Akiko Takenaka
@ata225.bsky.social
Professor of Japanese history at the University of Kentucky. Book on motherhood and peace activism in Cold War Japan forthcoming in February 2025
Pinned
Akiko Takenaka
@ata225.bsky.social
· Mar 2
Use the promotional code AAS2025 for a 30 percent discount. Valid till July 2025
Isn’t this like Vietnam, all over again?
January 4, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Isn’t this like Vietnam, all over again?
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
25 years ago today, SCOTUS elected George W Bush president of the United States by blocking completion of a voting canvass in Florida. A subsequent canvass by the Associated Press showed that Bush's rival, Al Gore, had won the race in Florida—and thus the contest for the presidency—by 700 votes.
December 12, 2025 at 5:36 AM
25 years ago today, SCOTUS elected George W Bush president of the United States by blocking completion of a voting canvass in Florida. A subsequent canvass by the Associated Press showed that Bush's rival, Al Gore, had won the race in Florida—and thus the contest for the presidency—by 700 votes.
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Let me just say: I have run more than a dozen marathons and an ultramarathon and I have worked 13-hour days in a cornfield in the scorching-ass sun, and none of those things broke me like breastfeeding.
It’s not a question of will. I am a determined person. Sometimes your body just WONT DO IT.
It’s not a question of will. I am a determined person. Sometimes your body just WONT DO IT.
RFK Jr: "All of the ingenuity of corporate America has not produced an infant formula that is superior in nutrition and all the qualities that we want to the infant formula that God made, which is the infant formula in a mother's breast."
December 8, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Let me just say: I have run more than a dozen marathons and an ultramarathon and I have worked 13-hour days in a cornfield in the scorching-ass sun, and none of those things broke me like breastfeeding.
It’s not a question of will. I am a determined person. Sometimes your body just WONT DO IT.
It’s not a question of will. I am a determined person. Sometimes your body just WONT DO IT.
As a naturalized citizen who initially got my green card via marriage, this sends chills down my spine. Green card interviews were already so horrible, stressful, and insulting before any of this started.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:49 PM
As a naturalized citizen who initially got my green card via marriage, this sends chills down my spine. Green card interviews were already so horrible, stressful, and insulting before any of this started.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
What we know, 10:20pm
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, *and* AG
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—Dems keep PA supreme court
—Larry Krasner & Bragg win
— GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
—JD Vance’s half-brother loses Cincy
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—ME anti-mail vote measure loses
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, *and* AG
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—Dems keep PA supreme court
—Larry Krasner & Bragg win
— GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
—JD Vance’s half-brother loses Cincy
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—ME anti-mail vote measure loses
November 5, 2025 at 3:19 AM
What we know, 10:20pm
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, *and* AG
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—Dems keep PA supreme court
—Larry Krasner & Bragg win
— GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
—JD Vance’s half-brother loses Cincy
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—ME anti-mail vote measure loses
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, *and* AG
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—Dems keep PA supreme court
—Larry Krasner & Bragg win
— GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
—JD Vance’s half-brother loses Cincy
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—ME anti-mail vote measure loses
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Trump declares that Republicans have lost the shutdown. Absolutely zero reason for Dems to cave at this point
November 5, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Trump declares that Republicans have lost the shutdown. Absolutely zero reason for Dems to cave at this point
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
The Walton family (who own Walmart) are worth over $400 billion, yet many of their employees are on SNAP.
Bezos is worth over $400 billion, many Amazon employees require SNAP.
The people who need help are not the problem.
It’s corporate greed. It’s an unwillingness to pay a living wage.
Bezos is worth over $400 billion, many Amazon employees require SNAP.
The people who need help are not the problem.
It’s corporate greed. It’s an unwillingness to pay a living wage.
October 27, 2025 at 9:08 PM
The Walton family (who own Walmart) are worth over $400 billion, yet many of their employees are on SNAP.
Bezos is worth over $400 billion, many Amazon employees require SNAP.
The people who need help are not the problem.
It’s corporate greed. It’s an unwillingness to pay a living wage.
Bezos is worth over $400 billion, many Amazon employees require SNAP.
The people who need help are not the problem.
It’s corporate greed. It’s an unwillingness to pay a living wage.
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
If I were running the DNC, there would be Democratic Party sponsored food relief banks across the country right now that specifically welcomed anyone regardless of party affiliation.
Along with the food, there could be voter registration and links to runforsomething.net
Along with the food, there could be voter registration and links to runforsomething.net
October 26, 2025 at 9:03 PM
If I were running the DNC, there would be Democratic Party sponsored food relief banks across the country right now that specifically welcomed anyone regardless of party affiliation.
Along with the food, there could be voter registration and links to runforsomething.net
Along with the food, there could be voter registration and links to runforsomething.net
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
🚨BREAKING🚨: Portland Frog receives Nobel Peace Prize.
October 12, 2025 at 1:56 AM
🚨BREAKING🚨: Portland Frog receives Nobel Peace Prize.
