Sonya Lea
@sonyalea.bsky.social
Out now! AMERICAN BLOODLINES: Reckoning With Lynch Culture | WONDERING WHO YOU ARE | Substack: WANDERLAND | | writer, writing mentor.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
I heard from a bunch of federal employees last night and this morning. They aren't happy.
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
'A Slap in the Face': Federal Employees Feel Betrayed by Democrats' Shutdown Cave
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something."
www.gravityisgone.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM
I heard from a bunch of federal employees last night and this morning. They aren't happy.
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
Reposted by Sonya Lea
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
Americans are out here being tased, shot with rubber bullets, and gulping tear gas to stand up for the rights of marginalized folks, but sure, fold to Trump if you don't have the guts to fight.
@hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @gallego.senate.gov
@hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @gallego.senate.gov
Not a political consultant but I’m not sure “standing up to trump doesn’t work” is the best midterm message, even if if accurately represents senate dems position. Not much point in putting you in power then bsky.app/profile/atru...
Sen. Angus King: "Standing up to Donald Trump didn't work"
November 10, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Americans are out here being tased, shot with rubber bullets, and gulping tear gas to stand up for the rights of marginalized folks, but sure, fold to Trump if you don't have the guts to fight.
@hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @gallego.senate.gov
@hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @gallego.senate.gov
Reposted by Sonya Lea
New in PN: Trump couldn't (legitimately) win a third term If he tried
"What’s astonishing about the media’s 'third term' coverage is how it doesn’t clearly state the obvious: Voters are openly rejecting Trump, as seen in poll after poll."
"What’s astonishing about the media’s 'third term' coverage is how it doesn’t clearly state the obvious: Voters are openly rejecting Trump, as seen in poll after poll."
Trump couldn't (legitimately) win a third term If he tried
The emperor has no polls.
www.publicnotice.co
October 31, 2025 at 11:58 AM
New in PN: Trump couldn't (legitimately) win a third term If he tried
"What’s astonishing about the media’s 'third term' coverage is how it doesn’t clearly state the obvious: Voters are openly rejecting Trump, as seen in poll after poll."
"What’s astonishing about the media’s 'third term' coverage is how it doesn’t clearly state the obvious: Voters are openly rejecting Trump, as seen in poll after poll."
Reposted by Sonya Lea
"If you're a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?" Billie Eilish speaking directly to Mark Zuckerberg, as she donates $11.5m to food poverty and climate justice organisations.
'Give your money away,' Billie Eilish tells billionaires
The singer called on the mega wealthy to donate more to charity, during a speech at the WSJ Awards attended by the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and George Lucas.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 8:28 AM
"If you're a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?" Billie Eilish speaking directly to Mark Zuckerberg, as she donates $11.5m to food poverty and climate justice organisations.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
NEW: The states with the highest proportion of people relying on disability benefits are West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama — all states that lack their own aid programs for workers to turn to amid federal cuts.
Red State Workers Could Lose Out on Disability Benefits as Trump Administration Rewrites Eligibility Rules
Planned changes to Social Security’s disability program could leave hundreds of thousands of older blue-collar workers ineligible for aid. These changes would fall disproportionately on some of Presid...
www.propublica.org
October 31, 2025 at 10:12 AM
NEW: The states with the highest proportion of people relying on disability benefits are West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama — all states that lack their own aid programs for workers to turn to amid federal cuts.
I'll be joining Dr. Martha S. Jones, The Trouble of Color, along with Johnisha Matthews Levi, Numbers Up: Cracking the Code of an American Family, and Dr. James B. Wells, Because: A CIA Coverup & A Son's Odyssey To Find The Father He Never Knew, for the Kentucky Book Festival.
See you Nov 1st!
See you Nov 1st!
October 31, 2025 at 11:06 AM
I'll be joining Dr. Martha S. Jones, The Trouble of Color, along with Johnisha Matthews Levi, Numbers Up: Cracking the Code of an American Family, and Dr. James B. Wells, Because: A CIA Coverup & A Son's Odyssey To Find The Father He Never Knew, for the Kentucky Book Festival.
See you Nov 1st!
See you Nov 1st!
Reposted by Sonya Lea
I wrote about how Border Patrol taking the lead in immigration operations mirrors a shift that happens often in concentration-camp regimes, including Nazi Germany, and some ways we can respond.
