Grace Paterson
@gdpaters.bsky.social
Philosophy of language, cats, games, sf/fantasy. Currently in Germany. She/her
Reposted by Grace Paterson
Please read this extremely thoughtful & careful post on Tim Walz, Anne Frank, & the US Holocaust Memorial Museum from Martin Shuster, philosopher, Isaac Swift Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies, former Holocaust Memorial Museum Fellow, & scholar of genocide, the Holocaust, & authoritarianism:
![Not unrelatedly, I am noticing that a lot of--oftentimes even well-intentioned--people are spending time trying to delineate exactly which historical referent best captures what's going on now, as if we have to pick only one. There is the now well-circulated meme that says: no, ICE isn't the Gestapo, it's actually American--it's slave catchers. But this is a kind of odd distinction: the Nazis were themselves influenced by the Americans (if you're curious read the excellent book by James Whitman, _Hitler's American Model_). Nazis came here and studied American legal systems and statutes ... and remarkably a group of "liberal" Nazis decided that they couldn't make German laws as *extreme* as American ones (and this "liberal" group in fact won the day; German laws weren't as extreme as many of ours). Equally, Nazi jurists and theorists like Carl Schmitt were deeply influenced by American notions of manifest destiny. So the Nazi and American contexts were already fused. The idea of foreign/domestic is already quite complex in this context. (And this is before we even speak of the many actual Nazis that existed here and the many people who materially supported Hitler and the regime).
We can complicate this picture more by noting that Nazism itself, even apart from these American influences, wasn't something that sprouted up out of thin air: it, too, had a(n experimental) history. Many of its barbaric practices and aims were developed and tested on colonial and imperial victims (as I have written elsewhere: there is a direct line from Shark Island concentration camp [called frequently simply "Death Island" where the Germans committed genocide against the Herero and Nama people] to the entire Nazi camp system). Thinkers like Hannah Arendt and Aimé Césaire drew our attention to this already in the middle of the last century.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ybkylffhwhn2an2ic2lxh76k/bafkreifucubotcz54scclzmnpxlnv6x5olf2zb6ow5xufzdyqbflhuzcn4@jpeg)
January 30, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Please read this extremely thoughtful & careful post on Tim Walz, Anne Frank, & the US Holocaust Memorial Museum from Martin Shuster, philosopher, Isaac Swift Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies, former Holocaust Memorial Museum Fellow, & scholar of genocide, the Holocaust, & authoritarianism:
Reposted by Grace Paterson
A reminder to the news media: “conflicting accounts” is what you say BEFORE the incontrovertible video evidence appears. After that, your job is to ask why one side is lying, not to repeat the lie and pretend no one knows the truth.
January 25, 2026 at 12:28 PM
A reminder to the news media: “conflicting accounts” is what you say BEFORE the incontrovertible video evidence appears. After that, your job is to ask why one side is lying, not to repeat the lie and pretend no one knows the truth.
Reposted by Grace Paterson
So.
ICE has murdered a civilian. Again.
And they are blatantly lying about it despite video documentation. Again.
This will continue until they are disbanded.
How much more clear can it get? How many more extra judicial executions does it take?
ICE has murdered a civilian. Again.
And they are blatantly lying about it despite video documentation. Again.
This will continue until they are disbanded.
How much more clear can it get? How many more extra judicial executions does it take?
January 24, 2026 at 10:23 PM
So.
ICE has murdered a civilian. Again.
And they are blatantly lying about it despite video documentation. Again.
This will continue until they are disbanded.
How much more clear can it get? How many more extra judicial executions does it take?
ICE has murdered a civilian. Again.
And they are blatantly lying about it despite video documentation. Again.
This will continue until they are disbanded.
How much more clear can it get? How many more extra judicial executions does it take?
Reposted by Grace Paterson
Last term I tried an experiment: I walked into my Tech and Design Ethics class, admitted that I had *no idea* what to do about ChatGPT - so I would let them figure it out.
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
January 22, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Last term I tried an experiment: I walked into my Tech and Design Ethics class, admitted that I had *no idea* what to do about ChatGPT - so I would let them figure it out.
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
Reposted by Grace Paterson
I went to Minneapolis last week. What I saw was horrifying and inspiring in equal measure. Gift link to my latest column: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/o...
Opinion | In Minneapolis, I Glimpsed a Civil War
www.nytimes.com
January 19, 2026 at 12:56 PM
I went to Minneapolis last week. What I saw was horrifying and inspiring in equal measure. Gift link to my latest column: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/o...
Reposted by Grace Paterson
thinking of this again
December 15, 2025 at 5:28 AM
thinking of this again
I knew it was coming, but this is still a tremendous loss. I'm so sad I never got to meet Helen in person.
June 21, 2025 at 10:29 AM
I knew it was coming, but this is still a tremendous loss. I'm so sad I never got to meet Helen in person.
