tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357478422024-03-07T18:37:42.253-06:00KitKat's Critique<b>My other blog is made up of book reports. This one is social commentary <i>not</i> based on particular books.<br>
I could use a better name for this blog if you've got an idea.</b>
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"No statement I make...should be interpreted as final and definitive. One or two of them may sound final and definitive...but I won't regard them as such tomorrow, and I wouldn't like you to do so today." ~ Harold Pinter <small>(whoever he is)</small>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.comBlogger301125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-81223156122241081512016-01-30T22:25:00.001-06:002016-01-30T22:25:22.700-06:00In-Order Posts From Rust Belt Rebel About Flint Water Crisis<p>(Still looking for the tweets about the EM's having split up Detroit Water in half and then taking Flint off as part of starving it of its customer base...)</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">so everybody and their fucking brother is collecting water to send to flint, which is good. but i'm getting more and more uneasy.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690006016717668352">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1. you know who hasn't donated water to flint or detroit? water corporations.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690006320683032576">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2. do you know who doesn't think water is a human right? water corporations.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690006445304188930">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">3. do you know who really REALLY likes having people too scared to drink perfectly fine tap water? water corporations.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690006607665745920">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4. what is happening to all the fucking plastic bottles that are being donated?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690007166141489153">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">5. long term effects of eating/drinking out of plastic bottles has already been linked to early puberty and fertility problems.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690007634875924480">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">6. what is the effect of long term probs from plastic on the bodies/health of people who've already been compromised in other ways?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690007803562426368">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">7. in context of water battles in michigan, this relying on the market to fix the system is *exactly* what ALEC et al want.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690008996955164672">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">8. donating water feels like it's becoming the way calm situation/anger down. ex: businesses r saying 'get x free w/case of water!'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690010815953506304">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">businesses get a customer in the door and the deeply political situation is suddenly neutered.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690011141544792064">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">it's a 'feel good' situation rather than an outrageous violence against human beings.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690011300194295809">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i am in absolutely NO WAY saying dont donate water. but dang. is this ok? is this ok that access to water is so fucking precarious??</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690011890936889344">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">consider climate warming. what is it going to do/doing right now to our aging water infrastructure?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690012780112560128">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">are we ok with the only response to climate warming catastrophes on water infrastructure being bottled water/corporations?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690013060170436608">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">if not, what are we going to do? what does a people centered just water system look like in the era of privatization and global warming?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690013383530274818">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">is 'the market' ever a proper just response to human catastrophe? if not, what are we doing to create just responses?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690015122979491840">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and this is the other thing i've been more and more uncomfortable with. um, what are we going to do about those dead people?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690015462328000515">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">you know, the ones that probably died bcz of legionnaires in the water system?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690015661242744832">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">we're all busy feeling really good abt those water donations, not really pressing snyder on when he knew people were DYING from water.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690016617732907013">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">not surprised to find out that former state treasurer andy dillon is in this up to his ears.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690227684669022208">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">andy dillon was either the person who authorized detroit bankruptcy or the person who sent to snyder to authorize, can't remember-</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690227882157805570">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and dont feel like looking for it. either way, he was in up to his ears on bankruptcy, and then after he had to resign from state position-</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690228098479067136">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">immediately took a job w/one of the companies heavily involved w/bankruptcy. he's a crook, a sloppy one at that.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690228258126823428">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and now apparently, he was the higher up that gave approval to EM to switch to flint river.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690228804330090497">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">from the man who ok'ed the poisoning of entire city of children. <a href="https://t.co/TVfxZWHWBY">https://t.co/TVfxZWHWBY</a> <a href="https://t.co/vD1TCUnqDR">pic.twitter.com/vD1TCUnqDR</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690290220810375168">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">complete moral degeneracy.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690290326385209344">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Darnell Earley, the EM who made switch to Flint River and current EM of detroit schools: <a href="https://t.co/Q6i1XSvup6">https://t.co/Q6i1XSvup6</a> <a href="https://t.co/cU5KcD5TpF">pic.twitter.com/cU5KcD5TpF</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690601981904220160">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Darnell Earley, who is part of system that is destroying pensions/health benefits for union members, has lifetime health benefits.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690602191401254913">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">you're going to hear a LOT abt how emergency management is about 'saving money' and switch to Flint river was abt 'saving money'-</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690602385379430400">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">darnell earley has life time health care benefits, is being getting great paycheck. he's not 'saving money,' he's *redirecting money*.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690602597762236416">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">redirecting public money for public services to public money to private contractors.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690603764818927616">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i agree. i think that's part of what they're counting on for sure. <a href="https://t.co/s5LsQWOwfj">https://t.co/s5LsQWOwfj</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690604669287043072">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">charlie laduff brings up a good point. one of the very first things snyder did in office was give millions of dollars of tax breaks to corps</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690653842292080640">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but everybody keeps repeating the line: school cuts, water switches, pension cuts etc were all to 'save' money.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690654009367998464">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">if we needed to 'save money' so badly, why did we give away millions of dollars in corp tax breaks?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/690654294920400898">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">so u no how everybody is saying the switch to flint river water was to 'save money'? emails show it wasn't: <a href="https://t.co/uQPW8cEAr1">https://t.co/uQPW8cEAr1</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691116554210140160">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">detroit offered flint several deals that would've kept flint on detroit water, flint refused all of them.