hey if you're a UK resident can you sign this petition and if not please rb to spread the word

this is an official UK government petition that they have to respond to if it reaches 10,000 signatures

So, this one is actually a lot more important than reporting and blocking spam bots. That post has 20,000 notes rn, so it would mean a lot to me if you could give the same treatment to this as you gave to that (@neil-gaiman if you're listening).

If the petition gets 100,000 signatures they have to consider it for debate in parliament.

It's a crime that Gender Recognition Reform was blocked in England, but Scottish MPs voted it into law and that the UK Parliament overturned that is in direct contravention of democracy as a whole.

It's a pretty serious big deal. Please sign, or, if you're not a UK citizen, please boost.

Audio transcripted:

"Has the Islamic Republic disbanded the Morality Police?

At this point I have no choice but to believe that the Western media is consulting Bangladesh about Yemen. (Never seen so much laziness in my life).

Let's remember that two days ago the Islamic Republic contacted Russia to help on how to quell the uprisings, right? Not more than 48 hours later the Western media is reporting that the Morality Police has been disbanded.

Let's understand how the military framework in the Islamic Republic works. One of them is the IRGC, which is called the Sepah, which protects Velayat-e to Faghi which is the supreme leader who protects the State, Arthes, which is the national army.

And then you have the standard law enforcement which is called FARAJA. There is one branch of the law enforcemet which is the Morality Police, which are called Gasht-e Ershad.

Have they been disbanded? No. They have changed disguise. Instead of being patrol officers they have now become surveillance officers. So what's happening is that they are using surveillance technology with facial recognition to detect women who are wearing the hijab in the streets, and then they are arresting them by going to their houses and finding them - which is significantly worse than patrol.

All this under the guise of reform, to keep eyes off the Islamic Republic. And clearly it's working because look at what Western media is doing.

Did the Western media bother to explain to you that these are not forces that are in the streets every day? The forces in the streets are the IRGC, the Sepah, which are estimated to be around quarter of a million highly highly highly highly trained military personnel. And Basij. Basij is estimated that around 12 million - they are a paramilitary force, and they are so militant that they were doing this as militia before they were even an arm of the State. These are the people we're concerned about.

You want help understanding this? Ask yourself this question: is there still compulsory hijab in Iran? Ok? If the answer is yes then what does that mean? If it is law, mandatory, that women have to wear a hijab what does that mean?

It means that the law must be enforced. If there's no enforcement of the law then it's not a law, is it? This is simple high school seperation of powers, but if the law exists on the books that means that there is a branch of goverment that is responsible for enforcing that law.

Let's say there was no Morality Police, fine. Some other branch of FARAJA, the law enforcement, is going to be enforcing that law. But we know they haven't been disbanded, they're just switching to surveillance - which is even worse.

Next time... Do you need more money? Do you need more of a budget to consult? Is that what it is? Because we're happy to raise funds for you to confer with people who know, instead of just spreading misleading, out of context journalism. Please ask us. We're happy to provide."

Several news outlets like CBS (American), NYTimes (American), and BBC (Western Europe) have misleading headlines about the “morality police being abolished”. Some have mentioned their skepticism, but that isn’t enough information. A government that has had this level of theocratic power for decades won’t relinquish that power so easily. Elica Lebon broke this down so well. These empty promises about the morality police is just a diversion.

Over 400 people have been killed. Celebrities and even Iran’s soccer team have been arrested. A whole park was shut down because one woman wasn’t wearing a hijab.

We need to pay attention. Listen to the people from Iran first because various news outlets won’t validate their voices the way they need to.

This first thing I thought when I woke up from surgery was I am so hungry and I need ramen right now! but the second thing I thought was Oh my god, I'm safe.

I was safe.

I thought about having kids someday, but the thought was always divorced from the concept of having to grow them in my body. Whenever I thought about it, I would either start screaming or my mind would shut down. My worst nightmares featured discovering I was pregnant, and realizing I would have to keep it, and go through childbirth. I was terrified.

I got the surgery, and realized I was safe, and I never had those nightmares ever again. It was like finding out I was bulletproof.