If James Lindsay is serious about "atonement" he should start by redirecting all the oodles of money he made from his grift toward relevant causes. Legal aid for the hundreds of students across the US currently being stripped of their visas for exercising their free speech, perhaps?
April 20, 2025 at 1:35 PM
If James Lindsay is serious about "atonement" he should start by redirecting all the oodles of money he made from his grift toward relevant causes. Legal aid for the hundreds of students across the US currently being stripped of their visas for exercising their free speech, perhaps?
Reposted by Grace Paterson
“The court’s decision means there are now multiple legal classes of ‘woman’ and ‘man', each of which invites a different interpretation of the [Equality Act]… Their decision shows that parliament urgently needs to look again at the [act].”
The supreme court didn’t rule on the definition of ‘a woman’ – this is what its judgment does mean | Sam Fowles
The supreme court didn’t rule on the definition of ‘a woman’ – this is what its judgment does mean | Sam Fowles
The judges had to interpret the law as set down by parliament. But it must be remembered this is not an abstract debate; it concerns real people, says barrister Sam Fowles
www.theguardian.com
April 17, 2025 at 7:54 AM
“The court’s decision means there are now multiple legal classes of ‘woman’ and ‘man', each of which invites a different interpretation of the [Equality Act]… Their decision shows that parliament urgently needs to look again at the [act].”
Reposted by Grace Paterson
I kind of feel like at the international level, it's almost as important that the Bukele administration face severe consequences as it is for the Trump administration. Otherwise, we've set a precedent under which a trans-national ideological alliance can render any national constitution irrelevant
April 15, 2025 at 1:35 AM
I kind of feel like at the international level, it's almost as important that the Bukele administration face severe consequences as it is for the Trump administration. Otherwise, we've set a precedent under which a trans-national ideological alliance can render any national constitution irrelevant
Reposted by Grace Paterson
Harvard will not comply.
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
— Harvard President Alan M. Garber
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
— Harvard President Alan M. Garber
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
Harvard Will Fight Trump’s Demands | News | The Harvard Crimson
Harvard will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands to dismantle its diversity programming and limit student protests in exchange for its federal funding, University President Alan M. Garb...
www.thecrimson.com
April 14, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Harvard will not comply.
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
— Harvard President Alan M. Garber
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
— Harvard President Alan M. Garber
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
This really does feel like a turning point. Like if the US is going to walk back from the cliff's edge, it must do so now or it will be too late. There are things that cannot be undone.
April 14, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This really does feel like a turning point. Like if the US is going to walk back from the cliff's edge, it must do so now or it will be too late. There are things that cannot be undone.
It's really very hard to overstate just how deeply bad it is that
Trump is now openly talking about deporting millions of more people to El Salvador, including US citizens.
Trump is now openly talking about deporting millions of more people to El Salvador, including US citizens.
April 14, 2025 at 5:31 PM
It's really very hard to overstate just how deeply bad it is that
Trump is now openly talking about deporting millions of more people to El Salvador, including US citizens.
Trump is now openly talking about deporting millions of more people to El Salvador, including US citizens.
Reposted by Grace Paterson
I know a lot of people have strongly negative feelings about the academic work of Jason Stanley, but he is entirely correct about this. (www.vanityfair.com/news/story/t...)
!["I have to say, another thing that is important to mention is that this is the most antisemitic moment of my life as an American, because this is an antisemitic attack on antisemitism. This regime is leaning into the stereotype that Jews control the institutions, and they’re exploiting that stereotype in order to attack the institutions.
Do you think these measures are making campuses safer for Jewish students?
They’re making campuses more dangerous because now everyone thinks that we [Stanley is Jewish] control everything. And also, Jewish students were central participants in the encampments last year, and it took months for the media to acknowledge that.
They’re claiming that leftism is antisemitism. And the Jewish community is precisely divided, especially the young Jewish communities. There are just as many Jewish kids out there protesting Israel’s actions as there are any other group. So it puts those students, those Jewish students, in direct peril. It’s making the campus very dangerous for them. And how horrible is it that so many of my Jewish students, so many of them who are progressive Jews, that the media is saying they’re not Jewish? Is this Nazi Germany, where the government decides who’s Jewish and who isn’t?"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cmvc2f5b5fou3ijbgagiovlj/bafkreif24j3m2p4bcbs3lgxu2nrewehodceihvxrzdukdqscu3wmks2owq@jpeg)
April 2, 2025 at 3:35 PM
I know a lot of people have strongly negative feelings about the academic work of Jason Stanley, but he is entirely correct about this. (www.vanityfair.com/news/story/t...)
Reposted by Grace Paterson
Reposted by Grace Paterson
Would really love some of that good old fashioned immediate wide scale structural change for the better where everybody's needs are met and everyone can meaningfully thrive without fear of bigotry or threats to our lives. Sure would hit the fucking spot.
March 20, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Would really love some of that good old fashioned immediate wide scale structural change for the better where everybody's needs are met and everyone can meaningfully thrive without fear of bigotry or threats to our lives. Sure would hit the fucking spot.