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691116664235102209">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">only--let's be clear, FLINT didn't refuse all of them, the *flint emergency manager* refused all of them.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691116787962908672">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/prfZtJkLTv">pic.twitter.com/prfZtJkLTv</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691117077575417856">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but of course, at that time 1. detroit was also controlled by an emergency manager that was trying to privatize/sell off detroit water.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691117343326519296">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">which he stated plainly and upfront. if u think the two emergency managers weren't talking to each other i've got a bridge to sell you.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691117626609766400">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and then 2. there's this. <a href="https://t.co/wxY8FZAJ6m">https://t.co/wxY8FZAJ6m</a> <a href="https://t.co/jPMHYMK0Lk">pic.twitter.com/jPMHYMK0Lk</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691117918504013824">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and as i've said before--who approves fracking contracts in michigan? that wld be the DEQ, yes the same DEQ that just saw--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691118362357846016">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">it's head guy and spokesmen 'resign' after telling the people of flint to 'calm down' and continuing to push flint river water--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691118580029616133">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">even in the face of massive evidence of human catastrophe.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691118760762183681">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">as i said before. as of right now, nothing is proven. there's only very very suspicious looking bits and pieces.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691119141709860864">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but to me, there's enough there that any investigative journalist worth their salt should be digging very deeply.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691119288992829440">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">stop the total bullshit 'who's at fault' debate and for heaven's sake, set aside the bullshit narratives of 'saving money.'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691119581788766208">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">start following some of those threads that are sitting right there in plain sight for everybody to see.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691120094701817856">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">water is the new gold. this is not conspiracy theory, this has been stated plainly and repeatedly by corporations.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691120605190578176">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">this is the question. this is the question everybody shld be asking and demanding answers to. <a href="https://t.co/otVMf4Sh48">https://t.co/otVMf4Sh48</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691121487701512196">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">since detroit and flint have majority black and working class populations, people believe narratives that each city is 'wasteland.'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691123115821285376">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">can't fathom that each city has massive amounts of resources/wealth, from buildings/lands to worker pensions.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691123398840295424">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">can't fathom that emergency managers could possibly be about 'redirecting resources' rather than 'saving money.'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691123664226492416">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i get it, the narratives of detroit and flint as 'the US's most violent cities' or 'abandoned wastelands' have been arnd long time.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691124715365228544">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">first article i wrote about ruin porn/detroit was years ago, and i was WAY late to party, learned abt ruin porn from others.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691124971599466496">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but once u no, u have to start questioning, what purpose does the constant narrative of 'wasteland' serve? who does it benefit?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691125167301468160">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">'ruin porn' for those who dont know, is the constant unending narrative of decay, abandonment, wasteland, apocolypse--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691126218125676544">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">that are most often linked to detroit or flint, but also other big cities. but the narratives get so intense, it becomes a fetish.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691126404868632577">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the media metaphorically 'jacks off' to images of abandoned warehouses, burnt out houses, or like in Detroit, the old train station.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691126692455268352">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel">@RustBeltRebel</a> Because if it's "wasteland", you have pretext to radically short shrift social contract. Hence "emergency managers."</p>— Ματτ (@Didymath) <a href="https://twitter.com/Didymath/status/691125821235310592">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">*yes* <a href="https://t.co/63tWubiGmi">https://t.co/63tWubiGmi</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691126854149894145">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel">@RustBeltRebel</a> Similar dynamic in NOLA/Gulf Coast post-Katrina.</p>— Ματτ (@Didymath) <a href="https://twitter.com/Didymath/status/691126031692877824">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">of course, now there's a lot of really really rich people who want detroit and the narrative is shifting from ruin porn to 'hope porn.'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691127272464584704">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">which is more built on the principle of colonialism--that D esp is 'clean slate' that you can 'do what u want with' for super cheap-</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691127487670132736">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and that 'clean slate' is like a 'rebirth' that we all feel really super happy abt--this is the 'opportunity detroit' corporate interests.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691127708785442816">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and the emergency manager of detroit was very connected to the opportunity guys, who got land/buildings for pennies on the dollar-</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691127972078682112">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but that's so super awesome bcz they make us feel 'hopeful' about detroit's 'rebirth' rather than anxious abt theft of resources.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691128177503133696">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ruin porn/hope porn work together--a city is an 'abandoned wasteland' so we feel super great when business guy 'does us a favor'--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691128514528055296">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">by 'cleaning up' area that nobody else wld step foot in (only oops, people actually live there and r the ones maintaining value).</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691128744778600448">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but--EM was 'bringing back hope' to detroit by 'leading it thru bankruptcy' and oh, trying to sell off water dept.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691128916778553344">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">flint EM was 'saving money' for 'abandoned wasteland' by getting flint off detroit water that oh, justified regionalizing detroit water.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691129292022005760">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and let me be clear, when i say 'stop endless meaningless debate over whose fault this is'--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691133773828734976">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i mean, there is no 'debate.' snyder and the EMs. period. it's not obama's fault, or 'the democrats' or 'the republicans' et al.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691134171893403648">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">it's not a 'news cycle' Ds vrs Rs who will be next prez debate. it's 'why wld snyder want flint off detroit water'--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691134404685631492">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and then working from there to see who else is culpable. bcz YES dems are guilty too. andy dillon, who gave ok to switch--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691134618024681473">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">is Dem and as corrupt and twisted as a snake. EPA as i mentioned, has conflicting culpability, a whistle blower and an apparent cover up.