A History of the Democratic Republic of Congo… From IG - @redstreamnet — Did you know that the CIA once orchestrated the execution of Patrice Lumumba by a firing squad? On the 17th of January, 1961, Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected leader of the Congo, was executed by a firing squad following assassination plots concocted by the US and Belgian governments. Lumumba’s anti-imperialism and his vision of a united Congo made him an adversary of both Belgium and US imperialism. Although the CIA ordered his assassination, they weren’t able to carry it out themselves. Instead, Washington and Brussels secretly funnelled cash and aid to rival politicians who organized a coup and arrested Lumumba. He was then beaten, tortured, and killed. #BlackHistory #PanAfrican #AfricanHistory #AntiColonialism

Today, the colonialism has expanded to include China. Multiple Chinese firms carry out illegal foresting in the Congolese rainforest (called the “second lungs of the world,” similar to the Amazon) in order to meet the demand for mahogany in China.

None of which is even to mention the fact that the ongoing and bloody civil war happening in the Congo right now is being backed by Rwanda. Who is getting away with it because a) it has agreed to take on asylum seekers from multiple Western European nations, including Denmark and, if the tories have their way, the UK.

And b) because Rwanda is allied with Russia, from whom they are contracted to receive nuclear power plants.

Colonialism continues to fuck up Africa.

[image id 1: an image of patrice lumumba (a black man with short hair, glasses, a mustache, and a goatee, wearing a white, open chest shirt) staring to the right of the screen. there is text in the top left reading "red.", the word 'red' colored in white and the period colored in red.

there is a short, yellow arrow pointing right in the bottom right corner, above a horizontal, white line going off to the right side of the screen, ending near where the text in the image is, a white dot placed on its left end. there is white text towards the bottom left of the screen, reading:

"(bold) A CIA-backed coup killed (unbolded) Congo's first democratically elected leader, (bold) Patrice Lumumba (unbolded), today in 1961. (next line) The revolutionary Pan-African (bold) challenged (unbolded) the colonial status quo, making himself (bold) the mortal enemy of the global North." /end id.]

[image id 2: an image of King Leopold II (a white man with short hair connecting to a long beard and mustache) staring at the camera.

there is white text towards the bottom of the image, with a horizontal white line that turns upwards at a 90 degree angle when reaching to be near the text, ending at the top of the text with a white dot at it's end. there is also a horizontal, white line at the right side of the screen, ending on it's left side with a white dot when it reaches to be near the text. the text reads:

"The Us was an (bold) early ally of tyranny (unbolded) in Congo. The 1884 Berlin Congress granted (bold) Belgian King Leopold II (unbolded) colonial control and private ownership of (bold) the entire 2,600,000 square km Congo Basin region. (unbolded) The US had already recognized his claim to the territory months before the conference." /end id.]

[image id 3: an image of a black woman with short hair wearing a white head wrap, white dress, and white necklace, holding a white (or white passing) baby with a white dress, white hat, and white shoes. the woman is staring at the camera with a neutral (possibly tired) expression outdoors on a wide dirt path in front of a forest.

there are similar white lines as described in image id 2 surrounding the white text towards the bottom of the image, reading:

"After (bold) Congo gained independence (unbolded) from Belgium in 1960, Lumumba became the country's (bold) first prime minister. (unbolded) 60 years of Belgian rule in Congo was (bold) filled with terror and genocide, (unbolded) leaving up to (bold) 15 million people dead (unbolded) and plundering the country's wealth." /end id.]

[image id 4: an image of two young, black men, one with short hair and the other possibly bald, with flashlights on their heads, in a mud tunnel. the young man closer to the camera staring at it while the man farther from the camera, with a darker skin tone, holds something being motion blurred while he looks off to the right.

there are similar white lines as described in image id 2 surrounding white text towards the bottom of the image that reads:

"Congo's (bold) immense natural wealth, (unbolded) including uranium, became (bold) strategically crucial for US global hegemony (unbolded) and its nuclear weapons program. The US acquired its immense natural wealth and uranium to build (bold) the atomic bombs it dropped (unbolded) on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945." /end id.]

