Isabel
@isitis.bsky.social
she/her. minneapolis. I do cool things with orchestral strings (instruments) for money, lots of other stuff for fun. see my gay orchestra at o'shag may 24 www.mnphil.org/mc-events/reverberations
Reposted by Isabel
Pretty clear to me that if Vance is coming to prance in front of the ICE church, savvy folks should organize a news conference of all the faith leaders whose houses of worship have been surveilled & parishioners too scared to attend. At least the ICE church folks could worship where they wanted.
January 20, 2026 at 3:08 AM
Pretty clear to me that if Vance is coming to prance in front of the ICE church, savvy folks should organize a news conference of all the faith leaders whose houses of worship have been surveilled & parishioners too scared to attend. At least the ICE church folks could worship where they wanted.
Reposted by Isabel
This is a really important story, and one that explains the place of the Hmong community in the Twin Cities and why this entire occupation is really just ethnic cleansing (my words). Also, props to Marisa for doing the work to get this story right when so many out-of-town journalists have failed.
New — I wrote about ChongLy Scott Thao, the elderly Hmong American wrongly arrested and forced out of his home by ICE in his underwear during the punishing Minnesota winter, what witnesses saw, and DHS's racist claim that he fit the description of another Asian man they were looking for.
My story:
My story:
Behind the disturbing image of ICE snatching a half-naked, elderly Hmong American from his home
DHS has claimed without evidence that they were looking for someone else when they took ChongLy Scott Thao.
www.thehandbasket.co
January 20, 2026 at 1:14 AM
This is a really important story, and one that explains the place of the Hmong community in the Twin Cities and why this entire occupation is really just ethnic cleansing (my words). Also, props to Marisa for doing the work to get this story right when so many out-of-town journalists have failed.
Reposted by Isabel
The consistent pattern of Republicans feeling no obligation to tell the truth and Democrats feeling even less obligation to call out that the former is lying has truly doomed us in ways that are hard to quantify.
So in the end, what does this article amount to? Republicans are telling the same lie about welfare that they've told for 40 years despite consistent efforts — including many led by Democrats — to restrict and police it.
And in response, Democrats should restrict and police it even more.
And in response, Democrats should restrict and police it even more.
January 19, 2026 at 5:15 PM
The consistent pattern of Republicans feeling no obligation to tell the truth and Democrats feeling even less obligation to call out that the former is lying has truly doomed us in ways that are hard to quantify.
Reposted by Isabel
People have agency, and pretending that people inside institutions have somehow surrendered that agency and are incapable of independent thought or action is both ethically nonsensical and reinforces the permission structure for doing terrible things.
January 19, 2026 at 5:48 PM
People have agency, and pretending that people inside institutions have somehow surrendered that agency and are incapable of independent thought or action is both ethically nonsensical and reinforces the permission structure for doing terrible things.
Reposted by Isabel
I'm sorry, doing the right thing is going to require a modicum of moral courage, and these motherfuckers manifestly don't have it. You don't need to feel bad for them. They can all eat shit, and I hope they have nightmares about what they're doing until their dying day.
January 19, 2026 at 5:46 PM
I'm sorry, doing the right thing is going to require a modicum of moral courage, and these motherfuckers manifestly don't have it. You don't need to feel bad for them. They can all eat shit, and I hope they have nightmares about what they're doing until their dying day.
Reposted by Isabel
...it's January 16th
January 18, 2026 at 2:28 AM
...it's January 16th
Reposted by Isabel
The "ICE is using military tactics suited for a warzone, not for American streets" rhetoric kinda misses the point that warzones are not naturally occuring. The US military creates war zones from residential neighborhoods and the tactics are not more justifiable just because it's overseas
January 18, 2026 at 1:42 AM
The "ICE is using military tactics suited for a warzone, not for American streets" rhetoric kinda misses the point that warzones are not naturally occuring. The US military creates war zones from residential neighborhoods and the tactics are not more justifiable just because it's overseas
Reposted by Isabel
I'm not sure the author of this piece ever worked a service job before, because getting the authority to say "get the fuck out right now" to a visitor that's annoying the shit out of people is one of the rare joys of a service job
The general theme of this commentary is "stop asking MN companies to ban ICE from their properties." The argument is that enforcing the ban would fall to individual low-paid employees, who would be placed in danger.
tcbmag.com/should-busin...
tcbmag.com/should-busin...