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691134957981454336">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the question of 'dems' versus 'repubs' is ridic. this isn't abt elections or media cycle. this is abt austerity and resource theft.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691135265335853056">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ok, start here with an analysis of how the emergency manager laws protect the EMs and state from lawsuits: <a href="https://t.co/hFOYjuxEp8">https://t.co/hFOYjuxEp8</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691754615092563968">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">then head here for details about the restraining order the EM of DPS tried to get against 23 teachers: <a href="https://t.co/ozyMPigGxw">https://t.co/ozyMPigGxw</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691755020740526080">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and then here to read about how a judge denied the emergency manager's request: <a href="https://t.co/hFDXVrlGlf">https://t.co/hFDXVrlGlf</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691755336399585280">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and keep in mind that the same thing applies for "detroit schools' as does stories abt 'flint made choice to switch to flint river'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691755577282703364">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">'detroit schools' is under complete control of the emergency manager. the school board has NO authority, and has been overruled repeatedly.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691755761785925632">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">when the media says 'detroit schools is doing x' the *correct* language is 'the detroit emergency manager is doing x'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691755933282627584">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the detroit schools SCHOOL BOARD is extremely supportive of the teacher's union, and has been trying to draw attn to same issues-</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691756137830428672">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the teachers are drawing attn to for YEARS.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691756185595162625">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">go here to see Darnell Earley, who made the switch to flint river, talk abt teachers needing to care abt children. <a href="https://t.co/wgeDdTI31n">https://t.co/wgeDdTI31n</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691759241149845504">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">both snyder and earley have said that teachers are 'hurting the children' by doing sick outs.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691759470351757312">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">both of them allowed their mouths to open and then used their vocal chords to put those words out into the stratosphere.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691759662866169856">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">*TEACHERS* r hurting the kids. says the men who have the poisoning of thousands of children on their hands.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691759897050877952">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">when you dont have water, u can't live there, you can't have a home there. water is *life*.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691765577455640577">January 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1. 'flint' didn't decide. folks r starting to (finally) get hip to that but it's still be thrown out there far more than it should be.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691798084116987905">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2. 'detroit' didn't kick anybody off water system. flint EM turned down multiple offers that wldve been cheaper than flint river water.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691798333459976193">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">3. 'flint'/'detroit' didn't make choice to do anything, 'flint's EM' and 'detroit's EM' did (and in case of DPS, is still).</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691798844653359105">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4. Emergency management is not natural outcome of 'struggling city.' EM is right wing ALEC/Koch bro agenda.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691799210556067841">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">5. do not accept reporting that says 'flint was struggling so hard, it needed an EM.'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691799449631395840">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">6. do NOT accept reporting that distances, fractures or otherwise invisibilizes Snyder's connections to ALEC/Koch bros/privatization.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691799960380129280">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">detroit, flint, saginaw, muskegon, highland park, etc--ARE "struggling."</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691800551336599553">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but the *proper* statement is: struggling to negotiate white supremacy. as in 'theft of resources from city/resources given to suburbs'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691800705196298243">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">why isnt it explained every *single time* in ALL of media reporting on this why emergency manager got to make decisions on his own?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691805122624626688">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">why isn't explained every single time in ALL media that when michiganders demanded oversight, snyder said HE was the 'oversight'?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691805300060524546">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">bcz that's what he said guyz, we said 'why is this unelected official operating w/o elected oversight?'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691805502309797890">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and snyder responded that HE is elected, and emergency manager reports to him.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691805623906865153">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/HSE56BAFVf">https://t.co/HSE56BAFVf</a> <a href="https://t.co/y5XRzs4fpE">pic.twitter.com/y5XRzs4fpE</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691809814389899268">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It also needs to be explain every-time that Michigan voted to get rid EM's. <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel">@RustBeltRebel</a></p>— Dawn (@dawn9476) <a href="https://twitter.com/dawn9476/status/691808189227077634">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/dawn9476">@dawn9476</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel">@RustBeltRebel</a> And explain how the state leg. passed the EM law again with an appropriation which made it immune to repeal.</p>— Manuel Magaña (@manuel_mg) <a href="https://twitter.com/manuel_mg/status/691810706140831748">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">101 recommendations to improve MI as put together by right wing MI think tank heavily funded by koch bros <a href="https://t.co/2oAfL01Bbd">https://t.co/2oAfL01Bbd</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691970504673091584">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">as you read thru the recs, notice how many of them have been implemented by snyder.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691970613574025219">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">this was written in 2009.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691971261069705216">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">there is no conspiracy theory. they are perfectly comfortable stating upfront exactly what their plans are.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/691971469442715649">January 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Flint water connection to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fracking?src=hash">#fracking</a> <a href="https://t.co/YdHE7elWjK">https://t.co/YdHE7elWjK</a> <br>h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/Public_D">@Public_D</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LetsBanFracking">@LetsBanFracking</a> <a href="https://t.co/QHFCsaPpEx">pic.twitter.com/QHFCsaPpEx</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692488270161248256">January 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">from article, "free groundwater for the frackers, Karegnondi water at a price for everyone else"</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692490249704972288">January 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/siTVIcqpyj">pic.twitter.com/siTVIcqpyj</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692491088247001088">January 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">this post was written back in 2011 abt the EM in pontiac. read how similiar the shenanigans then are to now. <a href="https://t.co/TQNdswLeAh">https://t.co/TQNdswLeAh</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692498120555565057">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">notice how ALL of the players are exactly the same right down to the french company trying to take over plant.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692498350600556544">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the only diff is jennifer granholm (previous MI gov) was at helm instead of snyder.