When bad things get worse
Border Patrol, ICE, and the repetition of grim history.
degenerateart.beehiiv.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:53 AM
I wrote about how Border Patrol taking the lead in immigration operations mirrors a shift that happens often in concentration-camp regimes, including Nazi Germany, and some ways we can respond.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
A friend recently told me that they didn’t think ICE would deploy tear gas in well to do neighborhoods with a high density of white people. I understood their thinking, but disagreed. Today, they gassed Lakeview. Nothing is off limits to these people.
October 24, 2025 at 10:45 PM
A friend recently told me that they didn’t think ICE would deploy tear gas in well to do neighborhoods with a high density of white people. I understood their thinking, but disagreed. Today, they gassed Lakeview. Nothing is off limits to these people.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
Mayor Johnson is cooking
October 25, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Mayor Johnson is cooking
Reposted by Sonya Lea
October 25, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by Sonya Lea
The post from the Reagan Foundation is just complete gibberish.
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
October 25, 2025 at 2:42 PM
The post from the Reagan Foundation is just complete gibberish.
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
Reposted by Sonya Lea
Your gentle reminder that Rep. Melissa Hortman was assassinated on June 14 and hardly anyone bothered to talk about it .
October 25, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Your gentle reminder that Rep. Melissa Hortman was assassinated on June 14 and hardly anyone bothered to talk about it .
Reposted by Sonya Lea
ICE detains mother dropping off child at elementary school—refuses to even look at her U.S. legal papers.
"What documents?" agent sarcastically replies—holding up the folder.
"The ones in your hands!" witnesses yell back.
Madison Elementary School in Santa Ana, California.
"What documents?" agent sarcastically replies—holding up the folder.
"The ones in your hands!" witnesses yell back.
Madison Elementary School in Santa Ana, California.
October 24, 2025 at 7:18 PM
ICE detains mother dropping off child at elementary school—refuses to even look at her U.S. legal papers.
"What documents?" agent sarcastically replies—holding up the folder.
"The ones in your hands!" witnesses yell back.
Madison Elementary School in Santa Ana, California.
"What documents?" agent sarcastically replies—holding up the folder.
"The ones in your hands!" witnesses yell back.
Madison Elementary School in Santa Ana, California.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
Let them eat ballrooms.
“.. perhaps the most cruel and unlawful offense the Trump administration has perpetrated yet — freezing funding already enacted into law to feed hungry Americans while he shovels tens of billions of dollars .. to Argentina and into his ballroom.”
@politico.com #SNAP
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
@politico.com #SNAP
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
October 25, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Let them eat ballrooms.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
Yeah, this is what I wrestle with -- a college freshman today was only nine when Trump first ran for president. They've grown up with him as a baseline, not an aberration.
It's odd for me to realize that my first-year undergraduates are at an age where they don't really remember that there was a form of US politics prior to Donald Trump. For them, Trump is not an aberration from the normal course of political discourse, but just how US politics is done.
October 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Yeah, this is what I wrestle with -- a college freshman today was only nine when Trump first ran for president. They've grown up with him as a baseline, not an aberration.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
If you are a service member or civil servant ordered to perform an operation in spite of concerns you raised about their legality, you have lawful options to blow the whistle. They do not involve leaking to the press.
Consult with qualified counsel. You can honor your Oath without breaking the law.
Consult with qualified counsel. You can honor your Oath without breaking the law.
Boat strikes put US service members in legal jeopardy:
"Some junior officers have asked military lawyers, known as judge advocates general or JAGs, for written sign-off before taking part in strikes .... It does not appear that such memos were furnished, said one of the people."
"Some junior officers have asked military lawyers, known as judge advocates general or JAGs, for written sign-off before taking part in strikes .... It does not appear that such memos were furnished, said one of the people."
Top Democrats demand details of spy agencies’ role in boat strikes
Democrats are demanding that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard share intelligence on lethal operations against alleged narcotics traffickers.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
If you are a service member or civil servant ordered to perform an operation in spite of concerns you raised about their legality, you have lawful options to blow the whistle. They do not involve leaking to the press.
Consult with qualified counsel. You can honor your Oath without breaking the law.
Consult with qualified counsel. You can honor your Oath without breaking the law.
"Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. At least two dozen citizens have reported being held for at least a day without access to a phone or a lawyer." They're blocking congress from ICE facilities because they don't want us to see how cruel this is.
