Michael Leppert
@michaelleppert.bsky.social
Professor/columnist/novelist. I teach stuff. I write stuff. I never grew out of my ‘why’ phase. michaelleppert.com michaelleppert.substack.com
Pinned
Self-confidence: There’s no substitute for it, and a mystery how to grow it
The end of every semester I teach always brings mixed emotions.
substack.com
Self-confidence is a superpower. Learning how to grow it is the challenge. The weekly stack. substack.com/@michaellepp...
Classes start tomorrow and I am way too excited about it.
January 11, 2026 at 10:59 PM
Classes start tomorrow and I am way too excited about it.
Reposted by Michael Leppert
A reminder from Huffington Post that DHS and ICE have opened fire on unarmed civilians 16 times since Trump took office, killing 4 people. In every case, DHS claims that the victims "assaulted officers" and/or tried to ram them with cars. In every case, evidence proves they are lying. Every time.
A Disturbing Pattern Has Emerged In Trump's Second Term — And It's Playing Out With Renee Good
“How else do you justify shooting a stay-at-home mom with stuffed animals in her car?” the attorney for one woman who survived a federal agent’s gunfire told HuffPost.
www.huffpost.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:56 AM
A reminder from Huffington Post that DHS and ICE have opened fire on unarmed civilians 16 times since Trump took office, killing 4 people. In every case, DHS claims that the victims "assaulted officers" and/or tried to ram them with cars. In every case, evidence proves they are lying. Every time.
Is that the sandwich guy?
January 11, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Is that the sandwich guy?
Did Prime Video crash? @amazonprime.bsky.social
January 11, 2026 at 1:02 AM
Did Prime Video crash? @amazonprime.bsky.social
This. 👇👇👇 This is the thing. Now hurry up.
The Hennepin County DA's Office says they have jurisdiction to prosecute the ICE agent involved in the murder of Renee Good.
Murder is a state crime, so no federal pardon will help.
That said, the federal government and DHS will likely make things as difficult as possible for the DA
Murder is a state crime, so no federal pardon will help.
That said, the federal government and DHS will likely make things as difficult as possible for the DA
January 10, 2026 at 4:39 AM
This. 👇👇👇 This is the thing. Now hurry up.
Reposted by Michael Leppert
the way I see it, the national championship game is going to come down to whichever team is indiana
January 10, 2026 at 4:15 AM
the way I see it, the national championship game is going to come down to whichever team is indiana
Picture from a friend of the Peach Bowl. Looks like an IU home game (like the Rose Bowl did).
January 10, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Picture from a friend of the Peach Bowl. Looks like an IU home game (like the Rose Bowl did).
If they don’t hurry up and kick this shit off, I am going to completely melt down. Go IU!
a cartoon character is sitting on a green couch with his arms crossed
ALT: a cartoon character is sitting on a green couch with his arms crossed
media.tenor.com
January 10, 2026 at 12:21 AM
If they don’t hurry up and kick this shit off, I am going to completely melt down. Go IU!
Yes. @timmiller.bsky.social covers it for me here. Now arrest Jonathan Ross. Like yesterday.
🔥 @timmiller.bsky.social: “You’re telling me he was scared for his life? Are you sh*tting me?? The car is barely moving. He orphaned her child, then called her a ‘f*cking bitch’… it’s not a tough call. This was murder.”
Full @thebulwark.com video: youtu.be/oc9gwMDxYAQ?...
Full @thebulwark.com video: youtu.be/oc9gwMDxYAQ?...
January 10, 2026 at 12:14 AM
Yes. @timmiller.bsky.social covers it for me here. Now arrest Jonathan Ross. Like yesterday.
Reposted by Michael Leppert
Vigil for Renee Good here in front of Wisconsin’s capitol building right now:
January 9, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Vigil for Renee Good here in front of Wisconsin’s capitol building right now:
Reposted by Michael Leppert
Amanda Gorman wrote this poem for Renee Good and that’s it for me tonight.
January 9, 2026 at 2:54 AM
Amanda Gorman wrote this poem for Renee Good and that’s it for me tonight.
Reposted by Michael Leppert
Renee Good was murdered by Jonathan Ross. Arrest him. www.startribune.com/ice-agent-wh...
Star Tribune identifies ICE agent who fatally shot woman in Minneapolis
Jonathan Ross was dragged in a separate incident last year by a fleeing driver, according to court records.
www.startribune.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Renee Good was murdered by Jonathan Ross. Arrest him. www.startribune.com/ice-agent-wh...
There’s enough evidence publicly available for an arrest. Do it.