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692498479092994049">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">do you know how many jobs there could be if there was a training system to teach people how to install non-lead piping across country?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692528339450499072">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">do u no how many jobs cld be generated just by 'fixing infrastructure' alone?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692528508149567489">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">if this really was about 'making america great again' or 'bringing jobs to mi' or ANY of the rhetoric spewed at us--</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692528899146805249">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">this cld've been handled so much differently. it didn't have to be like this. 10 people didn't have 2 die. children didnt have 2 b poisoned.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692529119813312513">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">that is the tragedy. that it didn't have to be like this.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692529307546185728">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i know i keep saying that. but i think people forget. they see the news, and the believe the tragedy is that there was no other choice.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692529590229700608">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the tragedy is that there were other choices. there ARE other choices. <br>it doesn't have to be like this. <br>it does NOT have to be like this.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692529823063920641">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yeah, i'm not necessarily digging this trend of 'there's a whole bunch of cities w/ worse lead poisoning than flint' <a href="https://t.co/mcCPY6qP8k">https://t.co/mcCPY6qP8k</a></p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692701343664963584">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i get that US infrastructure is shit. i get that there are cities struggling w/lead levels. for sure lets make the links.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692702071733248000">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">but making links and connections is different than providing right wing media/politicians with an 'out.'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692702230546378752">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and the 'out' is things aren't so bad in flint, flint needs to stop bitching and suck it up. look at all these cities w/worse problems.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692702437258477569">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">do you notice how that 'out' fits very nicely into the narrative of 'black people playing the race card' or 'black welfare queens'?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692702628023762944">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"all those black people always playing the race card when somebody else has it worse." or "all those black people expecting handouts."</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692702914750595072">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">make the connections. but don't forget that 10 people also died from preventable water born illness. 90 people got sick.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692703131852017665">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">dont forget that flint suffered thru endless boil water advisories bcz of fecal contamination. this is not just about lead.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692703327835045888">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">don't create an out.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692703976672882688">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">be aware of the narrative you're utilizing to make ur point. can ur narrative be harnessed in unjust ways to dismiss victims?</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692704430903410688">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">i promise you snyder et al have been frantically searching for ways to come out swinging in the media.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692705351238574080">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">its no mistake that the very pro-snyder detroit news is first to be all 'hey there's other cities w/worse lead levels than flint'</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692705485192073216">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">it's super cool to be writing about flint and michigan now. it hasn't been cool for the past five years.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692706601619320833">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">and it wont b cool to write abt flint or michigan once the spectacle is gone.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692708762264670209">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">in the meantime, be careful of what ur writing. and how it can be used against people ur trying to help.</p>— RustBelt Rebel (@RustBeltRebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RustBeltRebel/status/692709043652132864">January 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-11758843202544717162014-07-22T10:01:00.002-05:002014-07-22T10:04:47.458-05:00Profacero On EmpiresAs I read about Nestle litigating Fryeburg, ME out of existence so that there will be no one left there who "owns" nature's free water and they can "buy" it out from under those who have been living on it, I was so grateful to be able to find this again. Reposting it so I'll always be able to find it (one of the blog posts I read back in my blog-consuming days that's always stuck with me):<br />
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From http://profacero.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/a-very-important-point/<br />
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<b><a href="http://profacero.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/a-very-important-point/" target="_blank">A Very Important Point</a></b></blockquote>
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"<i><a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney09082008.html" target="_blank">[E]mpire building always has gone hand in hand with impoverishing the population of the imperial center as well as its periphery.</a></i>"</blockquote>
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This is why I want to study economics, history, sociology, and political theory. It is also why I think people should study in general, and why I believe in rigor. Thinking on my own, my early patriotic education gets in the way and I forget that empires have always done this – from the beginning, as policy, and not only in their later and more desperate stages.</blockquote>
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ETA: See also the <a href="http://whyaminotsurprised.blogspot.com/2008/10/appeal-to-world.html" target="_blank">Changeseeker</a> on W.E.B. DuBois and current events.</blockquote>
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<i>Axé.</i></blockquote>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-33377013706086042452013-04-17T22:41:00.000-05:002013-04-17T22:45:53.696-05:00University InternationalizationSo, we've been talking about internationalization of my university. Like, do we want to make it a big part of where the university is heading, etc.<br />
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And today as some people talked about it in all the "right" words (the kind you get hired to spearhead such an initiative with), it occurred to me that those "right" words seem kind of wrong.<br />
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Like...cross-cultural interaction is supposed to aim for teaching privileged people that they're not the center of the world, but that it isn't necessarily about teaching them that it's wrong if they find themselves there.<br />
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I felt like...like it was about setting upper-middle-class white people up to be benevolent dictators in an apartheid country. "You're going to be the minority in this country, so learn about someone different than you." But there was no mention of anything like, "You're going to lose your power in this country, so learn how to not be in charge." Just, "Learn about someone different than you." Which is why I feel like we were talking about learning to be really noble, nice, friendly white South Africans or something.<br />
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The person talking today mentioned how internationalization started after WWII, when we thought having people go to each other's countries could make them such sensitive people that we wouldn't have big wars again, but that we needed to move beyond that. But ultimately, I felt like that "next step" in "internationalization" was "making a classroom discussion out of your brown neighbors." (See <a href="http://djripley.tumblr.com/post/43353264530/yale-plans-to-welcome-a-training-center-for" target="_blank">this post - found via blackamazon</a>)<br />
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I'm torn - this kind of education is the STORY OF MY LIFE. Satisfying curiosity about people who're different than me. I have lived this model of learning and still live it. I wouldn't be blogging without that part of my life.<br />
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But I feel like there has to be a better way than this to better our local society.<br />