[image id 5: an image of Lumumba (wearing a black suit with a red bow tie) staring off to the left side of the camera, speaking. there are similar white lines as describe in image id 2 surrounding white text towards the bottom of the image, reading:

"When Lumumba became Prime Minister in June 1960, he (bold) promised to break imperialism (unbolded) and championed pan-African solidarity. Lumumba's rise to power (bold) threatened US corporate interets (unbolded) and triggered cold war paranoia." /end id.]

[image id 6: an image of Lumumba (wearing a white, open chested, short sleeve shirt, without his glasses) looking off to the left side of the camera, seemingly with furrowed brows. there appears to be more people next to and behind him, and he is in a large, white building with foundations seen at the ceiling. there are similar white lines as describe in image id 2 surrounding white text towards the bottom of the image, reading:

"A cable from (bold) CIA director Allen Dulles (unbolded) on August 25, 1960, read, (next line) 'We are faced with a person who is (bold) a Castro or worse.' (unbolded) He subsequently ordered the CIA station chief in Congo: 'Lumumba's removal must be (bold) an urgent and prime objective (unbolded)… and a high priority of our covert action.'" /end id.]

[image id 7: an image of Lumumba (without his glasses, in a white, slightly open chested shirt) with his arms reaching behind his back, offscreen, being apprehended by black soldiers as he looks off to the right of the camera. there is a soldier sitting down, talking to someone off screen, another soldier leaning above Lumumba, seemingly reaching behind him, another soldier offscreen with their face facing toward the screen, slightly visible, and a hand reaching from off screen, grabbing Lumumba's hair.

there are similar white lines as describe in image id 2 surrounding white text towards the bottom of the image, reading: "The US and Belgium (bold) supported rival politicians, leading to Lumumba's kidnapping (unbolded) and assassination by (bold) Colonel Joseph Mobutu's forces. (next line) Mobutu's rule, (unbolded) backed by the US and Europe, (bold) solidified the neo-colonial grip on the country." /end id.]

[image id 8: an image of Mobutu Sese Seko (a black man with glasses and short hair, wearing a beige coat with a white dress shirt and green tie underneath, the coat having various badges, along with wearing a gold watch) with his arms crossed, staring off to the right side of the screen with a serious expression. he is outdoors and there are trees and white wall/fence structures in the background.

there are similar white lines as describe in image id 2 surrounding white text towards the bottom of the image, reading: "During three decades of blood rule under (bold) the US and European-backed Mobutu, (unbolded) the dictator came to control over (bold) 20% of the DRC's assets, (unbolded) and (bold) his wealth ballooned to $5 billion, (unbolded) equal to the country's external debt." /end id.]

[image id 9: an image of a black child (wearing a green shirt and brown shorts, barefoot) covered in mud, their hands on the ground in front of them, slightly cupping the mud vertically. there are similar white lines as describe in image id 2 surrounding white text towards the bottom of the image, reading: "Today, (bold) the consequences of Lumumba's murder (unbolded) are still felt in the DRC. (next line) The country has (bold) approximately $24 trillion in raw minerals, (unbolded) including almost (bold) half the world's known cobalt reserves, (unbolded) found in batteries of nearly every standar electronic device, from phones to electric cars." /end id.]

[image id 10: an image of a black child (with short hair, wearing a seemingly dirt, pink dress patterned with small images of some sort) walking, staring off to the right of the screen with their mouth slightly open, holding something in both their hands. they are walking through dirt, outdoors, with a bunch of trash on it, with blocks of some kind closely in the background, sun shining on them from the back. there is also dirt/dust in the air. there are similar white lines as describe in image id 2 surrounding white text towards the bottom of the image, reading:

"While multinational corporations (bold) continue to plunder the wealth (unbolded) of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country is (bold) one of the five poorest countries in the world, (unbolded) with some 60 million people (bold) living on less that $1.90 a day." /end id.]

link to the ig post: https://www.instagram.com/leemerrittesq/p/C2NMMBVu2co/?img_index=1

No need for explanation.