Later, I looked at the broken condom, and I didn't see my life flash before my eyes. I didn't see my hopes and dreams turn to ash as I pivoted all my energy into a child I didn't want. I didn't see a possibility of starvation or homelessness because my already modest income went to a child I couldn't afford. I didn't see my disabled body becoming further disabled, or killed, by a pregnancy that I didn't want.

Read more between the pages commentary: https://www.patreon.com/posts/68216364 (free post, no paywall)

I don’t usually soap-box, but I’m going to for a hot sec since this has been on my mind: 

Cults are getting better branding, prettier leaders, hipper-sounding cosmologies, and wider reaches due to social media. They’re not all deity-focused. Thoughtful, intelligent people can get sucked into them. Just…stay safe out there, guys. Do your research, look at all your options, and trust your gut, not groupthink.

I’m glad this is resonating with people.

I do want to emphasize, again, that cults (and toxic groups with cult-like attributes, I’m using this term pretty loosely) don’t usually look like what you’d expect. A lot of toxic and dangerous religious movements are tiny and you won’t find much about them via Google. Cultish non-religious movements are the same way.

Start-ups, multi-level marketing companies, activist groups, fan groups, political groups, and internet mystics who run retreats can all be cult-like and dangerous. Tune your BS detector, ask family, friends, and experts for advice.

Here are some warning signs:

Pressure – pressure to make quick decisions, to give (or pledge) considerable amounts of money, to move in with a group, to abandon family or cut off friends. Elevated Leaders – anyone claiming special insight, special powers, or that they aren’t human. Demanding special treatment (compared to other followers). Misuse of funds or money collecting at the top. physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse. Lack of accountability or oversight. Isolation – encouraging (or requiring) members to cut off family relationships, friendships with those outside of the group, leaving jobs, moving to isolated areas, taking away communication methods. Strong “us-vs-them” mentality. Vilification of ex-members. Love-bombing. Altered states of consciousness – long work hours, sleep deprivation, lack of access to adequate food or water. Otherwise unproblematic activities like meditation/prayer/chanting, but done for hours. Discouraging doubt – discouraging or punishing doubt and critical thinking.

(Source 1, Source 2, Source 3)

If these send up red flags for you or loved ones, here are some collected resources: one, two.

I recommend a documentary called “White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men”. It can be found on Youtube. It shows how white bastardizations of Native American traditions really harmed the Indigenous people of North America. And it came out in 1996. This is not a new problem. This is not something we’re just now talking about. Native people have pointing out the harm New Agers have been doing for over 20 years. We’re just now choosing to listen to them.

I agree with all of this. And the irony of it all is that there’s a lot in New Age views that parallel the monotheistic aspects of Abrahamic religions, but it’s probably labeled something different and mixed in with watered down Eastern philosophies and the cultural appropriation of various American Indian tribes. New Age is actually more evangelical and colonizing than people realize. I had to acknowledge this myself when I started studying the occult, metaphysics, and magic itself, because like many novices, New Age views come to the surface first and persuade us to alienate ourselves into “chosen one” self-fulfilling prophecies, which can also stir up a sense of entitlement and abuse of privilege. It’s important we acknowledge the risks of adopting the New Age views that are romanticizing the cherry-picked aspects of indigenous cultures, various philosophies developed across the world, and closed practices in the name of “enlightenment”.

cursing your abusers is self care.

Tell it

I’ve heard of the Tulsa race riots before, but briefly. It was probably in some documentary I was watching. This guy said they burned down “the richest black community”, which is true, but I don’t think that does it justice

They burned down part of an entire city

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I think it was also the first/only instance of an air strike being carried out against US civilians?? They literally dropped bombs on these people. Horrific.