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I remember a dinnertime argument w/ a close family member who felt that an immigrant community in my town/state, no matter how big it got, shouldn't ever get majority rule in charge of my town/state, because white people had better ideas about policy-setting than they did. (Not that she knows anything about that immigrant community's social structure.)<br />
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This. This is the kind of opinion that I think is so important to change.<br />
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I feel like the real work is not in putting our immigrant neighbors into an academic mental zoo, but getting privileged people open-minded to the idea of living by policies set by them. It's not just about surveying Hmong people about their family structure and finding a common pattern and memorizing that pattern as trivia you now know about Hmong people. It's about cultivating an attitude of being okay sending your kids to a public school district whose board's policies are shaped by Hmong ideas of what's good for children and families. "Internationalization" of education seems to me that it should be about teaching humility - fostering attitudes that one is not the first person in history to live under a different culture's rules, like them or not. And so on and so forth - real democratic power, not apartheid. Something like that.<br />
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That's all I've got.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-59507581123193357162011-07-22T09:03:00.001-05:002011-07-22T09:03:45.829-05:00My Parents Love MeYou know, the news + people pointing out just how bad it is can really get me down and pissed. And then my dad called me about picking me up from the airport. And I remembered I have parents who love me so much they'll drive my butt all over to see me. My mood lifted.<br /><br />There's no reason to simmer in worry about possible upcoming economic misfortunes. I have love to get me through anything!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-17185524045715921502011-07-16T17:03:00.002-05:002011-07-16T17:19:20.441-05:00University AvenueToday I visited the farmer's market on University Avenue.<br /><br />Still much the same, but 1 new big difference is a retail products stand that I'm guessing is run by Sun Foods (imported produce & treats/drinks).<br /><br />I stared down the street a couple of times and thought, "This is it. This is its last summer of peace before everything I see goes away. I should come again. A lot more."<br /><br />Looking the other way, I thought, "Big Daddy's <s>Saturday</s> Barbecue! I still haven't eaten there. And where else did I mean to go each time I said I should come & shop here before it's gone?"<br /><br />On my way out of the neighborhood, I thought about how I hadn't bought any Big Daddy's because it's out of my food budget. I wondered if I <i>would</i> end up doing all those money-spending activities that it's my "last chance" for. I wondered if there was any point--is a 1x taste of new-to-me, good food worth breaking my budget for?<br /><br />I missed Art Song's original BBQ shack, apparently--and although there's a sign that reminds me of that all the time--my life is going on despite it. Wouldn't it go on if I never tried Big Daddy's or bought any clothes at one of the tailor shops?<br /><br /><br />Then I moved on to: What did I <i>do</i> all that protest work for? Was I misguided? 95% of the neighborhood is things I don't & won't spend money on.<br /><br />Maybe I felt like it was worth working for the 100% to save the 5% I do patronize.<br /><br />Or maybe I felt like it was worth working for the 100% to save the 10-15% I'd patronize if I lived there (which I have in the past).<br /><br /><i>Besides</i> the "because what's happening to '<b>them</b>' isn't fair" part. That was there. I'm trying to reach in and find the "me" that made that particular crusade important.<br /><br /><br /><br />Photos can't capture it, and my memory's not a steel trap. But maybe I'll meditate on the heat and the wind and the sound and the 3-D and the smell after I finish this post so I can commit it to memory better than I usually do.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Other thoughts as I arrived closer to home:<br />What the f*** is up with my -isms? I don't "deserve" a lawn and a garden and a lack of retail right outside my bedroom and a convenient bus line (but not right outside my bedroom) all put together any more than anyone else on this earth. But I <i>expect</i> it.<br /><br />Ditto my job. I doubt we people like me "deserve" a cushy job that makes a neighborhood like that, and a reliable car, possible. But damned if I don't <i>expect</i> it and keep it off the brain most every day. I guess it'd kinda suck not to fit the mold. Maybe the way I didn't fit the mold & felt "under watch" as a corporate secretary; maybe differently. Hm. I don't know where next to go w/ the thought, but it came to me. I guess it's going, now.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Naptime. And ****load of fresh veggies to prep & cook time. Yikes.<br /><br /><br /><br />P.S. Today is AWESOME!!!! I love heat!!!!!!!!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-34761165917556810662011-05-23T07:13:00.002-05:002011-05-23T07:17:29.850-05:00Tornado Prayers + North Minneapolis CurfewPlease pray for people in North Minneapolis, Minnesota. It's the poorest section of Minneapolis, and it was hit by a tornado.<br /><br />I hope I can help.<br /><br />Please pray for people in Joplin, Missouri. It was REALLY badly hit by a tornado. 75% of the city gone & 89 deaths from one article I read.<br /><br />Political opinion: I don't like the North Minneapolis curfew. No curfews in Minneapolis for at least 30 years, and we put one in place on the <i>victims</i> of a tornado? It feels morally wrong to me, for a lot of reasons.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-46729089111629656092011-05-06T09:48:00.000-05:002011-05-06T09:49:04.984-05:00We Have To Fight For Michigan & Others, Too!<a href="http://kitkatscritique.blogspot.com/2011/05/we-may-have-to-fight-to-save-cheap.html">P.S. And I'll look out for my brothers & sisters in Michigan, too!</a>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-46035416128489961002011-05-06T09:02:00.010-05:002011-05-06T09:47:22.232-05:00We May Have To Fight To Save Cheap, Quality Produce In North MinneapolisFrom <a href="http://simplegoodandtasty.com/2009/07/14/in-defense-of-the-minneapolis-farmers-market" target="_blank">"In Defense of the Minneapolis Farmers Market" by Susan Berkson</a>:<blockquote>We are in an under-served neighborhood. A neighborhood without food security. Without us, there would be no fruits or vegetables in this area. So by default, we are the green grocer for this neighborhood. And people want their bananas and pineapples and cherries. And they should be able to get them. Regardless of their income.<br /><br />I don't know about you, but I like bananas. I like them year-round. Coffee, too. And none of it is grown here.<br /><br />There is a moratorium on resellers, so no new ones can join. But those who are members now are not being kicked out. They fill a need. And when strawberries and raspberries are in season here, the resellers are not allowed to sell them.<br /><br />The resellers meet a need. And that need should be met.<br /><br />We feed families here, Minneapolis families. We are their green grocer.</blockquote><br /><br /><b>Feeding</b> families doesn't provide much money to the rich and powerful. Selling families football tickets <b>does</b>. So I'm horrified and frightened by the talk of ceasing to use the land on which the Minneapolis Farmer's Market sits as a farmer's market, and instead using it as a football stadium.<br /><br />I know, one of the elected (*sigh*--<i>seriously, folks??</i>) Hennepin County commissioners who'd been planning to push for this has said he's not going to go through with pushing for it after all.<br /><br />But what this has revealed to me is that a beloved Minneapolis site that <b><a href="http://simplegoodandtasty.com/2009/07/14/in-defense-of-the-minneapolis-farmers-market" target="_blank">feeds Minneapolis families cheaply</a></b> is in the sights of people who want more yachts.<br /><br /><center>---------------------</center><br />I'm feeling particularly depressed about this after reading <a href="http://radicallyhottoff.tumblr.com/post/5226200816/benton-harbor-benton-harbor-is-the-new-selma" target="_blank">this post about Benton Harbor at the Radically Hott Off tumblr</a> and following up on Benton Harbor + Jean Klock Park (<a href="http://www.savejeanklockpark.org/" target="_blank">click here to learn more</a>--<small>I was particularly outraged that among the <a href="http://michiganmessenger.com/1190/rep-upton-whirlpool-ceo-would-gain-easy-access-to-privatized-park">arguments that might be <i>working</i> on the powers that be</a> is that "public"-with-$200-a-day land = <a href="http://www.savejeanklockpark.org/StrandofBeach.html" target="_blank">"public"-with-$0-a-day land</a>!</small>) and following up with this quote by "<a href="http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/02/links-22311.html#comment-333336" target="_blank">attempter</a>," via Art Jacobson's article "<a href="http://tucsoncitizen.com/dataport/2011/02/25/privatizing-public-properties-is-theft/" target="_blank">Privatizing Public Properties Is Theft</a>:"<blockquote>Privatization is easy to understand once you see it as the final enclosure onslaught. Once again the people are to be driven en masse off their own property, for no reason whatsoever other than pure robbery.