John Saunders
@js-53.bsky.social
I've been around a while. Reader of The Reframe. PoP.
Sucker for pithy turns-of-phrase. Slowly finding all my peeps.
"The first lie of fascism is its own inevitability. " @jeffsharlet.bsky.social
NO KINGS NO NAZIS NO SLAVES NO VILLIANAIRES
Sucker for pithy turns-of-phrase. Slowly finding all my peeps.
"The first lie of fascism is its own inevitability. " @jeffsharlet.bsky.social
NO KINGS NO NAZIS NO SLAVES NO VILLIANAIRES
Reposted by John Saunders
He was recording himself
Cell in one hand, gun in the other.
Based on information in the public — ICE is being directed to film their violence for propaganda purposes.
He was making a snuff film to give to his higher-ups — Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem.
Convince me otherwise.
Cell in one hand, gun in the other.
Based on information in the public — ICE is being directed to film their violence for propaganda purposes.
He was making a snuff film to give to his higher-ups — Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem.
Convince me otherwise.
January 15, 2026 at 8:11 PM
He was recording himself
Cell in one hand, gun in the other.
Based on information in the public — ICE is being directed to film their violence for propaganda purposes.
He was making a snuff film to give to his higher-ups — Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem.
Convince me otherwise.
Cell in one hand, gun in the other.
Based on information in the public — ICE is being directed to film their violence for propaganda purposes.
He was making a snuff film to give to his higher-ups — Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem.
Convince me otherwise.
Reposted by John Saunders
NYT ran 11 stories on trans athletes in 2 days including one about brett kavanaugh’s special POV as a girls’ basketball coach. they sent 6 people to scotus to write up their victory lap & meanwhile this is how far you needed to scroll yesterday to find coverage of ICE in MN.
stop giving them money.
stop giving them money.
January 15, 2026 at 3:46 PM
NYT ran 11 stories on trans athletes in 2 days including one about brett kavanaugh’s special POV as a girls’ basketball coach. they sent 6 people to scotus to write up their victory lap & meanwhile this is how far you needed to scroll yesterday to find coverage of ICE in MN.
stop giving them money.
stop giving them money.
Reposted by John Saunders
Met a neighbor yesterday who is recruiting midwives to assist childbirth for Twin Cities families who fear harassment or arrest if they go to the hospital. I didn't imagine I could get more angry than I already was.
January 15, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Met a neighbor yesterday who is recruiting midwives to assist childbirth for Twin Cities families who fear harassment or arrest if they go to the hospital. I didn't imagine I could get more angry than I already was.
Reposted by John Saunders
THREAD of offers of guest lectures (via Zoom) for Minneapolis-area classes so faculty can offer their students a top-quality education while dealing with other crises
Seeing tons of extremely generous offers. I'll try to post 'em all here--please add your own w topics you can cover & how to contact
Seeing tons of extremely generous offers. I'll try to post 'em all here--please add your own w topics you can cover & how to contact
Finally, a note to the many professors in my networks: One other specific, small thing you can do from outside of Minneapolis is reach out to colleagues who are heavily affected (because of their own or their family's risk, or because they're very busy protecting neighbors) and offer a guest lecture
January 15, 2026 at 7:43 PM
THREAD of offers of guest lectures (via Zoom) for Minneapolis-area classes so faculty can offer their students a top-quality education while dealing with other crises
Seeing tons of extremely generous offers. I'll try to post 'em all here--please add your own w topics you can cover & how to contact
Seeing tons of extremely generous offers. I'll try to post 'em all here--please add your own w topics you can cover & how to contact
Reposted by John Saunders
Six years ago today was the first full day of my only COVID infection. It was so long ago I can hardly recall it. I wasn't that sick, really. Definitely not sick enough to go to the doctor. No fever. Minimal cough, if any. What was weird was when I laid down I felt like I couldn't breathe. 🧵
January 15, 2026 at 11:39 PM
Six years ago today was the first full day of my only COVID infection. It was so long ago I can hardly recall it. I wasn't that sick, really. Definitely not sick enough to go to the doctor. No fever. Minimal cough, if any. What was weird was when I laid down I felt like I couldn't breathe. 🧵
Reposted by John Saunders
“Fourth graders spent the week building walls of snow at recess to protect their classmates from ICE” is a sentence that shouldn’t exist.
My daughter's school in Richfield, MN (adjacent to Minneapolis) is closing tomorrow due of out-of-control federal agents. Fourth graders spent the week building walls of snow at recess to protect their classmates from ICE. This isn't about immigration enforcement, it's about terror.
January 15, 2026 at 3:21 PM
“Fourth graders spent the week building walls of snow at recess to protect their classmates from ICE” is a sentence that shouldn’t exist.
