Mark
@astrodad.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark
Putin sits in Moscow claiming that his armies have taken a town that the Ukrainian president is personally visiting. There are cowardly tyrants and there are courageous elected leaders and it is good to know the difference.
Putin said Russia had taken Kupiansk weeks ago.
Today, Zelenskyy visited Ukrainian troops there.
Today, Zelenskyy visited Ukrainian troops there.
December 12, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Putin sits in Moscow claiming that his armies have taken a town that the Ukrainian president is personally visiting. There are cowardly tyrants and there are courageous elected leaders and it is good to know the difference.
Reposted by Mark
💔 A European Parliament interpreter could not hold back tears during the speech of 11-year-old Roman Oleksiv from Lviv.
The boy survived a missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022, which killed his mother - it was the last time he saw her alive.
The boy survived a missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022, which killed his mother - it was the last time he saw her alive.
December 10, 2025 at 9:34 PM
💔 A European Parliament interpreter could not hold back tears during the speech of 11-year-old Roman Oleksiv from Lviv.
The boy survived a missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022, which killed his mother - it was the last time he saw her alive.
The boy survived a missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022, which killed his mother - it was the last time he saw her alive.
Reposted by Mark
Trump calls Somali immigrants “garbage.” His VP cheers him on. Meanwhile, families are being torn apart, asylum is being shut down, aid is being gutted, and the military is firing on survivors in the water.
Cruelty is becoming national policy—silence is complicity.
open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz...
Cruelty is becoming national policy—silence is complicity.
open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz...
Trump’s Dehumanization Campaign Is Becoming Normalized
A president who calls immigrants “garbage” is dangerous enough. A country that grows desensitized to it is even more frightening.
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Trump calls Somali immigrants “garbage.” His VP cheers him on. Meanwhile, families are being torn apart, asylum is being shut down, aid is being gutted, and the military is firing on survivors in the water.
Cruelty is becoming national policy—silence is complicity.
open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz...
Cruelty is becoming national policy—silence is complicity.
open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz...
Reposted by Mark
The new National Security Strategy is a propaganda document, designed to be widely read. It is also a performative suicide. Hard to think of another great power ever abdicating its influence so quickly and so publicly. It will be worth following the reactions around the world, not just in Europe.
Trump's national security strategy is out and some of the Europe sections are shocking. "...the growing influence of patriotic European parties indeed
gives cause for great optimism."
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
gives cause for great optimism."
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
December 5, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The new National Security Strategy is a propaganda document, designed to be widely read. It is also a performative suicide. Hard to think of another great power ever abdicating its influence so quickly and so publicly. It will be worth following the reactions around the world, not just in Europe.
Reposted by Mark
It's hard to over-state how important Trump admin subordination is to Putin, and not just because it hugely increases the pressure on Europe, above all on Ukraine. It's also because it gives Russia much more great power credibility, for which the Kremlin is absolutely desperate. 🧵
Both the Trump and Putin administrations like to think of themselves as hard-nosed realists - leaders in a world where great powers are the only stars that count. But Russia is China's dependent and Trump's US looks increasingly like Russia's junior partner. That's not very great power-like.
November 28, 2025 at 8:35 PM
It's hard to over-state how important Trump admin subordination is to Putin, and not just because it hugely increases the pressure on Europe, above all on Ukraine. It's also because it gives Russia much more great power credibility, for which the Kremlin is absolutely desperate. 🧵
Reposted by Mark
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
Journalists not allowed to repeat Rutger Bregman’s corruption claims against US president in coverage of edit
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:29 PM
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Reposted by Mark
Ukraine should accept no limits on its sovereignty that have not been accepted by other European countries. If it’s forced to do that, it will be accepting second class citizenship in Europe and the principle that Russia can treat it as a state with inferior rights
November 25, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Ukraine should accept no limits on its sovereignty that have not been accepted by other European countries. If it’s forced to do that, it will be accepting second class citizenship in Europe and the principle that Russia can treat it as a state with inferior rights
Reposted by Mark
Although the scale of this is still to be assessed, this is the inevitable outcome of the monetization of the algorithm. Rage-bait becomes a personal revenue model. Nothing about this should be a surprise.
NEWS: I spent the past 24 hours going through major MAGA accounts on Twitter, and a bombshell development has become clear: most of the right-wing ecosphere is being fed propaganda from foreign actors.
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
NEWS: Major MAGA Accounts on Twitter Exposed as Foreign Actors
A stunning development over the past 24 hours.
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Although the scale of this is still to be assessed, this is the inevitable outcome of the monetization of the algorithm. Rage-bait becomes a personal revenue model. Nothing about this should be a surprise.
Reposted by Mark
I expect to be reposting this every three months or so until the end of the Trump administration.
The more that members of the Trump administration talk, the more it sounds as if Plan A to stop the war was to coerce Ukraine into capitulation and Plan B was to keep repeating Plan A until it worked. When it became apparent that wasn't going to happen, they were out of ideas.
November 22, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I expect to be reposting this every three months or so until the end of the Trump administration.
Reposted by Mark
Some notable things in what's being called the "Trump peace plan" but which could not have been more clearly written in Moscow if it came with a 2 for 1 deal on tickets to the Bolshoi Ballet. 🧵
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Some notable things in what's being called the "Trump peace plan" but which could not have been more clearly written in Moscow if it came with a 2 for 1 deal on tickets to the Bolshoi Ballet. 🧵
Reposted by Mark
Well, we finally have an answer about what MAGA believes. It has one and only one philosophical position, and that is that Trump’s lies about having nothing to do with Epstein must be accepted unquestioningly. It’s the whole movement distilled.