<br /><br />Even if it were true that “balancing the books” were either possible or desirable (it’s neither; the books are nothing but fraudulent accounting, real “growth” ended years ago; and besides, if these books represented something real, nominal balance could easily be achieved by taxing the rich and corporations a fraction of their fair share), government officials would have no right to alienate public property. That’s a crime against sovereignty. It’s among the most profound forms of treason.<br /><br />The fact is that capitalism is never sustainable. Even its own textbooks admit that it quickly runs down and reaches stasis. Or, from the point of view of the profiteers, it stagnates. So the only way to prop up profit rates is to continually repeat the process of <em>primitive accumulation</em>, direct robbery in order to accumulate enough of a capital base to recommence capitalist investment.<br /><br />The classic example was Europe’s land enclosures. Subsequent examples were those of colonialism, imperialism, the IP regime, and financialization. Today capitalism is dead once and for all, since there’s no plunder frontier left. So the only thing left to do is carry out the terminal plunder, the direct robbery of whatever non-enclosed things are still left. Land, services, infrastructure, public heritage information, the water, the air.<br /><br />And by the time that’s all commodified, it’ll certainly be impossible for anyone to pay for any of it. But by then debt indenture will no longer be meant to extract money, but to enforce the “new” serf system.</blockquote><br /><center>---------------------</center><br />But I guess what I really have to do is not get so depressed. A bumper sticker told me last week, "<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%22raymond+williams%22+hope+possible+despair+convincing" target="_blank">To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing.</a>" (-Raymond Williams, sez Google.)<br /><br />I admire radicals! I want to be one. So I guess I have to fight FOR feeding families, and not cry ABOUT land-stealing yacht-buyers. <a href="http://radicallyhottoff.tumblr.com/post/5232612475/maya-angelou-says-survival-is-important" target="_blank">Radically Hott Off</a> also recently mentioned activism:<blockquote>I wonder how much more helpful it would be to...start doing things like reimagining how organizing happens? So that the organizing itself becomes a healing space? (just as an example).</blockquote><br /><br />Looking at my tags, trying to see how to classify this post, I see that I've done this before. I have a whole tag called "University Avenue." I crashed and burned because I wore myself out working as a lone wolf. I wouldn't have to volunteer time on work I didn't 100% believe in (like not fighting the light rail's route, and only fighting for mitigation projects). I wouldn't have to suffer the heartbreak of finding out <i>after asking</i> that maybe no one but me wanted to do the project I 100% believed in (fighting the light rail's route). And my project didn't work, despite having 100% support from its volunteer corps of 1, because it had a volunteer corps of 1! :-)<br /><br />But goddamn, I did it. I <i>have</i> worked to make hope possible. And I'll take all my lessons I learned from University Avenue (including volunteering my time to the projects of the people who are most in harm's way, even if they seem like lousy compromises to me, because 1) they're <i>theirs</i> and 2) they already have a team of affected people on board with the plan), and all the <a href="http://radicallyhottoff.tumblr.com/post/5232612475/maya-angelou-says-survival-is-important" target="_blank">lessons I learn from radicals in the blogosphere</a>, and I will look out for <b>feeding Minneapolis families</b>.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-24934406181734128792010-08-05T09:36:00.002-05:002010-08-05T09:38:11.107-05:00Immigrants Evicted And Then Abused in Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis, FranceImmigrants Evicted And Then Abused in Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis, France<br /><br /><a href="http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2010/07/30/mama/">If I don't follow up w/ contact information, harrass me.</a>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-46173987133854966192010-08-05T09:01:00.004-05:002010-08-05T09:36:05.147-05:00Minneapolis Mosque Moving (Not A New One)As I tried to read about plays at the Twin Cities' Fringe Festival, to see if there was anything worth going into town for, I noticed that a building owner in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis is asking its tenants (a theater and a bike repair shop) to leave and will be renting the space to a mosque.<br /><br />"A mosque? Right by the train stop? That seems like a great idea!" I thought. (I feel like it's almost all Somalis who use that train stop.)<br /><br />I investigated more, because I did want to read about why there would be such short notice--I mean, new churches don't generally pop up quickly in the place of open businesses. Not to mention, the article I read just left it as, "losing their space for a mosque." And that seemed too theater-versus-mosque. I wanted to know more about why the building owners were choosing whom.<br /><br /><br /><br />Well...turns out it's not a new mosque for the community.<br /><br />Just an old mosque, that it sounds like might have already had train-stop-front property.<br /><br />And there might be a story of people w/o much money losing their homes to go with it--though I know nothing yet of what kind of <a href="http://www.mplsbikelove.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=17926&start=18">"redevelopment" is going to happen to Riverside Plaza and the surrounding apartment buildings that so many Somalis live in</a>. Maybe they're remodeling the Riverside apartments' main areas and doing the vacant ones or something, not razing-and-rebuilding. Another story to look into for another day. But still...not exactly awesome news, either.<br /><br />By the way, the building owners in question are Sherman Associates & Fine Associates. Sherman owns the Riverside Plaza (where I think lots of the apartments are) and is not only "redeveloping" them, but putting in a new parking lot for them (which is why the mosque's old building is coming down). I think this might be partly because Fine Associates is closing parking/driveways that people who live in Riverside Plaza had been using? And then, a reason Fine Associates is going to rent their extra building to the mosque is that it saves Sherman Associates money. And Sherman Associates is willing to hold back on suing Fine Associates if they get to save money. Or something like that. (I think Fine Associates wouldn't get to close the parking/driveways if Sherman Associates tried to stop them.) I'm not sure. Something like that, anyway.<br /><br />I'm sure the owners of Fine Associates & Sherman Associates are doing just fine. :-P<br /><br />I hope the current residents of the apartments around Riverside Plaza get to do "just fine" or better.<br /><br />I hope the new space works as well as the old one for Darul Quba mosque.<br /><br />And I hope the theater & bike shop do well wherever they move to.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-85870274178345282732010-08-05T08:34:00.002-05:002010-08-05T08:50:00.471-05:00In Reponse To Motherhood Discussions From BFP's BlogDamn.<br /><br /><a href="http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2010/07/30/last-thoughts-on-motherhood-stuff-at-feministe/comment-page-1/#comment-18626">This comment by Alara Rogers</a> gave me new words to describe my fear about becoming a mother.<br /><br />Alara wrote:<blockquote>I saw the perception that ... if mothers aren’t completely selfless and also perfect then they will ruin their child ...</blockquote><br /><br />This is really tied up in with both of my parents', as well as my paternal grandparents' + aunts/uncles', frequent classist statements about childbearing. "There oughtta be a way to require a license to have kids." And the "stupid" people who wouldn't get a license are almost ALWAYS middle-or-lower in class.<br /><br />Now that I'm doing more leftist readings, I'm learning that most of these behaviors my family members attributed to 100% stupidity, and yet almost always pointed out in poorer people, were more likely 80% influenced by effects of poverty.<br /><br /><b>BUT</b>, that doesn't provide me a lifetime of <i>positive</i> alternative models to emulate. I just read <i>about</i> poorer people raising kids.<br /><br />Now I'm looking at having significantly less wealth & income than the rest of my family. I can't see another way about life that I can stand the thought of.<br /><br />Back to Alara's quote about "ruining" my child...there's this part of me that, thanks to my parent, is aware of the upper-middle-to-upper-class escape from being completely selfless. You pay to have other people help you raise your child "right."<br /><br />But...society and my parents at large definitely gave me this message that I have to be completely selfless if I'm going to raise children without enough money, to avoid "ruining" them.<br /><br />Alara also wrote: <blockquote>I saw the perception that ... if mothers are completely selfless then they are doormats...</blockquote>So I'm avoiding having any. Damned if I know how to be selfless. (That's the other thing I learned by observation. Not being selfless. The money ensured they didn't have to do that to "not ruin me.")Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-84050720166906205572010-07-02T08:08:00.002-05:002010-07-02T08:12:20.676-05:00I Killed An AntI don't deserve to wear these flowers anymore.<br /><br />I picked 2 lilies from my garden to wear in my hair. Knocked off several ants & an earwig. Thought I had them all clean.<br /><br />On the drive in to work, I saw an ant running frantically around my passenger seat, near the lilies. Missed one!<br /><br />I refused to use my finger to pick it up. And when the one tool I had didn't work quickly & easily to pick it up & throw it out the window with, I smashed it.