Holy shit so not only are you correct, and White people fire bombed a black city, but I read through the wiki article and it is WILD

America’s fucked up, racist past never ceases to amaze me

The interesting thing is that completely conflating fascism with white supremacy, to the point where both terms are treated as meaning the exact same thing, has resulted in some pretty bad cases of political analysis that, indirectly, end up rehabilitating liberalism. Like I’ve seen this post around that says the United States has always been fascist, citing its lengthy history of genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and white supremacy as proof of this being the case, when the reality is that no, in fact, the United States never needed to be a fascist dictatorship to commit any of these atrocities, and in fact carried them out while being one of the world’s leading examples of liberal democracy… because systematic and extreme white supremacist violence is completely compatible with liberal democracy, because liberal democracy is not actually some kind of good system of politics that should be aspired to, it’s a product of capitalist society, a means of politically organizing it, and capitalism has been carrying out racist terror and genocide from the start. The real takeaway would be that capitalist liberal democracy is actually not completely distinct from fascism when it comes to creating regimes of racist terror and white supremacist violence, which is why fascism is so often the destination point of liberal democracies in decline.

Heard some important information on Twitter today, and thought I’d post it here for anyone who may not have heard it. This is actually a thing, devised by human rights organisation called Karma Nirvana.

Reblog to save a life?

Reblog to save a life.

Sharing because it’s actually a verified and sourced thing and not one of those dumbass fake tip posts.

Reblogging because everyone should be aware of this

reblog

Something everyone should know!

i love autumn and i love october. it might just be me, but this is the month where i feel most alive. october is like a warm hug or a snug blanket. i love it. it’s truly hot chocolate season. a time where reading becomes easier for me, ideas start to flow, my imagination runs wild. the leaves twirling around me like it’s a masked ball or some thing. it’s magical. and i love it. and it feels like home. john keats, i understand how you felt

i love autumn and i love october. it might just be me, but this is the month where i feel most alive. october is like a warm hug or a snug blanket. i love it. it’s truly hot chocolate season. a time where reading becomes easier for me, ideas start to flow, my imagination runs wild. the leaves twirling around me like it’s a masked ball or some thing. it’s magical. and i love it. and it feels like home. john keats, i understand how you felt

So many arrested because people are OPENING THE DOORS and trying to play Sensible Citizens with these MAGA Gestapo Agents.

Witchblr has a focus on a specific path of polytheism, so I just want to remind anyone confused that you don’t need to identify as wicca or pagan, you don’t have to worship nor devote, you don’t have to leave offerings or do witchcraft things with or for the gods you believe in. You don’t have to pick one pantheon, one god, any gods. You don’t have to pray, you don’t have to have an altar, you don’t need to wait to be chosen or feel some transcendental pull for the connection to be valid. You don’t have to swear an oath, you don’t have to have just one god or pantheon. You don’t have to have strings attached. Your belief is your belief and whilst the majority choose one path, it doesn’t make yours less valid. You won’t access less support or knowledge not doing the things mentioned. It’s more important to be comfortable and yourself than to follow someone else’s idea of right.

^^ this

Witchcraft is meant to be done your way. It’s self-empowering, not self-limiting.

China is putting Uyghur Muslims into Concentration Camps

This is one of the greatest attrocities and oppression taking place in the world today yet still it is one of the least talked about issues. It’s estimated possibly over 2 million Uyghur Muslims have been put into these concentration camps which China calls “re-edcuation camps” and the goals is to wipe out and clean them from their cultural and religious identity. They have built dozens of these camps with fortified walls and barbed wire fences which they hide from the world media.

China sees Islam as an ‘ideological disease’. Many of the people put in these camps don’t make it out alive due to to the harsh living conditions inside. Many leave behind children who are then sent to government run orphanages and are brainwashed from a young age removing their cultural and religious identity.

Uyghur Muslims can be arrested and put in these camps for the smallest of reasons and every step they take is monitored by the authorities. Facial recognition cameras and high tech equipment has been deployed in East Turkestan turning it into a complete surveillance state. This isn’t fantasy or ‘fake news’. This is happening now in East Turkestan. Don’t let history repeat itself. Share and let the world know the truth.

please boost this!!!!

I believe every word here because I remember China’s infiltration in African countries especially Uganda. Forcing the women to marry Chinese men and give up their culture as a way to maintain tight control of their minerals and resources. The Chinese are the new colonizers but they are getting away with because no one is aware of it. They are being a lot smarter about it and thus history repeats itself. Please spread awareness about their literal concentration/ death camps.

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MONTEREY BAY SPICE CO.

You need herbs in bulk and you don’t have a lot of money? This place has your back.