[Picture ID: Newspaper infographic asking ‘Middle East: Who backs immediate ceasefire?’ Below are two boxes labeled Yes on the left, filled with every flag for every country on the planet (about 189 flags) in alphabetical order except for 3 (Israel, UK, and US) which are on the right in a box labeled No. End ID]

article dated 2013

Hey runners (and walkers)! Thought this might be helpful :)

Shoelace Voodoo

The heel slipping one is awesome if you have to wear orthotics because it stops them from slipping round inside your shoe

Oh! I’ll have to try this

oh my god. oh, oh my god. the wide forefoot one… oh my god bless you you beautiful hero

Ian’s Shoelace Site – https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/ – is the page for all these lacing patterns and more.

He’s got specific lacing advice for skates and tall boots and there are decorative patterns and I recently relaced my skate shoes for both a wide forefoot and less friction on the laces so it’s easier to tighten and loosen them but he also has lace-locking patterns so that shoes stay exactly as tight as you laced them the first time and it is just a VERY GOOD website.

Like. I’ve been buying shoes the wrong size because it’s often hard to find wide shoes but the lacing pattern for a wide forefoot means that my big hobbit feet actually fit into the previously too-tight running shoes and sneakers I had.

[id: infographics showing ways to lace shoes to compensate for: high arches, shoes feel too tight, heel slipping, black toenails/toe pain, wide forefoot.]/end id.

Text in image reads,

“High arches

Solution: open up the middle

Shoes feel too tight

Solution: trust in parallel style

Heel slipping

Solution: secure the top and leave the rest

Black toenails/toe pain

Solution: get your shoe off your toe

Wide forefoot

Solution: leave some space”

End text.

I came across this article in the wall street journal and thought it might be helpful for some of my fellow spoonies

[Image description: text with drawings.

“The Art of Adapting

How older people "hack" household devices to make them easier to use

1. Soap in a stocking”

Drawing of soap bar in a brown stocking. The other end of the stocking is tied to a rail, so the soap bar hangs down.

“A sensible solution to handling soap in the shower, according to Doctor Hougan. You can use the soap through the stocking, and if you "drop" it, the bar is still within reach, not on the shower floor.

2. Spongle/foam tubes

Can make doorknobs, silverware and toothbrushes easier to grip.”

A drawing of a fork and a spoon. Their handles go through the length of the blue foam tubes.

“3. Clip-on napkin holder”

A red cord with a clip on each end. It goes around a person's neck and the clips hold on to a napkin.

“Small alligator clips connected can be used to attach napkins to clothing, a more elegant solution than tucking the napkin into a shirt and less humiliating than using a bib.

4. Silicon rubber bumps with adhesive backs

Put on kitchen appliances, cellphones and keyboards to help people see and feel what buttons they need to press.”

A TV remote with a pink silicone bumps on one button. Next to it is a whole sheet with rolls of such bumps, except where one was taken.

“5. Sugru

The moldable rubbery substance can make materials easier to turn, grab and carry, like the tops of jars and pill bottles.”

Pill bottle with its top inside an uneven green square.

“6. Straw holder

Simply use a clothespin to keep the straw from moving around in the glass.”

A clothes pin clipped on to the rim of a glass.

“7. Clothes hangers

These household staples have a variety of off-label uses, including holding cookbooks in the kitchen.”

A clothes hanger hanging of a cupboard in the kitchen. There are pins on its ends so clothes can be clipped on. Instead it has the two covers of a book, along with its pages clipped. That way the book stays open on a certain page. The bottom of the book rests on the counter below.

“8. Shelf liners. A shelf liner spread across the seat and backrest of a chair.

These inexpensive materials can be used as nonslip seating.”

A shelf liner spread across the seat and backrest of a chair.

“9. Gadgetry

For the technologically savvy, a little customizing can go a long way. Like making remote controls easier to use by taking off unneeded buttons or removing the "delete" button from devices like cameras and picture viewers. In another example, one person repurposed a motion detector to monitor the movement of a spouse with dementia.”

A device with a screen, and buttons, one of which is crossed out.

End description.]

I came across this article in the wall street journal and thought it might be helpful for some of my fellow spoonies

also good for ppl whose parents are getting older!

To disable unwanted buttons on a remote control or rubber buttoned keypad:

Disabling specific buttons is a great idea if there is a dedicated “settings” button anywhere on your remote. If you are feeling particularly devious you could setup a pass code (like Amazon Prime’s payment passcode or a pay-per-view pin code) that uses the number keys and then you physically disable one of those digits.