<br /><br />I refused to let it live in a place where it might pop out of hiding one day and bite me.<br /><br />I killed an ant because it <i>might</i> bite me <i>one day</i>. As if that would be the end of the world.<br /><br />For crying out loud, I probably get bitten by a single ant several times a summer in circumstances I can't control as easily.<br /><br />I have so much work to do on respecting animals' lives.<br /><br />I'm going to wear the flowers, but I don't deserve it.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-27538557274543120172010-07-01T09:20:00.003-05:002010-07-01T09:26:24.891-05:00Free Wedding Flower Materials - Hydrangeas - In BloomIf you're getting married in Minnesota this weekend, <b>lucky you</b>!<br /><br />Materials for fancy bouquets can be gotten for free.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/images?q=hydrangea%20wedding%20bouquet">Hydrangeas are in full bloom</a>.<br /><br />I'll bet a church, university, restaurant, neighbor, friend's neighbor, etc. would let you cut lots of stalks off the back of a bush. (Maybe even the front if they really like you.)<br /><br />Even if you can't get many from one source, they're planted so widely that you can probably put together enough of the same variety by hitting 2-4 of the above places.<br /><br />I think their leaves are okay for a backing leaf. You just have to use them as separate stalks, best I can tell.<br /><br />I haven't seen any for sale at farmer's markets yet. Lots of nice stuff there, too, though.<br /><br />But <a href="http://www.google.com/images?q=hydrangea%20wedding%20bouquet">white hydrangeas</a>, and a few of the blue & pink ones if you're lucky, are in abundance.<br /><br />Go for it!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-35876306087371909022010-06-16T09:25:00.002-05:002010-06-16T09:27:29.596-05:00Feist Sings 1,2,3,4 on Sesame Street<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fZ9WiuJPnNA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fZ9WiuJPnNA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><i>Feist Sings 1,2,3,4 on Sesame Street</i><br /><br />Posted because this video is so great!<br /><br />And to boot, a wonderful one my sweetie shared w/ me recently:<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/z3richcoCUI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/z3richcoCUI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><i>Itzhak Perlman Talks ABout Easy And Hard on Sesame Street</i>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-19197539758857660902010-05-15T23:30:00.005-05:002010-05-15T23:59:48.000-05:00Cheap Camembert Cheese - Priced For CookingOverall, I like the ingredients I have affordable access to here.<br /><br />But lately, I've been missing $2 camembert cheese.<br />That and $5 tasty camembert cheese.<br /><br />I never thought to eat $2 camembert in France--it looked a little cheap, so if I was eating camembert, I bought the $5 wheels to ensure tastiness.<br /><br />But then, I got to try grilled camembert (the rind becomes a fondue bowl for dipping bread). Holy gamole, was that fun and tasty! I'll bet $2 camembert is great for that.<br /><br />Now I'm back in the States, home with friends and family who grill...and camembert is $10-$25 a wheel.<br /><br /><br /><small><i>(Not to mention, many of my other favorite cheeses have now increased in price range beyond "affordable" for me. Boooooo.)</i></small>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-61324490959770531752010-05-14T17:39:00.005-05:002010-05-14T18:12:59.384-05:00US military enforces attacks on Haitian unionsRepost of an April article by La Macha from <a href="http://vivirlatino.com/2010/04/30/us-military-enforces-attacks-on-haitian-unions.php">VivirLatino</a>:<blockquote>What this is: video explaining how Haitian Unions are organizing for increased pay–and the US military is a part of the attacks against them.<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gcL_ECKijhs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gcL_ECKijhs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></blockquote><br /><br />A comment I like on that story from <a href="http://partisan-news.blogspot.com/2010/04/us-military-attacking-haitian-unions.html">The Partisan</a>:<blockquote><br />Due to the weakness of the Haitian state, the US Marines are now enforcing the rules of the Haitian anti-union bosses. They are ensuring that the status-quo remains in Haiti, that unions posses little to no power. The US military is doing the dirty work of the Haitian capitalist class and its international allies that have set up shop on the island.</blockquote><br /><br />Earlier in April, La Macha had posted <a href="http://vivirlatino.com/2010/04/19/haitian-sweatshops.php">this on Vivirlatino</a>:<blockquote>This is a really important look at Haitian sweatshops post-earthquake (although it’s not explicitly stated in the video). Haitian workers are making on average, $2 a day at these shops.<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HNSMKCikDVs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HNSMKCikDVs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />Another thing to consider–the current president was a replacement for ousted president, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Bertrand_Aristide">Jean-Bertrand Aristide</a>. Who helped to oust him? The US, of course. Isn’t it weird how all the presidents that we “support” think it’s best to keep worker wages just a tad above the ‘why even bother working’ line?</blockquote><br /><br />Please contact congresspeople, the White House, State/Defense department people, media, etc. and demand that we stop doing this.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />And some other sad union stories I should've linked to a while ago but surely aren't irrelevant to the workers' lives yet:<br /><br /><b>Royal Mail:</b><ul><br /><li><a href="http://leninology.blogspot.com/2009/10/myths-of-royal-mail-strike.html">"Myths of the Royal Mail strike"</a> by Lenin at Lenin's Tomb, from October.</li><br /><li>See also <a href="http://leninology.blogspot.com/2010/02/gone-postal.html">"Gone Postal"</a> at the same site, from February.</li><br /><li>And <a href="http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=20202">this at the Socialist Worker is interesting</a>:<blockquote>"Royal Mail and the government have been saying that the number of letters sent is down by 10 percent ... Figures were being manipulated to make it look like there was less mail than there actually was."</blockquote></li><br /><li>So is <a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/Downstream-Access">this article</a> (found via <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/apr/12/privatisation-royal-mail">this</a>, found via <a href="http://roymayall.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/who-will-stop-royal-mail-privatisation/">this</a>.)</li><br /></ul><br /><br /><strong>British Airways:</strong><br /><ul><li><a href="http://leninology.blogspot.com/2010/03/ba-strike-can-and-should-win-and-they.html">"BA strike can and should win, and they deserve your support"</a> by Lenin at Lenin's Tomb, from March</li></ul><br /><br /><strong>Rio Tinto:</strong><br /><a href="http://kitkatscritique.blogspot.com/2010/03/rio-tinto-borax-trying-to-hurt-working.html">See the links at "Rio Tinto Borax Trying To Hurt Working Conditions Of Workers Right Now".</a>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-26443768088599965672010-05-14T17:35:00.003-05:002010-05-14T17:39:07.829-05:00"It Sounds Like You Feel That People Are, In General, Judgmental"I realized, while trying to explain to a therapist why I feared negative consequences if I outed my mental disability at work, that:<br /><br />In bad times (e.g. I'm feeling impatient or frustrated), <b><u><i>I</i></u></b> am not tolerant, patient, & understanding about other people's disabilities. Physical or mental.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-15540553873603641632010-05-08T13:54:00.005-05:002010-05-08T14:04:17.018-05:00Black Pople In Old Cartoons - I Never Realized That's What They Were Supposed To BeI just figured out why I never interpreted a lot of old 40's/50's/etc. cartoons with black people depicted as having black people in them when I was a kid.<br /><br /><a href="http://bijouxdejais.blogspot.com/2010/01/old-plantation.html">(Such as this one.)</a> <small>(Via <a href="http://crunkfeministcollective.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/meeting-girls-where-they-are/">this</a>, via <a href="http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2010/05/07/those-lovey-dovey-books/">this</a>.)</small><br /><br />There's so often this weird pale area around the mouth that takes up half the face.<br /><br />I associate that w/ animals. (i.e. fur stopping and skin showing)<br /><br />I'm pretty sure that as a kid, I never realized those were supposed to be illustrations of <i>people</i>, rather than illustrations of animals w/ dark fur & light skin walking around on two feet. Badly-explained animals or something (i.e. not clear, and never indicated, just what kind they were supposed to be distortions of).<br /><br />(At that age, I didn't recognize any of the geographically- or racially-"identifying" words they were speaking as such.)<br /><br />Now, what I'm not sure of is whether I ever noticed that "unidentified nondescript animals" were generally in cotton-picking-and-dancing cartoons, and that activities like the ones I & my relatives did were generally performed by type-identifiable (and often light-furred/feathered) animals.<br /><br />Huh.