Dr. Mansa Keita
@rasmansa.bsky.social
Pseudonym. Rastafari. Computer Science PhD. Chess Master. Dad jokes. Arsenal FC. Science. Parenting. Anti-racism.
Post the feudal age, the societal bargain was that the highest of the upper classes got to enjoy the benefits of great wealth, so long as the lower classes still felt their lives improving.
The biggest benefit to the upper classes has been safety from the masses. That bargain is weakening today.
The biggest benefit to the upper classes has been safety from the masses. That bargain is weakening today.
January 8, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Post the feudal age, the societal bargain was that the highest of the upper classes got to enjoy the benefits of great wealth, so long as the lower classes still felt their lives improving.
The biggest benefit to the upper classes has been safety from the masses. That bargain is weakening today.
The biggest benefit to the upper classes has been safety from the masses. That bargain is weakening today.
American police have a tendency of unreasonably putting themselves in positions where shooting people can be justified.
January 8, 2026 at 2:55 AM
American police have a tendency of unreasonably putting themselves in positions where shooting people can be justified.
I'm hyping myself up to buy tickets to an Arsenal game and fly over there.
I've been a fan for 20 years, and this may just be the season.
I've been a fan for 20 years, and this may just be the season.
January 7, 2026 at 12:31 AM
I'm hyping myself up to buy tickets to an Arsenal game and fly over there.
I've been a fan for 20 years, and this may just be the season.
I've been a fan for 20 years, and this may just be the season.
There's little chance the next Republican President will choose to give up Presidential power and return to typical norms.
The American experiment with democracy is dying without much of a whimper. Only a question now of where things will end up.
The American experiment with democracy is dying without much of a whimper. Only a question now of where things will end up.
January 6, 2026 at 12:17 PM
There's little chance the next Republican President will choose to give up Presidential power and return to typical norms.
The American experiment with democracy is dying without much of a whimper. Only a question now of where things will end up.
The American experiment with democracy is dying without much of a whimper. Only a question now of where things will end up.
In speaking to the United Nations, the Trump administration is sending a clear message to everyone in the Western Hemisphere that unless Trump approves of your leaders and alliances, then he reserves the right to overthrow your government.
usun.usmission.gov/remarks-at-a...
usun.usmission.gov/remarks-at-a...
January 5, 2026 at 5:38 PM
In speaking to the United Nations, the Trump administration is sending a clear message to everyone in the Western Hemisphere that unless Trump approves of your leaders and alliances, then he reserves the right to overthrow your government.
usun.usmission.gov/remarks-at-a...
usun.usmission.gov/remarks-at-a...
Chelsea played terribly today and Manchester City still let them draw the game. I hope they continue to make these kinds of mistakes.
#MCICHE
#MCICHE
January 4, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Chelsea played terribly today and Manchester City still let them draw the game. I hope they continue to make these kinds of mistakes.
#MCICHE
#MCICHE
If the US Congress doesn't stop this, nowhere is safe. Not in other countries, and not in America either.
Watch this. Watch again.
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
January 4, 2026 at 2:23 AM
If the US Congress doesn't stop this, nowhere is safe. Not in other countries, and not in America either.
He's just stating it out loud, knowing that there will be no consequences.
All the world can do is cower and hope that enough powerful people in America still believe in a rights based global order.
But I'm not hopeful.
All the world can do is cower and hope that enough powerful people in America still believe in a rights based global order.
But I'm not hopeful.
Trump: "We're going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country. And we are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so."
January 3, 2026 at 5:16 PM
He's just stating it out loud, knowing that there will be no consequences.
All the world can do is cower and hope that enough powerful people in America still believe in a rights based global order.
But I'm not hopeful.
All the world can do is cower and hope that enough powerful people in America still believe in a rights based global order.
But I'm not hopeful.
Democracy is when a foreign power sees themselves as having the right to be very much involved in deciding who the leader of your country can be. 🙃
Fox: “What do you think is next for the Venezuelan people?”
Trump: “We’re making that decision now. We can’t take a chance on letting somebody else run and just take over where he left off.
“We’ll be very much involved, and we want to bring liberty for the people.”
Trump: “We’re making that decision now. We can’t take a chance on letting somebody else run and just take over where he left off.
“We’ll be very much involved, and we want to bring liberty for the people.”
January 3, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Democracy is when a foreign power sees themselves as having the right to be very much involved in deciding who the leader of your country can be. 🙃
A lot of people forget how in 2004 the Bush regime kidnapped the democratically elected President of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and dumped him in Africa.
Is there any modern precedent for abducting a head of state?
Plenty of examples of coups, assassinations and domestic trials, including show trials, but this is like a Crusader Kings plot.
Plenty of examples of coups, assassinations and domestic trials, including show trials, but this is like a Crusader Kings plot.
January 3, 2026 at 2:36 PM
A lot of people forget how in 2004 the Bush regime kidnapped the democratically elected President of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and dumped him in Africa.
I too remember the good old days when these folks would try to convince us that they were the standard bearers of "objectivity" in reporting.
Nicolas Maduro's heavy-handed rule in Venezuela is finally ended by Trump reut.rs/3YWbo3K
Nicolas Maduro's heavy-handed rule in Venezuela is finally ended by Trump
Nicolas Maduro ruled Venezuela with a heavy hand for more than 12 years, presiding over deep economic and social crises and resisting pressure from domestic opponents and foreign governments for political change.
reut.rs
January 3, 2026 at 2:23 PM
I too remember the good old days when these folks would try to convince us that they were the standard bearers of "objectivity" in reporting.