[Image description: text with drawings.

“The Art of Adapting

How older people "hack" household devices to make them easier to use

1. Soap in stocking”

Drawing of soap bar in a brown stocking. The other end of the stocking is tied to a rail, so the soap bar hangs down.

“A sensible solution to handling soap in the shower, according to Doctor Hougan. You can use the soap through the stocking, and if you "drop" it, the bar is still within reach, not on the shower floor.

2. Sponge/foam tubes

Can make doorknobs, silverware and toothbrushes easier to grip.”

A drawing of a fork and a spoon. Their handles go through the length of the blue foam tubes.

“3. Clip-on napkin holder”

A red cord with a clip on each end. It goes around a person's neck and the clips hold on to a napkin.

“Small alligator clips connected can be used to attach napkins to clothing, a more elegant solution than tucking the napkin into a shirt and less humiliating than using a bib.

4. Silicon rubber bumps with adhesive backs

Put on kitchen appliances, cellphones and keyboards to help people see and feel what buttons they need to press.”

A TV remote with a pink silicone bumps on one button. Next to it is a whole sheet with rolls of such bumps, except where one was taken.

“5. Sugru

The moldable rubbery substance can make materials easier to turn, grab and carry, like the tops of jars and pill bottles.”

Pill bottle with its top inside an uneven green square.

“6. Straw holder

Simply use a clothespin to keep the straw from moving around in the glass.”

A clothes pin clipped on to the rim of a glass.

“7. Clothes hangers

These household staples have a variety of off-label uses, including holding cookbooks in the kitchen.”

A clothes hanger hanging of a cupboard in the kitchen. There are pins on its ends so clothes can be clipped on. Instead it has the two covers of a book, along with its pages clipped. That way the book stays open on a certain page. The bottom of the book rests on the counter below.

“8. Shelf liners

These inexpensive materials can be used as nonslip seating.”

A shelf liner spread across the seat and backrest of a chair.

“9. Gadgetry

For the technologically savvy, a little customizing can go a long way. Like making remote controls easier to use by taking off unneeded buttons or removing the "delete" button from devices like cameras and picture viewers. In another example, one person repurposed a motion detector to monitor the movement of a spouse with dementia.”

A device with a screen, and buttons, one of which is crossed out.

End description.]

[Image description: every image has a black background, with a drawing in white and red at the top, and white text below that]

A line of four fish. Three are pointing toward right. One is colored in red and is turned to the left.

“Red Herring Fallacy: Diverting away from the actual argument by bringing up another issue.

Example: Using incidents of black-on-black crime or civilians killing police as a reason to do nothing about racism or police brutality.”

A crown with three red gems, represented by dots.

“Ad Hominem Fallacy: Attacking the person making the argument, instead of the argument itself. The name comes from Latin for 'against the man'.

Example: Stating that someone is uneducated, therefore their opinion is invalid. Calling someone a snowflake instead of engaging in an informed discussion.”

A person without a face drawn, and with a red speech bubble.

“Anecdotal Evidence Fallacy: Using a personal example to determine the entire argument.

Example: Dismissing police brutality because you personally have not experienced it. Asserting that racism isn't real because you have black friends.”

A stick figure with a red shirt.

“Straw Man Fallacy: Arguing against an oversimplified or distorted version of your opponent's argument.

Example: Distorting the black lives matter movement by saying that its supporters hate all police and white people.”

A red heart next to a circle with a slanted line across it.

“False Dilemma Fallacy: Turning a complex issue into an argument between two inherently opposed sides.

Example: Reducing the issue of police brutality to supporting the police or supporting black people, instead of acknowledging that you can constructively do both.”

End description.]

If you’re on mobile, you may have to click on the images for better quality!

Plain text version with image descriptions is under the cut.

IT IS ACE WEEK!

So let's talk about asexuality! This is an introduction trying to cover as much as possible in a little format, so its mostly surface level stuff. You're gonna have to dig on your own :P

For more information, I recommend checking out aceweek.org or acesandaros.org ! You can also read up on ace history through the Asexual Manifesto by Lisa Orlando !