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-51485706484502169392010-04-22T17:42:00.003-05:002010-04-22T17:49:31.682-05:00I've Been A White Woman Playing The Role Of ExpertI realized while reading <a href="http://www.womanist-musings.com/2010/04/jezebel-circles-wagons.html">"Jezebel Circles the Wagons"</a> by Renee over at Womanist Musings that I have been itching to do this lately:<br /><br /><blockquote>My shoulders are tired of carrying the burden of their outright conceit. How many times has the work of WOC been stolen so that a White woman could play the role of expert?</blockquote><br /><br />I've been lecturing my coworker/friend a lot lately. I'm trying not to do it, but I'm really struggling with it this past 3 weeks. A lot. Like...on and on and on w/ ridiculous "expert"-ing in fun conversation at lunch. Gardening, (socioeconopolicital lefty stuff even--watch it!!!), crap I am so not an expert on--just a big collector of knowledge on.<br /><br />And y'know, I tamp it down because I had enough of a little voice telling me it'd be wrong to bring up stuff I read in blogs written by women of color just because she's a woman of color...<br /><br />...but now I realize it's a damned good thing I didn't, because it'd have at least <i>3</i> reasons for being the wrong thing to do to her. The "this is about you--look!" wrong thing, the "playing the role of expert" thing, and the "stealing the work of WOC" thing. Yeesh.<br /><br />I plan to take this as a kick in the pants to stop "playing the role of expert" with things I stole. I think that should help me do a lot of the shutting up I've been struggling w/ these 3 weeks, anyway.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-85037796340624832532010-04-01T12:01:00.000-05:002010-04-01T12:02:36.827-05:00Wealth Gap And Jay Z by BlackamazonRead <a href="http://guyaneseterror.blogspot.com/2010/03/wealth-gap-and-jay-z.html">Wealth Gap And Jay Z by Blackamazon</a>.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-85480429414089776952010-03-24T09:02:00.002-05:002010-03-24T09:06:54.671-05:00Rio Tinto Borax Trying To Hurt Working Conditions Of Workers Right Now<a href="http://poetryassholes.blogspot.com/2010/03/remember-when-i-posted-about-my.html">Via Jon @ Poetry Is For Assholes</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Remember when I posted about my fondness for the town of Boron, out in the High Desert above Los Angeles? Boron is in the news because the folks at the Borax mine have been locked out. Management refuses to bargain with the union unless they will concede seniority and almost every workplace practice. No surprise, the union couldn't negotiate on those terms so management locked them out.<br /><br />America is being turned into a nation of rats and punks. People are so thoroughly narcotized by television that their highest ambition is to someday be allowed to kiss a billionaire's ass. I'm glad somebody is willing to stand for some kind of principle rather than blaming the immigrants or the poor people or unwed mothers or whoever they think needs kicking. If things go on this way soon we'll be a nation of Walmart employees who can't afford to shop at Walmart.<br /><br />The normally unreadable Mike Davis wrote a pretty good piece on the lockout- <a href="http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100329/davis">Here</a><br /><br />Update- The miners are represented by The International Longshore and Warehouse Union. I'd love to know the history of how the longshoremen ended up organizing so far from the water, but I can say that the ILWU is everything a union should be. Over the years I've had quite a few friends and a couple of family members who were ILWU and it is a real stand up, rank and file, solidarity based union. You can read about the lockout at the union's website <a href="http://www.ilwu.org/mobilize/index.cfm">HERE</a>.</blockquote><br /><br />Jon also posted some YouTube videos--I'll direct you to <a href="http://poetryassholes.blogspot.com/2010/03/remember-when-i-posted-about-my.html">his site</a> for those.<br /><br />I'm partway through the Nation article so far, and it's making me sad. :-( I don't know exactly what to do besides post the story on my blog. Please support the borax mine workers, at least by spreading the story, I guess.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-43941763400856033322010-03-22T10:31:00.002-05:002010-03-22T10:34:41.374-05:00Cyborg Manifesto Seems Hard<a href="http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2010/03/21/talking-about-add/">BFP's proposing book discussions</a>, but wow, "<a href="http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/Haraway/CyborgManifesto.html" target="_blank">Cyborg Manifesto</a>" is difficult reading.<br /><br />Without having tried and tried and tried at difficult non-fiction reading for the last 6-7 years, I don't think I'd get through this. I still might not.<br /><br />But I wouldn't have had a chance if they'd had me reading this in mid-college, with the reading state I was at then.<br /><br />(Come to think of it, they <i>did</i> assign me stuff this hard in college. And I <i>did</i> suck at finishing & understanding it. This work is really plodding for me. I can't believe some people can be at the place I'm at now by junior year of college. Wow. What amazing reading-brains.)Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-7144762001569118042010-03-20T08:02:00.006-05:002010-03-20T08:34:53.458-05:00I Had 2 Coats, And Didn't Offer A Cold Neighbor 1I failed an opportunity to behave in a Christian manner Thursday.<br />I'm writing it here in hopes that I'll improve.<br /><br />I ran into my neighbor on the sidewalk about 2 miles from home.<br /><br />She said she was freezing. I had 2 coats. One of which was around my waist.<br /><br />I decided not to offer her the coat on my back in case she "messed it up." I decided not to offer the cheap coat tied around my waist because it was my partner's and in case she forgot to bring it back for, say, a month. <i>(I think classism influenced my imagination of what state I might get the coat back in.)</i><br /><br />What the ****? I could have easily replaced that cheap coat if she'd lost it or brought it back in bad shape. Plus, she lives next door--I could swing by for my coat that night. This was basic freaking decency. <i>(Not to mention a chance to have the "neighbors as friends" experience I keep craving.)</i> What the ****?<br /><br />Not to mention, Jesus's teachings were to offer her the nice coat.<br /><br />I'm ashamed of my behavior, but hopefully, I will stop doing stupid, selfish, mean things like this.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-59861420112295294992010-03-04T21:46:00.004-06:002010-03-04T22:03:00.740-06:00Stop Forced Health Insurance Purchases - Call!<a href="http://franken.senate.gov/contact/">Please call Senator Franken</a> tomorrow and pressure him to vote against the Senate Bill, to vote against President Obama's suggestion for a health reform bill, and to stop asking his constituents to bug the House to promise to pass whatever comes out of the Senate.<br /><br /><a href="http://ellison.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36&Itemid=7">Please ALSO call Representative Ellison</a>, if you live in his area, and pressure him to vote, even in the much-vaunted reconciliation process, AGAINST anything with less than a Medicare-like public option. He promised us multiple times, Goddammit. Remind him.<br /><br />TELL THEM TELL THEM TELL THEM that we, the majority of people in the US, can't afford to be forced to buy expensive crap health insurance--particularly when we could easily get nothing for all that money we couldn't afford to spend via <a href="http://www.google.com/#q=%22denial+of+coverage%22">denials of coverage on claims</a>.<br /><br />Tell them. PLEASE!<br /><br />(Once you're done, if you have extra time, write a letter to a newspaper for the editorials page and tell everyone else how much this sucks.)Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35747842.post-42329682596736400622010-03-04T19:44:00.005-06:002010-03-04T20:10:55.149-06:00Where's Aniysah? - Call For Donations ($1+)I have a call for small donations to a good cause.<br /><br />Ms. Angeline Hassell needs to get legal help. Her daughter, Aniysah, is in the custody of the man who abused her (Ms. Hassell), and she doesn't feel like her daughter is safe in his full-time custody. <a href="http://kitkatscritique.blogspot.com/2009/12/wheres-aniysah_09.html">Click here for background</a> or read about it at <a href="http://documentthesilence.wordpress.com">http://documentthesilence.wordpress.com</a>.<br /><br />Ms. Hassell can't get legal assistance in the area because none of the legal aid offices she's found are taking new cases--no matter how much they feel like the case deserves their help.<br /><br />Ms. Hassell doesn't want Aniysah to grow up wondering why Mom gave up on the fight and left her in the full custody of someone she felt is abusive (and suspected would abuse Aniysah). She wants to continue to fight to ensure Aniysah's safety, even though she'll have to pay for private legal assistance.<br /><br /><br />Ms. Hassel is asking for $1 donations.<br /><i><small>My note: I'm sure more is welcome if you have it. But $1 is all she's asked for.</small></i><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Here's how to donate.</b><br /><br />Cash donations can be deposited into Chase Bank Account # 861329829<br />Checks can also be taken into any JP Morgan Chase Bank and checks should be made out to Angeline Hassell Legal, for deposit into Account #861329829.<br /><a href="https://www.chase.com/ccp/index.jsp?pg_name=ccpmapp/shared/assets/page/Branch_Locator">https://www.chase.com/ccp/index.jsp?pg_name=ccpmapp/shared/assets/page/Branch_Locator</a><br /><br /><br />Sorry it can't be done online; I hope it can work for you, though!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02468513750052527691noreply@blogger.com0