, etc?

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

I didn't say that, another commenter did.

But I agree with everything else you said. And that's my point -- MAGA wants to own Christianity, but it doesn't. By defining the movement by religion, we're misidentifying its core tenet. It's not religion, it's politics - the politics of white nationalism

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Lol, y'all who keep accusing the Black church of being inactive are just revealing that you know nothing about the Black church

Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

My original post is explicit about what I'm suggesting people say

Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Not forgetting that at all. Christianity has been a tool of oppression. (It has also been a tool to fight oppression.) But as you said, Christianity was a tool; white supremacy, on the other hand, is the driving force. Put the emphasis where it belongs

Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

It has been used to oppress, yes. It's also been used to fight oppression. It fueled the Civil Rights Movement. It was used to combat slavery and lead uprisings of enslaved people. It's been used to provide sanctuary for immigrants. Most immigrants we're deporting today are themselves Christian

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Most of the immigrants coming to the US are Christian. Do all the Christians we're deporting without due process own this problem? Are they hateful?

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Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 19d

Van Hollen: I will just say that anybody who thinks we're on the way to authoritarianism is wrong. We are there

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

That message wasn't directed to you

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

The notion that the Black Chirch is "standing by" is not rooted in present or historical reality. The Black church is arguably the most politically active church in this country

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Are you under the impression that the Black church isn't Christianity?

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Who is "they"?

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Ok. And the same bible that MAGA believes in was used to inspire uprisings of enslaved people and justify their violence against encaptors. It was also used to lead the nonviolent Civil Rights Movement. So what's your point? Frankly, you're proving mine: Christianity can't be lumped into one box

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Is this your msg to the Black church? People who have died in their fight to upend white supremacy in this country? Is it your msg to the Presbyterian church, which faced state violence for sheltering immigrants from deportation? If you don't think they've distinguished themselves, that's on you

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

If you think the Black church feels any affinity -- let alone cult-like affinity -- with white Christian nationalism, your argument is rooted in a severe deficit of information and understanding of the Black church

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 19d

Drivers do this to each other, too. I'll pause at a cross walk or after a light turns green for a pedestrian that hasn't finished crossing the road, and the car behind me will lean on its horn. I'm not going to kill a human being just so you can get to your destination 20 seconds earlier, sir

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 20d

Perhaps the Black church makes no sense to you because you clearly know nothing about it

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 20d

I'd argue that defining Christianity in the US by ignoring the enormous congregations of Black/Latin/Asian/Catholic/progressive churches is itself a form of white supremacy

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Simone Sebastian @simonesnews.bsky.social · 20d

It's not about moderate Christians. It's about the Black church, which was literally founded in opposition to racial injustice. It's about the Presbyterian church, which has long given sanctuary to immigrants, enslaved and other oppressed ppl. Nothing's moderate/unbiblical about their Christianity

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