January 17, 2026 at 8:00 PM
I'm not sure the author of this piece ever worked a service job before, because getting the authority to say "get the fuck out right now" to a visitor that's annoying the shit out of people is one of the rare joys of a service job
Reposted by Isabel
yeah i'll vote for gavin newsom under extreme circumstances. like say we're on a life raft and need to decide who to eat first. or our plane crashes in the andes and we're figuring out who to barbecue for dinner. or if we're wagon-bound and stranded in a frozen pass over the sierra nevada mountains,
January 16, 2026 at 9:58 PM
yeah i'll vote for gavin newsom under extreme circumstances. like say we're on a life raft and need to decide who to eat first. or our plane crashes in the andes and we're figuring out who to barbecue for dinner. or if we're wagon-bound and stranded in a frozen pass over the sierra nevada mountains,
I know it's small potatoes in comparison to everything else, but I am getting increasingly angry that this is turning my job, which I usually enjoy and find meaning in, into 8 daily hours of feeling resentful that I have to be here instead of doing like 5 other, more vital things
January 16, 2026 at 7:15 PM
I know it's small potatoes in comparison to everything else, but I am getting increasingly angry that this is turning my job, which I usually enjoy and find meaning in, into 8 daily hours of feeling resentful that I have to be here instead of doing like 5 other, more vital things
Reposted by Isabel
In addition to abolishing ICE and criminal investigations, we need to think about reparations for those who survive being brutalized by the regime.
I would suggest, at a minimum, permanent legal status for anyone injured or detained for more than 24 hours regardless of criminal background.
I would suggest, at a minimum, permanent legal status for anyone injured or detained for more than 24 hours regardless of criminal background.
January 16, 2026 at 12:45 PM
In addition to abolishing ICE and criminal investigations, we need to think about reparations for those who survive being brutalized by the regime.
I would suggest, at a minimum, permanent legal status for anyone injured or detained for more than 24 hours regardless of criminal background.
I would suggest, at a minimum, permanent legal status for anyone injured or detained for more than 24 hours regardless of criminal background.
Reposted by Isabel
If anyone was still pretending this isn’t just about excluding trans kids from public life, the Trump administration just opened a Title IX investigation into a Maine school district because a trans student is on a *co-ed* cheerleading squad.
Newport co-ed cheerleading team is at center of Trump transgender athlete crackdownTrump admin focuses on swimming, cheerleading in Maine transgender athlete probes
The U.S. Department of Education announced a slew of Title IX-related investigations this week that include 2 school districts in Maine.
www.pressherald.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:09 AM
If anyone was still pretending this isn’t just about excluding trans kids from public life, the Trump administration just opened a Title IX investigation into a Maine school district because a trans student is on a *co-ed* cheerleading squad.
Reposted by Isabel
Hi, I wrote about Walz and Frey and the exhortations to remain calm in Occupied Minnesota. wburdine.substack.com/p/turning-do...
Turning Down the Temperature
I wrote recently to try to capture some of what it feels like to be in Minnesota right now.
wburdine.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Hi, I wrote about Walz and Frey and the exhortations to remain calm in Occupied Minnesota. wburdine.substack.com/p/turning-do...
they are not mad about losing political power, they are mad about losing cultural power, and the cultural power they want back is "I get to be racist and homophobic and everyone still likes me"
Republicans control all 3 branches of government. Even when they don't, both parties pump out constant rhetoric about "real Americans" living in rural areas.
The entire premise of this article is a conservative-fluffing myth. Cities have more political power because that's where most people live!
The entire premise of this article is a conservative-fluffing myth. Cities have more political power because that's where most people live!