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
If you're protesting ICE in Chicago, let me know at sheryl@weikallaw.com if you need free legal training or legal support. If you're arrested protesting ICE, I can represent you pro bono. Email me at sheryl@weikallaw.com. As always, I will take as many cases as I can.
September 6, 2025 at 4:55 PM
If you're protesting ICE in Chicago, let me know at sheryl@weikallaw.com if you need free legal training or legal support. If you're arrested protesting ICE, I can represent you pro bono. Email me at sheryl@weikallaw.com. As always, I will take as many cases as I can.
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND HATE: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists & Flock Fleecing Frauds.
For any believer, atheist or agnostic who will ever have to deal with right-wing Christian nationalists; releasing 9/9.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separa...
For any believer, atheist or agnostic who will ever have to deal with right-wing Christian nationalists; releasing 9/9.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separa...
September 2, 2025 at 3:08 PM
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND HATE: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists & Flock Fleecing Frauds.
For any believer, atheist or agnostic who will ever have to deal with right-wing Christian nationalists; releasing 9/9.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separa...
For any believer, atheist or agnostic who will ever have to deal with right-wing Christian nationalists; releasing 9/9.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separa...
Super important. But the fact that this needs to be said in America makes me profoundly sad, scared, and angry
Authoritarians thrive on your silence — be loud — for America.
September 7, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Super important. But the fact that this needs to be said in America makes me profoundly sad, scared, and angry
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
THREAD: There are a lot of unanswered questions 12 hours after President Trump — who, according to the Constitution, has no final authority over the census — released a social media post calling for unprecedented changes to how the government produces data that forms the foundation of U.S. democracy
Trump wants a new U.S. census to exclude people here illegally. It'd be unprecedented
Trump is calling for a "new" census that excludes people in the U.S. without legal status. The 14th Amendment requires the "whole number of persons in each state" in a key set of census results.
www.npr.org
August 7, 2025 at 11:22 PM
THREAD: There are a lot of unanswered questions 12 hours after President Trump — who, according to the Constitution, has no final authority over the census — released a social media post calling for unprecedented changes to how the government produces data that forms the foundation of U.S. democracy
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
thinking about the dems who said we can't abolish ICE as the Department of Education gets wiped off the map
July 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
thinking about the dems who said we can't abolish ICE as the Department of Education gets wiped off the map
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Emmy-winning Austin, TX based TV meteorologist on Facebook:
July 6, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Emmy-winning Austin, TX based TV meteorologist on Facebook:
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
each year on this day i find company in this poem
“No Explosions”
by Naomi Shihab Nye
To enjoy
fireworks
you would have
to have lived
a different kind
of life
“No Explosions”
by Naomi Shihab Nye
To enjoy
fireworks
you would have
to have lived
a different kind
of life
July 5, 2025 at 2:05 AM
each year on this day i find company in this poem
“No Explosions”
by Naomi Shihab Nye
To enjoy
fireworks
you would have
to have lived
a different kind
of life
“No Explosions”
by Naomi Shihab Nye
To enjoy
fireworks
you would have
to have lived
a different kind
of life
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
One thing that is weird about the Mandami story is the focus on the checked boxes, not the rest of the application (which presumably contains essays or other written statements). Admissions people actually read those! (especially at a school like Columbia, in an era of paper applications) 1/
July 5, 2025 at 1:42 AM
One thing that is weird about the Mandami story is the focus on the checked boxes, not the rest of the application (which presumably contains essays or other written statements). Admissions people actually read those! (especially at a school like Columbia, in an era of paper applications) 1/
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Of course, the Medicaid and SNAP cuts are appropriately getting the most attention. But almost lost has been the dramatic expansion of ICE, dwarfing every other law-enforcement agency combined. I had feared a private Trump vigilante force. Much worse. An official one.
July 4, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Of course, the Medicaid and SNAP cuts are appropriately getting the most attention. But almost lost has been the dramatic expansion of ICE, dwarfing every other law-enforcement agency combined. I had feared a private Trump vigilante force. Much worse. An official one.
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Trump promised not to cut Medicaid and his signature legislation cuts Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion.
June 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Trump promised not to cut Medicaid and his signature legislation cuts Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion.
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
June 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Reposted by Akiko Takenaka
Ok, so Republicans just introduced a 900 page bill none of them have read. But my team is going through it line by line and on this 🧵you can see the hidden provisions we found. Will update all day.
1/ NEW Medicaid cuts, so now 17 million - instead of 16M - lose health care.
1/ NEW Medicaid cuts, so now 17 million - instead of 16M - lose health care.
June 30, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Ok, so Republicans just introduced a 900 page bill none of them have read. But my team is going through it line by line and on this 🧵you can see the hidden provisions we found. Will update all day.
1/ NEW Medicaid cuts, so now 17 million - instead of 16M - lose health care.
1/ NEW Medicaid cuts, so now 17 million - instead of 16M - lose health care.