Here is the first order I received, ¼ pound bag each of sage, bay leaf, rosemary, basil, sea salt, and cinnamon sticks. How much did all this together run me? $22. 

That’s WITH shipping. I am so ecstatic about this place and I figured that everyone needed to know about it. You can find their website HERE. They also sell teas, essential oils, glassware, spice blends, and all sorts of supplies. I love this place and it is now a valuable resource in my life

If you’re in the US I would recommend using this website.

Good Things to Research When You Don't Know What to Research

They don’t exactly teach this stuff in schools. This list is designed for the beginner witch, who keeps hearing the advice “Research!” but wants some better specifics on what exactly that means.

Now, you don’t have to be a complete expert on all of these or even most of these! You don’t even have to incorporate all of them into your practice. They’re just some stuff it’s good to have a basic working knowledge of in the Craft.

🌻Planetary Correspondences- Even if cosmic witchcraft isn’t your thing, a lot (and I mean a LOTTTT) of correspondences in any other category are going to eventually lead back to the planets. Having a basic understanding of what each planet governs is extremely helpful when learning the correspondences of basically anything else.

🌻Herb Correspondences- Herbs and spices are incredibly useful! They’re probably one of the most versatile of the “big categories” since they can be used in herbalism and kitchen witchery, as well as a great add-on to any other variation of witchcraft. It’s good to have a working knowledge of what herbs you can use in a pinch, especially the stuff you already have in your kitchen. When an emergency calls, it’s good to know how that chili powder can help you.

🌻Crystal Correspondences- This is another great add on! Crystals can often be used to enhance and focus the energy of a spell, as well as cleanse any ritual tools you have. Besides, who doesn’t like pretty rocks? Crystals can be particularly great for the witch who has a tactile mind, and likes to have things they can feel and roll around in their hand.

🌻Days of the Week- Knowing the right time to cast a spell can be very important! Casting a love spell on a Friday gives it an added boost, or at the very least creates a path of least resistance. Besides, there’s only seven of them, so it’s easy to learn quickly. You get a lot of bang for your buck!

🌻Phases of the Moon- We have a really big collective crush on the moon, it seems. And for good reason! The moon is a great source of power and mystery even in a completely mundane setting! Understanding the phases of the moon and how it can affect your craft is extremely important. (Hint: you can cast spells even when it isn’t the Full Moon.)

🌻Basic Mythology and Lore- This is an absolute must if you plan on going into any type of spirit work. Even if that isn’t your thing, it’s good to know a little bit. Firstly, because you may draw unwanted attention from spirits, and it’s good to know how to deal with them if it happens. Secondly, because if you draw from a path with any history behind it, it’s good to know how the rules go down on their turf.

🌻Basic Divination- Not everyone has the money or the time to pick up and learn how to read a 78-card Tarot deck, but things like scrying and pendulums are pretty easy to figure out quickly. What’s more, they can be done on little to no budget. Divination’s a useful tool to have on your utility belt, and who wants to pay someone to use a pendulum for them when you can learn it yourself?

🌻Anthropology of different cultures/religions- You don’t have to be a religious witch at all, but witchcraft still has its roots as a religious practice! Lot’s of practices have a cultural context as well, which can be important to know in order to fully understand the action you’re performing. A lot of correspondences, traditions, and rites come from cultural or religious roots. It’s good to know not only what people did, but why they did it! Does X tool have some symbolic meaning or was it just what was available at the time? What was simply a product of the culture around them?

🌻Science- It’s a HUGE category, and I left it that way on purpose. If something interests you, look at the mundane side of it as well! Do you like kitchen witchery? Read up on food chemistry and how different nutrients affect the brain. Into crystals? Learn about how they’re formed! Read about gardening or psychology, anything that can help enhance your path.

Happy researching!

6 Types of Childhood Abuse | psych2go (new release) 

As someone who has experienced child abuse (which ultimately led to acute paranoia and anxiety) first hand, I’m glad this video was made. More people need to be aware that how they treat their children can have a long lasting effect on their child’s health and mental and emotional stability.

This video is very helpful for anyone who suffered or is suffering from childhood abuse…

Instant reblog.