January 15, 2026 at 3:18 PM
they are not mad about losing political power, they are mad about losing cultural power, and the cultural power they want back is "I get to be racist and homophobic and everyone still likes me"
Reposted by Isabel
friendly reminder
The things you believed were right yesterday are still right. They'll be right if they put you in jail. They'll be right if they shoot you. They'll still be right when these people are dead and dusted and gone.
which they will be
The things you believed were right yesterday are still right. They'll be right if they put you in jail. They'll be right if they shoot you. They'll still be right when these people are dead and dusted and gone.
which they will be
January 15, 2026 at 2:52 PM
friendly reminder
The things you believed were right yesterday are still right. They'll be right if they put you in jail. They'll be right if they shoot you. They'll still be right when these people are dead and dusted and gone.
which they will be
The things you believed were right yesterday are still right. They'll be right if they put you in jail. They'll be right if they shoot you. They'll still be right when these people are dead and dusted and gone.
which they will be
Reposted by Isabel
Mayor saying the federal agents too scawwy to do anything :( sowwy evwybody :( federal agents pls be nicer to us :( if you are publicly mad about this he will immediately crush you under the weight of a militarized police force.
January 15, 2026 at 4:39 AM
Mayor saying the federal agents too scawwy to do anything :( sowwy evwybody :( federal agents pls be nicer to us :( if you are publicly mad about this he will immediately crush you under the weight of a militarized police force.
Reposted by Isabel
When you tell angry protesters that they're not helping... my weak ass brother in Christ, what are you gonna do instead? You can say all cuss words you want, but it's still parents out there putting THEIR bodies on the line and you're on talk shows. Get your ass on the streets and maybe I'll listen
January 15, 2026 at 4:36 AM
When you tell angry protesters that they're not helping... my weak ass brother in Christ, what are you gonna do instead? You can say all cuss words you want, but it's still parents out there putting THEIR bodies on the line and you're on talk shows. Get your ass on the streets and maybe I'll listen
mentioning snowballs as if they are the same as chemical weapons and flashbangs fuck OFF
January 15, 2026 at 4:27 AM
mentioning snowballs as if they are the same as chemical weapons and flashbangs fuck OFF
Reposted by Isabel
it's so funny to put this off a week or so. yeah man there's just a lot going on. will get to it soon tho
Breaking: A federal judge did not immediately grant a temporary halt to ICE's operation in Minnesota in a status conference this morning, but will hold a hearing on the issue either late next week or early the following week. via MPR News reporter Peter Cox
January 15, 2026 at 2:57 AM
it's so funny to put this off a week or so. yeah man there's just a lot going on. will get to it soon tho
Reposted by Isabel
You know, I don't love hearing a reporter talk about "no violence yet" when the federal government just shot someone, then tear gassed everyone and continues to tear gas everyone.
January 15, 2026 at 3:06 AM
You know, I don't love hearing a reporter talk about "no violence yet" when the federal government just shot someone, then tear gassed everyone and continues to tear gas everyone.
Reposted by Isabel
Don Quixote-ass headline
January 14, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Don Quixote-ass headline
why is this making me emotional (rhetorical, obviously)
My partner @jasoncapsaicin.bsky.social made a step by step guide on how to break up ice in your neighborhood in Minnesota. Enjoy!
January 14, 2026 at 4:36 AM
why is this making me emotional (rhetorical, obviously)
Reposted by Isabel
Think you have to retire the phrase “immigration crackdown” when every major violent spectacle — at least those the news is choosing to highlight — involve US citizens screaming “Check my ID!”
As the Trump administration escalates its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, arrests and aggressive tactics by ICE and the Border Patrol, many seen on viral videos, have intensified the frustration and fear among residents, business owners and immigrant workers. trib.al/zVm2mk5
January 13, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Think you have to retire the phrase “immigration crackdown” when every major violent spectacle — at least those the news is choosing to highlight — involve US citizens screaming “Check my ID!”