Actual links and Image description coming in a reblog ;)

Text in images:

It's Ace Week!

from October 23rd until October 29th (2022)

And I'm going to talk about sex in an educative way.

What does it mean to be Ace?

Asexuality is actually a complicated spectrum and not a simple yes/no. You may see the words "aspec", "acespec", or "asexual spectrum" used to describe it.

In general, you can define asexuality as not experiencing sexual attraction, or experiencing it unusually.

What is sexual attraction?

That's a question I can't answer, because I've never experienced it. It would be like asking a blind person what colors are like: we don't know.

I can repeat what I've been told: it's a desire for sexual intimacy with another person.

It's actually really weird to find out people are not joking or hyperboling when talking about sex and such—

you mean that the naked lady yogurt ads actually work?

oh that was a sex joke

wait THAT was a metaphor FOR SEX?

so sexy actually means you want to have sex with them??

The Hunger Analogy

It's a good way of explaining how it all works in a way that everyone can understand! (The only difference is that no one needs sex to live.)

Sex = Food

Sexual attraction = Hunger

Libido = Appetite

Genitalia = Digestive System

Kinks = Flavors

Some examples of how it can present:

I'm never hungry and thinking about food makes me sick (aka Ace and sex repulsed)

I'm never hungry but I don't mind eating sometimes (aka Ace and sex indifferent)

I'm never hungry but I enjoy eating! (aka Ace and sex favorable)

I'm only get hungry in specific circumstances (aka grey Ace)

♠︎This can apply no matter your appetite (libido)!♠︎

Let's talk about Libido

As said before, it's the sexual 'appetite'. It's influenced by hormones and it's different from person to person.

Liking to masturbate, watch porn, read smut, or fantasize about sex doesn't make someone any less Ace!

It's just what's necessary to deal with libido. (And it randomly hits you with the 'horny' status effect. WTF)

What about Romance?

Asexuality is particular because it relies on the SAM: The Split Attraction Model

It's a neat tool and everyone can use it!

Attraction: Sexual (asexual, homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual, pansexual, etc) & Romantic (aromantic, heteroromantic, biromantic, homoromantic, panromantic, etc)

Mix and match!

The Queer Community

All Acespec people belong in the queer community. Yes, even heteroromantic cisgender acespec. This is not up for debate.

Ace and Aro Intersectionality

About 30% of aces identify with the label "Aromantic". It's the other side of the coin, a lack of romantic attraction. (I'm both)

Ace and Autism Intersectionality

A lot of autistics identify with the ace/aro spectrum. However, not ALL autistics are aces, and expecting them to be is RUDE

We often face the same kind of struggles: being treated like children, being forcibly desexualized, our identity is treated like an illness, etc.

Why does it matter?

Because aces are often isolated, lacking the words to describe what they feel and experience. Many of us felt broken or abnormal before finding the Ace community.

There's very little examples of Ace people in popular media, and they are nonexistent in children's media because despite being treated like children, we can't tell them about us.

Asexual Symbols!

The Ace of spades ♠️, the flags, the Ace ring (a black ring worn on the middle right finger), cake (because why have sex when you can have cake), space, dragons, and more!!

And that concludes my little presentation on Asexuality!

It is NOT an exhaustive one

Feel free to ask for clarifications!

End text.

[[ Transcription of image ]]

A series of pictures depicting issues for those who rely on wheelchairs.

A person with glasses sitting on a wheelchair stares at a door entrance located on a set of stairs.

A crowd gathers in front of a bus, with a person on a wheelchair on the back, trying to get other people’s attention.

A woman with a hijab and glasses sits at a receptionist desk. A person on a wheelchair wearing a kippah is unable to reach the top to get her attention.

A person on a wheelchair wearing a baseball hat backwards is unable to close the door to the restrooms. Despite this, the sign outside is marked as wheelchair accessible.

A person on a wheelchair is frightened as their wheelchair goes down too fast down a ramp.

A man wearing a kippah is about to enter a temple, but covers his wheelchair wheels with a cover to keep the inside of the temple as clean as possible.