BREAKING: Minnesota investigators say they can't access evidence after fatal ICE shooting and the FBI won't work jointly on probe.
Follow for live updates.
Follow for live updates.
Live updates: State investigators say they can't access ICE shooting evidence after FBI takes case
Protesters in Minneapolis gathered to protest the killing of motorist Renee Nicole Macklin Good by an ICE officer. Mayor Jacob Frey said federal agents should leave the city.
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 6:49 PM
There’s enough evidence publicly available for an arrest. Do it.
Still waiting…
There’s no reason not to arrest the ICE agent who killed the trigger. We’ve already seen what happens when law enforcement waits unnecessarily. Get on with it.
January 8, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Still waiting…
Reposted by Michael Leppert
“.. In the last four months alone, immigration officers have fired on at least nine people in five states and Washington, D.C. All of the individuals targeted in those shootings were, like the woman killed on Wednesday, fired on while in their vehicles.”
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
January 8, 2026 at 11:39 AM
“.. In the last four months alone, immigration officers have fired on at least nine people in five states and Washington, D.C. All of the individuals targeted in those shootings were, like the woman killed on Wednesday, fired on while in their vehicles.”
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
Reposted by Michael Leppert
When the banjo players start cancelling…
January 8, 2026 at 2:41 AM
When the banjo players start cancelling…
They can’t control the video.
January 8, 2026 at 1:05 AM
They can’t control the video.
There’s no reason not to arrest the ICE agent who killed the trigger. We’ve already seen what happens when law enforcement waits unnecessarily. Get on with it.
January 7, 2026 at 11:16 PM
There’s no reason not to arrest the ICE agent who killed the trigger. We’ve already seen what happens when law enforcement waits unnecessarily. Get on with it.
Reposted by Michael Leppert
Jacob Frey: "To ICE -- get the fuck out of Minneapolis"
January 7, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Jacob Frey: "To ICE -- get the fuck out of Minneapolis"
I don’t watch very often, but my God, the first 15 minutes of the Today show were enraging. And for a variety of reasons.
January 7, 2026 at 12:17 PM
I don’t watch very often, but my God, the first 15 minutes of the Today show were enraging. And for a variety of reasons.
Reposted by Michael Leppert
A Washington Post article suggests that, beyond a certain threshold, larger homes don't make people happier. Instead, well-being is correlated with affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods where they feel socially connected.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
![Excerpt reads: "Prioritize your neighborhood
Neighborhoods drive our happiness (or unhappiness) more than we think.
When Lina Martinez, director of POLIS, the Center for Wellbeing Studies at Universidad Icesi in Colombia, studied the happiness of households in the city of Cali, she couldn’t find much difference between poorer and richer areas. “Their happiness is pretty much the same,” she said. But that changed when she isolated neighborhood conditions, such as access to transit, health care and parks. “The conditions of the neighborhood affect happiness,” she said. “I can’t link that to the space where [people] live.”
That aligns with findings from a 2023 study of the Vancouver metro area: Researchers found no significant differences in well-being between people living in single detached homes, duplexes, townhouses, laneway houses and apartment buildings (basement units smaller than 300 square feet were the only negative exception). What did people say they missed most in their neighborhood? Affordability, proximity to family and friends, and a sense of community. Home design was eighth on the list."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ks3gpa6ftoyaq7hmf6c4qx4c/bafkreicapfknasylzk2lqzaxxeb5mchgnru75obggn45dusda6j5zogvuu@jpeg)
January 7, 2026 at 4:29 AM
A Washington Post article suggests that, beyond a certain threshold, larger homes don't make people happier. Instead, well-being is correlated with affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods where they feel socially connected.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
So, five years later, we’ve downgraded the insurrection to a riot? I know I haven’t—nor will I ever.
January 6, 2026 at 10:05 PM
So, five years later, we’ve downgraded the insurrection to a riot? I know I haven’t—nor will I ever.
Reposted by Michael Leppert
BREAKING: Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming after the state Supreme Court struck down laws, including the first U.S. ban on pill abortions.
Abortion stays legal in Wyoming as its top court strikes down laws, including first US pill ban
Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming after the state Supreme Court struck down laws including the nation’s first explicit ban on abortion pills.
bit.ly
January 6, 2026 at 5:01 PM
BREAKING: Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming after the state Supreme Court struck down laws, including the first U.S. ban on pill abortions.
I’m not gonna whine too hard because my team won, but there has been some epically horrible reffing in the CFP today. Wow.
January 2, 2026 at 4:57 AM
I’m not gonna whine too hard because my team won, but there has been some epically horrible reffing in the CFP today. Wow.