Reposted by Grace Paterson
I am not at a US university, so I can't sign this. But Jewish colleagues in the US, not matter what your views are on the Gaza war, Israel, etc., you might want to consider signing this letter.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Open letter in response to federal funding cuts at Columbia
10 March 2025 Open letter in response to federal funding cuts at Columbia On March 7th, the Trump administration announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants a...
docs.google.com
March 18, 2025 at 7:35 PM
I am not at a US university, so I can't sign this. But Jewish colleagues in the US, not matter what your views are on the Gaza war, Israel, etc., you might want to consider signing this letter.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Frankly I don't think there has been nearly enough reporting on how quickly Trump is speed running becoming an autocrat. With the flagrant disregard of the courts on display this week, the matter is urgent: Americans should be out on the streets *now* .
ANALYSIS | U.S. could lose democracy status, says global watchdog | CBC News
Possibly defying a court order. Urging his Justice Department to prosecute nemeses. Repeatedly calling the media 'illegal.' Declaring a predecessor's pardon null and void. U.S. President Donald Trump ...
www.cbc.ca
March 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Frankly I don't think there has been nearly enough reporting on how quickly Trump is speed running becoming an autocrat. With the flagrant disregard of the courts on display this week, the matter is urgent: Americans should be out on the streets *now* .
Reposted by Grace Paterson
Voici l’article du NYT au complet, libre d’accès (en mode cadeau). C’est important. Le plus de gens possible devraient le lire. 👇
How Trump’s ‘51st State’ Canada Talk Came to Be Seen as Deadly Serious (Gift Article)
President Trump, in an early February call, challenged the border treaty between the two countries and told Justin Trudeau he didn’t like their shared water agreements.
www.nytimes.com
March 7, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Voici l’article du NYT au complet, libre d’accès (en mode cadeau). C’est important. Le plus de gens possible devraient le lire. 👇
Reposted by Grace Paterson
If you are a TTRPG nerd and haven’t read about Jay’s palette yet, then now you really should.
my article on the Palette Grid (which explores my dissatisfaction with lines and veils, and which opens up new approaches to discussing safety during play) is now available for the general public:
possumcreek.medium.com/the-palette-...
possumcreek.medium.com/the-palette-...
The Palette Grid (a safety tool)
While I’ve been working on a new game lately (Seven-Part Pact, as if I’m ever working on anything else) I ran into an issue with a lot of…
possumcreek.medium.com
March 3, 2025 at 4:49 PM
If you are a TTRPG nerd and haven’t read about Jay’s palette yet, then now you really should.
Reposted by Grace Paterson
“If you’re always consumed by the next outrage, you can’t look closely at the last one. The impression of Trump’s power remains; the fact that he keeps stepping on rakes is missed. The projection of strength obscures the reality of weakness.” #Trumpland www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/o...
Opinion | Don’t Believe Him (Gift Article)
Look closely at the first two weeks of Donald Trump’s second term and you’ll see something very different than what he wants you to see.
www.nytimes.com
March 2, 2025 at 10:53 PM
“If you’re always consumed by the next outrage, you can’t look closely at the last one. The impression of Trump’s power remains; the fact that he keeps stepping on rakes is missed. The projection of strength obscures the reality of weakness.” #Trumpland www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/o...
Reposted by Grace Paterson
In light of everything happening, I wrote about how the KKK in the 1920s felt unstoppable, about the people that fought against them anyway, and about how fascism always fails. dansinker.com/posts/202…
February 24, 2025 at 1:07 AM
In light of everything happening, I wrote about how the KKK in the 1920s felt unstoppable, about the people that fought against them anyway, and about how fascism always fails. dansinker.com/posts/202…
Reposted by Grace Paterson
On Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 (Presidents’ Day), coordinated protests will occur in all 50 states at or near each state’s capitol (and some city halls) to peacefully oppose the Trump Administration’s actions and “Project 2025” agenda. Find details for your state ⬇️🪧
Nationwide “Not My President’s Day” Protest — State-by-State Guide (Feb 17, 2025)
Overview: On Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 (Presidents’ Day), coordinated protests will occur in all 50 states at or near each state’s capitol…
medium.com
February 16, 2025 at 4:53 PM
On Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 (Presidents’ Day), coordinated protests will occur in all 50 states at or near each state’s capitol (and some city halls) to peacefully oppose the Trump Administration’s actions and “Project 2025” agenda. Find details for your state ⬇️🪧
This is incredibly valuable information for anyone living in the US.
This Fiona Apple narrated explainer PSA on how to film (and release footage from, not livestream) ICE arrests is exactly what we need from people with production skills right now and is worth about 3 million celebrity “imagine” covers in terms of survival utility
We Have Rights: When Documenting ICE Arrests
This is "We Have Rights: When Documenting ICE Arrests" by MediaTank on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
vimeo.com
February 2, 2025 at 5:52 PM
This is incredibly valuable information for anyone living in the US.