A picture of a parking lot Two cars are parked, one with most space to allow a disabled person to get on and off. A woman holding crutches is angered at a motorcycle parked in front of her car, which isn’t supposed to be there. A person on a wheelchair nearby notices her anger.

Two people stand in front of an automatic door. One is a child attempting to wave their hands to get it to open, and the other is a person on a wheelchair.

A bus is waiting at a stop. A person on a wheelchair is unable to get to the stop due to a steep ledge in front of them.

A person on a wheelchair is using an ATM machine, which is placed at a lower position so they’re able to reach and use the machine comfortably.

[[ End of transcription ]]

HASHTAGS:

#MahsaAmini #Freelran #Helplran #Savelran

www.womenncr-iran.org

#IranProtests2022 #Mahsa Amini

VISIT/DONATE:

www.iranhr.net/en/

https://women.ncr-iran.org

FOLLOW ON TWITTER:

@AlinejadMasih @NazaninBoniadi

Please visit these blogs for more ongoing information, follow them, reblog and spread as much as you are able to.

Just adding this that @stormysapphic posted bc it’s important in in Jîna/Mahsa’s story

Text in imforgrafic:

What is happening in Iran?

Right now, a war for human rights is taking place in Iran, and it is led by the brave Iranian women.

Learn more about the situation and how you can help.

Background

This is where YOU come in.

What You Can Do

The people of Iran are begging the rest of the world to amplify the voices of those who are being silenced. Be their voice. Share what's happening. Spread the message.

Mahsa Amini's mother has said "Let the world know they killed my daughter." Say her name, share her story.

Don't turn a blind eye. Don't let the world ignore what the oppressive regime is doing to its people. It is time to turn the world's eyes to Iran. This is all they're asking from us.

Let us use our freedom of speech to help the brave people, especially the brave women, of Iran.

#MahsaAmini #FreeIran #HelpIran #SaveIran #IranProtests2022 ##Mahsa_Amini

www.mystealthyfreedom.org/donate

www.iranhr.net/en/

www.women.ncr-iran.org

@AlinejadMasih @NazaninBoniadi

End text.

[Image in the reblog is a screenshot of a tumblr post by @stormysapphic . It reads, "Hey, my Kurdish friend wanted to point out that the Iranian woman murdered by the police in Tehran was a Kurd and her Kurdish name was Jîna Emînî. She has mostly been referred to as Mahsa Amini, the Iranian version of her name, in the media and that can of course still be used to make sure posts about her reach a mainstream audience. However people should make sure to mention her given Kurdish name foremost, as well as highlight the fact she was a Kurd in the first place, because that played a part in her facing the violence that she did." End description.]

Text in the info graphic:

Today is not statehood day because Hawai'i is NOT part of the U.S.A.

@ainamomona

January 1893

The Hawaiian League, an illegal oligarchy of American businessmen, conspired with U.S. Minister John Stevens to have U.S. troops land in Hawai'i. With threats of war, they proclaimed themselves the provisional government of Hawai'i.

Queen Lili'uokalani, the reigning monarch of the time, protested this illegal act and submitted word to president-elect Groover Cleveland. While Cleveland initially condemned these actions, he later allowed the illegal seizure to continue.

1897

Hi Aloha 'Āina launched the Kū'ē Petition, as a protest against the illegal annexation of Hawai'i by the U.S. In one week, 95% of the adult Native Hawaiian population signed in opposition to being annexed by the U.S.

After receiving the Kū'ē Petition, the U.S. lacked the two-thirds majority needed to approve annexation and the treaty was never signed.

To date, there is NO treaty of annexation between the United States of America and Hawai'i.

For the last 129 years the United States has illegally occupied the Nation of Hawai'i.

The "state of Hawaii" only exists because of American greed and the U.S.'s continued illegal occupation of Hawaiian lands.

End text.

Debunking misinformation around Palestine.

Please spread this truth!