Reposted by John Saunders
i don't really give a shit if consultants think being anti-ICE is "good messaging" or whatever when people are actively being shot, beat, gassed and jailed.
January 15, 2026 at 7:42 PM
i don't really give a shit if consultants think being anti-ICE is "good messaging" or whatever when people are actively being shot, beat, gassed and jailed.
Reposted by John Saunders
White people using whiteness to combat white supremacy is key to defeating white supremacy.
A big part of why the Right is furious at White women right now is because they're increasingly using their Whiteness as shield and a weapon and it's honestly fucking great.
what a legend lmao
January 15, 2026 at 10:49 PM
White people using whiteness to combat white supremacy is key to defeating white supremacy.
Reposted by John Saunders
Some solid follow up reporting from @keranews.org except for one glaring omission — the article neglects to mention that this resignation was directly spurred by my reporting in the @texasobserver.org.
www.keranews.org/news/2026-01...
www.keranews.org/news/2026-01...
Board member of Monty Bennett’s Refuge for Renewal steps down over 'incompatible' ideas
A board member of Dallas nonprofit Refuge for Renewal, founded by hotelier Monty Bennett, said there was never a board meeting or formal discussion since its founding.
www.keranews.org
January 15, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Some solid follow up reporting from @keranews.org except for one glaring omission — the article neglects to mention that this resignation was directly spurred by my reporting in the @texasobserver.org.
www.keranews.org/news/2026-01...
www.keranews.org/news/2026-01...
Reposted by John Saunders
Getting a lot of messages. A lot are like "Can I come help?" (appreciated, but unless you know the area very well, probably not THAT useful) or "Can I send money?" (not to me, please).
But the best ones are like "I want to build what you guys have back in my home city." YES, DO THAT. DO IT NOW.
But the best ones are like "I want to build what you guys have back in my home city." YES, DO THAT. DO IT NOW.
January 15, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Getting a lot of messages. A lot are like "Can I come help?" (appreciated, but unless you know the area very well, probably not THAT useful) or "Can I send money?" (not to me, please).
But the best ones are like "I want to build what you guys have back in my home city." YES, DO THAT. DO IT NOW.
But the best ones are like "I want to build what you guys have back in my home city." YES, DO THAT. DO IT NOW.
Reposted by John Saunders
Today in life under competitive authoritarianism
We are so far beyond "show us your papers." They don't want to see the papers. We are now into the "give us the names" stage of the occupation.
January 14, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Today in life under competitive authoritarianism
Reposted by John Saunders
I hope a lot of Americans are realizing these days that BLM was entirely correct about the police and that defund was not a crazy radical demand but a forgiving, peaceful, and moderate one.
January 15, 2026 at 11:49 PM
I hope a lot of Americans are realizing these days that BLM was entirely correct about the police and that defund was not a crazy radical demand but a forgiving, peaceful, and moderate one.
Reposted by John Saunders
elected democrats who want their constituents to remain non-violent in their protests of these abuses must actually offer a path for ending the abuses non-violently. they currently are not as a party and it’s a major problem.
🚨WHOA. The El Paso Medical Examiner says it will rule the death of a 55-year-old Cuban man at ICE's "Camp East Montana" tent camp as a homicide.
He was allegedly choked to death by a guard during a "struggle" after he refused to enter a housing unit without his medications.
He was allegedly choked to death by a guard during a "struggle" after he refused to enter a housing unit without his medications.
January 15, 2026 at 11:07 PM
elected democrats who want their constituents to remain non-violent in their protests of these abuses must actually offer a path for ending the abuses non-violently. they currently are not as a party and it’s a major problem.
Reposted by John Saunders
how do you release a video statement like the one @governorwalz.mn.gov just put out and then have your state troopers assisting the very occupation you've called to end
Heard some flashbangs on the side we are not on; can't tell you RN what's happening over there. Over here, state troopers still standing side by side with the feds. Have seen a few MPD officers wander through.
January 15, 2026 at 4:28 AM
how do you release a video statement like the one @governorwalz.mn.gov just put out and then have your state troopers assisting the very occupation you've called to end
Reposted by John Saunders
Yes, bc both actions have this in common: In both cases, they are doing/thinking/feeling/believing what the disinformation media of their political cult repeatedly tell them to.
So, if I'm following all this correctly, a bunch of internet shitposters who spent years screaming "don't tread on me" and warning about federal agents stomping out people's rights... have been hired as ICE agents to go around breaking into people's homes, kidnapping & shooting them
January 15, 2026 at 11:52 PM
Yes, bc both actions have this in common: In both cases, they are doing/thinking/feeling/believing what the disinformation media of their political cult repeatedly tell them to.