Joint Congressional Investigation Launched in Response to ProPublica’s Revelations on Detained Americans
Senators, House members and even a mayor expressed outrage and demanded accountability after our investigation detailed how at least 170 citizens have been held by immigration agents this year.
www.propublica.org
October 25, 2025 at 6:08 PM
"Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. At least two dozen citizens have reported being held for at least a day without access to a phone or a lawyer." They're blocking congress from ICE facilities because they don't want us to see how cruel this is.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
“Over 170 U.S. Citizens are being arrested. Why? Because they look like me,” Rep. Robert Garcia of California said, referencing our reporting. “Or because they are suspected to not be a U.S. citizen, or because they are suspected of crimes they have not committed.”
Joint Congressional Investigation Launched in Response to ProPublica’s Revelations on Detained Americans
Senators, House members and even a mayor expressed outrage and demanded accountability after our investigation detailed how at least 170 citizens have been held by immigration agents this year.
www.propublica.org
October 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
“Over 170 U.S. Citizens are being arrested. Why? Because they look like me,” Rep. Robert Garcia of California said, referencing our reporting. “Or because they are suspected to not be a U.S. citizen, or because they are suspected of crimes they have not committed.”
Reposted by Sonya Lea
Reagan's approach to the world prominently featured two things:
1) Russian aggression bad, Western democratic alliance good
2) Free trade good, tariffs and other barriers to trade bad
Pretending it's the opposite is the sort of reality inversion only someone who rejects truth itself could buy.
1) Russian aggression bad, Western democratic alliance good
2) Free trade good, tariffs and other barriers to trade bad
Pretending it's the opposite is the sort of reality inversion only someone who rejects truth itself could buy.
October 25, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reagan's approach to the world prominently featured two things:
1) Russian aggression bad, Western democratic alliance good
2) Free trade good, tariffs and other barriers to trade bad
Pretending it's the opposite is the sort of reality inversion only someone who rejects truth itself could buy.
1) Russian aggression bad, Western democratic alliance good
2) Free trade good, tariffs and other barriers to trade bad
Pretending it's the opposite is the sort of reality inversion only someone who rejects truth itself could buy.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
🚨BREAKING: Virginia Democrats follow in California’s footsteps, and will hold a special legislative session to draw a new congressional map to counter the wave of aggressive Republican gerrymanders nationwide.
In Surprise Move, Virginia Dems Will Redistrict to Counter GOP Gerrymanders
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
October 23, 2025 at 9:19 PM
🚨BREAKING: Virginia Democrats follow in California’s footsteps, and will hold a special legislative session to draw a new congressional map to counter the wave of aggressive Republican gerrymanders nationwide.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
Next week! Can’t wait to talk about this book!
Looking forward to what's sure to be a powerful conversation with @megpillow.bsky.social in Louisville, Kentucky at the beautiful 21C! DM me for tickets.
October 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Next week! Can’t wait to talk about this book!
Looking forward to what's sure to be a powerful conversation with @megpillow.bsky.social in Louisville, Kentucky at the beautiful 21C! DM me for tickets.
October 22, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Looking forward to what's sure to be a powerful conversation with @megpillow.bsky.social in Louisville, Kentucky at the beautiful 21C! DM me for tickets.
I swear this entire Cabinet makes me think every day about Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence. Oh, for an governing body that embraces self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Instead, we have these little people.
The president has the maturity of a toddler and he has surrounded himself with other kiddies.
people.com/karoline-lea...
people.com/karoline-lea...
Karoline Leavitt Blasts Reporter by Posting Screenshot of His Private Texts. Now Her Bizarre Reply Is Going Viral
Karoline Leavitt is going viral for posting a private text exchange where she bashes White House correspondent S.V. Dáte.
people.com
October 22, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I swear this entire Cabinet makes me think every day about Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence. Oh, for an governing body that embraces self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Instead, we have these little people.
Reposted by Sonya Lea
Not to be cringe, but I'm surprised I am emotional seeing the East Wing demolition. My first job in DC was interning and going to meetings there regularly. I learned everything about it while giving guided tours. The beauty of the East Wing is that everyone can go there. It's America's house.
October 22, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Not to be cringe, but I'm surprised I am emotional seeing the East Wing demolition. My first job in DC was interning and going to meetings there regularly. I learned everything about it while giving guided tours. The beauty of the East Wing is that everyone can go there. It's America's house.