[IMAGE ID:

image 1: What is happening in Palestine is not complicated; it’s settler colonialism & ethnic cleansing. Debunking misinformation around Palestine.

image 2: Myth: Palestine and Israel are in “conflict.” Fact: What is happening in Palestine is settler colonialism, military occupation, land theft and ethnic cleansing. A conflict means there is equal footing, which is not the case. There is an active oppressor (Israel) and an oppressed (Palestine). A colonizer (Israel) and a colonized (Palestine). This is not a conflict.

image 3: Note: According to the Congressional Research Service, Israeli military occupation has been supported by US aid with $3.8bn a year paid for by U.S. tax dollars since 2016 for the next 10 years. It’s also supported by other colonial countries including Canada, Australia, France and Belgium.

image 4: Myth: Before Israel came to Palestine, it was “just a desert.” Israel made the desert green. Fact: Before the occupation of israel, Palestine had green, rich and lush land. In fact, Palestine respected biodiversity of their indigenous land: Palestinians were producing 92% of Palestine’s grain, 99% of its olives and 95% of its melons to name a few. Since Israel’s occupation, biodiversity has decreased. Israel removed Indigenous plants from the land to plant European invasive species. This phenomenon is called green colonialism, which has been discussed in depth by many, including Naomi Klein in “Let Them Drown.”

image 5: Myth: Sheikh Jarrah is the only neighborhood in Palestine that is in danger. Fact: Israel has been gradually stealing Palestinian land, destroying and ethnically cleansing entire Palestinian villages, violently displacing families and building illegal settlements on top of them since the first Nakba (‘catastrophe’ in Arabic) in 1948, where almost 600 Palestinian villages were destroyed, Palestinian history erased and half the Palestinian population were expelled from their homes.

image 6: Myth (cont’d.): Sheikh Jarrah is the only neighborhood in Palestine that is in danger. Fact: Over the past few decades, the state of Israel has continued the settler colonial project, and Sheikh Jarrah is the latest and not the last neighborhood being violently threatened with dispossession, which Israel has no legal right to do.

END ID]

Donate to Ethiopian victims here

npr article for more info

@a-captions-blog

[ID: Five Instagram images making up an infographic about the situation in Ethiopia.

[1] The title image shows masked people at a protest. They are holding various flags, including the US and Tigray region flags, as well as anti-war signs. The logo in the lower left says “Dose of Society,” and the the title of the infographic is, “What’s happening in Ethiopia Right Now?”

[2] What’s Happening in Ethiopia? On 4th November 2020, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed declared a genocidal war on Tigray, Ethiopia’s northernmost region. The Ethiopian government is committing ethnic cleansing, mass murder and growing evidence of sexual violence against Ethiopian citizens as well as not allowing journalists into the region. [Attached is a photo of three masked people standing outside. One is holding a US flag, and the other two are holding signs. The first sign says, “My Ethnicity Is Not A Crime” with the Tigray region flag. The second sign shows the flag with the hashtag, “Say No To War”]

[3] Why is Ethiopia at War With Itself? The war began when Mr. Ahmed accused the TPLF militias of attacking an Ethiopian National Defence Force base near Mekelle. Mr. Ahmed responded to the attack by deploying military force and declared a six-month state of emergency in Tigray and shut down the internet and telecommunication networks. [Attached is a photo of several people in uniform riding in the back of a pickup truck.]

[4] What’s Happening in Ethiopia? Since 6 months ago when the fighting in Tigray began: ∙ 50,000 people are estimated to have died ∙ More than 4 million people are in need of food and assistance, as stated by The U.N. ∙ The IRC and Amnesty International reported that hundreds of women and girls in Tigray were being subjected to rape and sexual violence by perpetrators that were Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers ∙ A leaked letter claimed [quote] at least [end quote] 78 priests have been [quote] massacred [end quote] in one zone of Tigray [quote] Rape is being used as a weapon of war across the conflict. Multiple displaced people have given eyewitness accounts of mass rape [end quote] [quote attributed to the IRC]

[5] How Can You Support Tigray? Donate to Ethiopian victims. There’s a link in our bio providing you with further donation resources. Amplify Tigray voices by using the hashtag # Justice4Ethiopia Stay informed – It’s always important to educate yourself and others * Please help and use the comment section to recommend other accounts/petitions for us all to [stay] informed *

\timestamp: posted to Tumblr 19 May 2021 \End ID]

Why do we say that capitalism must be “dismantled”?

You’ll hear phrases like “Smash the state!” “Eat the rich!” and “Smash capitalism!”