Reposted by John Saunders
Just got this forwarded. Here are the talking points Schumer's team just emailed out to their allies TODAY - this afternoon.
The words "Minnesota" or "ICE" don't appear anywhere here.
The words "Minnesota" or "ICE" don't appear anywhere here.
January 15, 2026 at 8:52 PM
Just got this forwarded. Here are the talking points Schumer's team just emailed out to their allies TODAY - this afternoon.
The words "Minnesota" or "ICE" don't appear anywhere here.
The words "Minnesota" or "ICE" don't appear anywhere here.
Reposted by John Saunders
You’ll notice he doesn’t mention the masked gestapo
And the American people are depending on us to do that because there are serious problems that are going completely unaddressed, and in some cases made worse, by this Congress and Administration. I’m talking about rising costs, health care, housing, not to mention reckless wars.
January 15, 2026 at 7:10 PM
You’ll notice he doesn’t mention the masked gestapo
Reposted by John Saunders
@roseyroseamund.bsky.social
@eddsmitty.bsky.social
@ektashahmd.bsky.social
@deardean22.bsky.social
@cutes118.bsky.social
@nisey25.bsky.social
@eddsmitty.bsky.social
@ektashahmd.bsky.social
@deardean22.bsky.social
@cutes118.bsky.social
@nisey25.bsky.social
January 15, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Reposted by John Saunders
North Minneapolis has organized patrols. People been making sure kids get to and from school just like im other places. For days. North Minneapolis residents have been organizing food distribution here and all over the metro..
January 15, 2026 at 3:12 PM
North Minneapolis has organized patrols. People been making sure kids get to and from school just like im other places. For days. North Minneapolis residents have been organizing food distribution here and all over the metro..
Reposted by John Saunders
My grandparents have stories of visceral racism... I cant help but believe it was coming from the grandparents of my white peers.
America has always existed differently for all of us, one side experiences the evil & tries to make sense of it the best they can, the other is the evil.
America has always existed differently for all of us, one side experiences the evil & tries to make sense of it the best they can, the other is the evil.
January 15, 2026 at 9:23 PM
My grandparents have stories of visceral racism... I cant help but believe it was coming from the grandparents of my white peers.
America has always existed differently for all of us, one side experiences the evil & tries to make sense of it the best they can, the other is the evil.
America has always existed differently for all of us, one side experiences the evil & tries to make sense of it the best they can, the other is the evil.
Reposted by John Saunders
"Fierce opposition to ICE and the Border Patrol has sprung up through block clubs, neighborhood group chats, school Facebook groups and Catholic parishes, stretching beyond the typical Democratic voter base..."
Yup. Exactly.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/u...
Yup. Exactly.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/u...
How ICE Crackdowns Set Off a Resistance in American Cities
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 12:07 AM
"Fierce opposition to ICE and the Border Patrol has sprung up through block clubs, neighborhood group chats, school Facebook groups and Catholic parishes, stretching beyond the typical Democratic voter base..."
Yup. Exactly.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/u...
Yup. Exactly.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/u...
Reposted by John Saunders
The residents of Minneapolis are fighting for all of us
The residents of Minneapolis are fighting for all of us
A weekly accounting of the...
newsletter.tnr.com
January 16, 2026 at 12:08 AM
The residents of Minneapolis are fighting for all of us
Reposted by John Saunders
At one point today, there were 283 Minnesota attorneys doing a training on how to file emergency habeas petitions to keep our neighbors from being shipped out of state and held indefinitely.
That would be the second largest law firm in the state. And that training was just put together this week.
That would be the second largest law firm in the state. And that training was just put together this week.
January 15, 2026 at 11:48 PM
At one point today, there were 283 Minnesota attorneys doing a training on how to file emergency habeas petitions to keep our neighbors from being shipped out of state and held indefinitely.
That would be the second largest law firm in the state. And that training was just put together this week.
That would be the second largest law firm in the state. And that training was just put together this week.
Reposted by John Saunders
Naaaaaaailed it
January 15, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Naaaaaaailed it
Reposted by John Saunders
Abolish ICE polls just fine but I don’t really care what it polls at.
You need to get rid of death squads. You should get rid of death squads.
Get rid of death squads.
You need to get rid of death squads. You should get rid of death squads.
Get rid of death squads.
January 15, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Abolish ICE polls just fine but I don’t really care what it polls at.
You need to get rid of death squads. You should get rid of death squads.
Get rid of death squads.
You need to get rid of death squads. You should get rid of death squads.
Get rid of death squads.