"and support a peaceful and democratic transition"
Trump illegally attacks a foreign nation and the EU just acts like the only important thing is the process of the looting and pillaging after.
Trump will feel very validated by this approval of his actions.
Trump illegally attacks a foreign nation and the EU just acts like the only important thing is the process of the looting and pillaging after.
Trump will feel very validated by this approval of his actions.
Following very closely the situation in Venezuela.
We stand by the people of Venezuela and support a peaceful and democratic transition.
Any solution must respect international law and the UN Charter.
We stand by the people of Venezuela and support a peaceful and democratic transition.
Any solution must respect international law and the UN Charter.
January 3, 2026 at 2:09 PM
"and support a peaceful and democratic transition"
Trump illegally attacks a foreign nation and the EU just acts like the only important thing is the process of the looting and pillaging after.
Trump will feel very validated by this approval of his actions.
Trump illegally attacks a foreign nation and the EU just acts like the only important thing is the process of the looting and pillaging after.
Trump will feel very validated by this approval of his actions.
And unlike with Venezuela, a successful attack on Cuba will be very popular with the right wing, and a lot of the left too.
And I don’t want to sound conspiratorial, but if they feel like they can do this in Venezuela without any serious consequences, they’re absolutely going to try it in Cuba too.
January 3, 2026 at 1:55 PM
And unlike with Venezuela, a successful attack on Cuba will be very popular with the right wing, and a lot of the left too.
I wish Mamdani all the success in the world, not because it will convince people like Mark Levin, but because it'll show liberals a way to govern while adhering to genuine leftist principles.
January 2, 2026 at 6:52 PM
I wish Mamdani all the success in the world, not because it will convince people like Mark Levin, but because it'll show liberals a way to govern while adhering to genuine leftist principles.
January 1, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Reposted by Dr. Mansa Keita
If you count an idiosyncratic river in Australia*, the letter combination "ough" has 11 distinct pronunciations in English.
December 30, 2025 at 11:34 PM
If you count an idiosyncratic river in Australia*, the letter combination "ough" has 11 distinct pronunciations in English.
Today I learned how to correctly pronounce the word "opaque".
I can't with this language fam. 😔
I can't with this language fam. 😔
December 30, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Today I learned how to correctly pronounce the word "opaque".
I can't with this language fam. 😔
I can't with this language fam. 😔
Reposted by Dr. Mansa Keita
Somehow we’ve ended up in a position where the richest most powerful people in the world are innocent benevolent bystanders while a college professor with no tenure is part of a decadent and corrupt establishment that controls everything
The perfect Yglesias post: declaring “billionaires are good, actually,” as if it was some bold, counterintuitive take.
December 29, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Somehow we’ve ended up in a position where the richest most powerful people in the world are innocent benevolent bystanders while a college professor with no tenure is part of a decadent and corrupt establishment that controls everything
Controversial opinion: in a Democratic society, the continued existence of billionaires is a failure of the electorate.
December 29, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Controversial opinion: in a Democratic society, the continued existence of billionaires is a failure of the electorate.
The trick behind this argument from the right has always been that the offensive speech is about truth/false, rather than social values.
e.g: back on Twitter, Nik argued against the view that black slaves deserved credit for fighting for abolition. That's not about truth, but whose voice matters.
e.g: back on Twitter, Nik argued against the view that black slaves deserved credit for fighting for abolition. That's not about truth, but whose voice matters.
December 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The trick behind this argument from the right has always been that the offensive speech is about truth/false, rather than social values.
e.g: back on Twitter, Nik argued against the view that black slaves deserved credit for fighting for abolition. That's not about truth, but whose voice matters.
e.g: back on Twitter, Nik argued against the view that black slaves deserved credit for fighting for abolition. That's not about truth, but whose voice matters.
White to play and win by force.
December 26, 2025 at 1:57 AM
White to play and win by force.
Who found a 9 move smothered mate sequence in a chess game?
Me, I did that. 🙂
Me, I did that. 🙂
December 25, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Who found a 9 move smothered mate sequence in a chess game?
Me, I did that. 🙂
Me, I did that. 🙂
One thing I've always struggled with is too many people seeing things I do, being impressed by those things, then walking away with the conclusion: "therefore it must be easy to do".
🧵
🧵
December 22, 2025 at 6:14 PM
One thing I've always struggled with is too many people seeing things I do, being impressed by those things, then walking away with the conclusion: "therefore it must be easy to do".
🧵
🧵
It's so ugly when you see it all laid out, and realize this still just covers a fraction of the racist things Trump's admin has done.
Project 2025 replaces hyper-qualified Black people in government with unqualified white people, mostly white men.
Project 2025 is a Christian White Nationalist government overhaul. The racist policy platform is already 50% implemented. Bookmark this: project2025.observer/en
Project 2025 is a Christian White Nationalist government overhaul. The racist policy platform is already 50% implemented. Bookmark this: project2025.observer/en
December 21, 2025 at 5:46 PM
It's so ugly when you see it all laid out, and realize this still just covers a fraction of the racist things Trump's admin has done.
Went to a function and someone was going on about how they could beat anyone at chess.
I regret no longer keeping a chess set in my car 😭
I regret no longer keeping a chess set in my car 😭
December 21, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Went to a function and someone was going on about how they could beat anyone at chess.
I regret no longer keeping a chess set in my car 😭
I regret no longer keeping a chess set in my car 😭