And, yes, of course, but… :)

However relevant those sayings are, our work must be careful, highly organized and above all planned.

Because capitalism and all of its associated systems are not discrete, abstracted entities we can attack independently.

It is a structure, like a complicated machine with many thousands of working parts…

And right now it is connected to absolutely everything.

If we do this… [picks up huge hammer and smashes the machine]

Then a lot of vulnerable people will die.

The machine was built and improved and redesigned and patched over the course of generations. It is very good at its intended purpose, which is ultimately to generate profit.

Every human being alive today relies on the byproducts of the machine to survive, without exception.

The machine’s engineers want it to keep working like it does. In fact, they want to optimise it.

That will kill all remaining life on Earth.

So, we must destroy the machine, quickly and carefully

We must examine its deadly programs and mechanics and replace them with alternatives we built together.

The engineers don’t want us tampering with the machine.

However, we make it run…

So we can make it STOP. Together.

How will YOU help us to safely dismantle the machine?

iww.org

p.s. My computer is on its last legs. If you would like me to draw you a little cartoon and help me get a new computer, learn more at this post.

*cracks open a bag of candy and a jar of salt* SO, HALLOWEEN PSA TIME

[ID: an infographic about how to not whitewash dead or undead characters

Ah, the Halloween season! time for skeletons brawling, witches brewing… and a little talk about whitewashing the undead.

Let’s start off with the basics of what happens to the skin when you die. Yes it does PALE, but paled skin does not equal white skin. You can’t lose pigmentation (it’s in your DNA which, shocker, still influences your appearance when you’re dead).

What DOES happen is the skin losing flush and drying out, which greys the complexion! (veins and other factors can also give a blue-grey tint!) The person still looks pretty gone, but dark skin does not vanish. it’s basically an extreme version of getting no sun.

Which means THIS is WHITEWASHING and is not in any way accurate or okay: illustration of a dark skinned black girl turning into a pale grey zombie, and another illustration of her turning into a white vampire

Just because they’re on the hunt for brains or have no blood in their body, that does not justify taking away the pigmentation in a PoC’s skin. Even if it is “a stylistic choice” skin doesn’t work that way. It’s uncomfortable AND actually looks worse than if you just took the time to come up with something in the same tone and shade of their original skin colour.

“But how will I make my characters look recognizably undead? I don’t want to make them all white?!”

Well here’s a handy-dandy mini-chart of cool undead PoC skin tones!

the chart shows PoC becoming greyed, unnatural, or dulled versions of themselves when becoming undead. The colours in the charts all maintain the same tones/shades as the original skin tone, just reflecting magic or a lack of blood. A medium-skinned brown person becomes a medium grey, a medium purple, or a cool-toned reddish-brown. A dark skinned black person with red undertones becomes very dark grey, dark green, or a slightly lighter red-brown. a light skinned brown person becomes a light grey, a bright purple, or a green-brown.

And that’s only three examples from a multitude of skin tones! (I can’t do them all however much I would like to…)

an easy trick for trying to figure out a nice settling place is to use “screen” or “multiply” to place blue/grey over the existing skin tone!

if you can’t use that, just try your best to stay within the same range of tones as the original colour! remember: there isn’t an excuse for whitewashing. take time and look at the things you draw, and be wary, a’ight?

Now go draw some rad monsters! Happy Halloween, don’t be a scrub /end ID]

For any visually impaired writers/artists who follow us, here is an image description of the above infographic about how to properly describe dead characters! Applies to both drawing and writing, dead and undead, etc.

Everyone should know the international sign for Help Me. Let’s make this famous!!

Interesting; I didn’t know this was a thing.

It’s apparently a thing, but it’s a very new thing, so it may need some help being known.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_for_Help

[ID: A video depicting various instances of people using a signal for help. A graphic shows a hand with the fingers raised and the thumb against the palm, and then the fingers down over the thumb. The images of the hand are captioned “1: Palm to camera and tuck thumb” and “2: trap thumb.” It is identified as the “Violence At Home Signal for Help.” The next panel of the graphic reads “Use this signal to ask for help on a video call without leaving a digital trace. If you see this sign on a video call, find out how to help below.” No link is provided on the graphic. End ID]