November 15, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Well, we finally have an answer about what MAGA believes. It has one and only one philosophical position, and that is that Trump’s lies about having nothing to do with Epstein must be accepted unquestioningly. It’s the whole movement distilled.
Reposted by Mark
The story of the vote in the USA last night is that the Democrats have an amazing opportunity to retake the center ground of US politics and have a strong working majority--while forcing the GOP to the far right. If the Dems do not do this, they have only themselves to blame.
November 5, 2025 at 11:51 AM
The story of the vote in the USA last night is that the Democrats have an amazing opportunity to retake the center ground of US politics and have a strong working majority--while forcing the GOP to the far right. If the Dems do not do this, they have only themselves to blame.
Reposted by Mark
Trump is stooping so low that he’s gutting the federal Office of Special Education.
Attacking students with disabilities is wrong. Every child in America deserves a fair shot at success.
Attacking students with disabilities is wrong. Every child in America deserves a fair shot at success.
Amid shutdown, Trump administration guts department overseeing special education
Multiple sources tell NPR that as part of the Trump administration's latest reduction-in-force, the U.S. Department of Education has gutted the office that handles special education.
www.npr.org
October 14, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Trump is stooping so low that he’s gutting the federal Office of Special Education.
Attacking students with disabilities is wrong. Every child in America deserves a fair shot at success.
Attacking students with disabilities is wrong. Every child in America deserves a fair shot at success.
Reposted by Mark
Nineteen years ago, on October 7, 2006, Anna Politkovskaya was assassinated by Putin's hitmen.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
October 7, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Nineteen years ago, on October 7, 2006, Anna Politkovskaya was assassinated by Putin's hitmen.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
She was the first to tell the truth about Russia's mass crimes in Chechnya, which foreshadowed those in Syria, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere. They could have been prevented.
Almost no one listened to her.
Reposted by Mark
Here is a reporter who deserves to be remembered.
kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-jo...
kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-jo...
Ukrainian journalist Roshchyna posthumously named Press Freedom Hero
The IPI said Roshchyna's death on Sept. 19, 2024 "exposed the brutal treatment suffered by the dozens of Ukrainian journalists unjustly held by Russian authorities, and brought new urgency to the need...
kyivindependent.com
October 11, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Here is a reporter who deserves to be remembered.
kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-jo...
kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-jo...
Reposted by Mark
Just sent out this post. Three and a half years after Bucha, after mass child abductions started, after nightly attacks on civilians, the political strength of parties sympathetic to Russia (which is doing these things) is growing not declining. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Does Europe Really Want to Save Itself?
We will know Sooner Than Many Understand.
open.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Just sent out this post. Three and a half years after Bucha, after mass child abductions started, after nightly attacks on civilians, the political strength of parties sympathetic to Russia (which is doing these things) is growing not declining. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Reposted by Mark
The people who are sincerely in favor of freedom of expression will speak out now for the reporters.
🚨THIS IS A BIG DEAL. Chicago journalists are suing the Trump administration for using excessive force against reporters & protestors in violation of the 1A.
The press here is doing astounding work documenting how ICE is out of control. The violence they face in doing so is obscene.
The press here is doing astounding work documenting how ICE is out of control. The violence they face in doing so is obscene.
October 6, 2025 at 8:08 PM
The people who are sincerely in favor of freedom of expression will speak out now for the reporters.
Reposted by Mark
One of the lessons I discuss in "On Tyranny":
Listen for dangerous words.
Listen for dangerous words.
October 5, 2025 at 2:48 PM
One of the lessons I discuss in "On Tyranny":
Listen for dangerous words.
Listen for dangerous words.
Reposted by Mark
In any other country, if federal agents fired upon journalists when unprovoked — what would we call it?
If federal agents marched down streets demanding papers — what would we say?
Authoritarianism — let’s not pretend it’s something else when it happens in our American cities.
If federal agents marched down streets demanding papers — what would we say?
Authoritarianism — let’s not pretend it’s something else when it happens in our American cities.
September 30, 2025 at 12:01 AM
In any other country, if federal agents fired upon journalists when unprovoked — what would we call it?
If federal agents marched down streets demanding papers — what would we say?
Authoritarianism — let’s not pretend it’s something else when it happens in our American cities.
If federal agents marched down streets demanding papers — what would we say?
Authoritarianism — let’s not pretend it’s something else when it happens in our American cities.
Reposted by Mark
A new Europe Dispatch by @alanderminna.bsky.social just appeared (all free). She takes a rather controversial position on how Europe should respond to the Russian provocations involving the illegal flying of aircraft over NATO air space. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
To Shoot or Not To Shoot Down Russian Jets
Some probably unpopular opinions jn this week's Europe's Dispatch by Minna Ålander.
open.substack.com
September 25, 2025 at 9:14 AM
A new Europe Dispatch by @alanderminna.bsky.social just appeared (all free). She takes a rather controversial position on how Europe should respond to the Russian provocations involving the illegal flying of aircraft over NATO air space. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Reposted by Mark
This is the playbook, folks.
If you're not paying attention now and doing something about it, then you're going to have to sit down the rest of your life because democracy is being taken away.
Do not be quiet in this moment.
If you're not paying attention now and doing something about it, then you're going to have to sit down the rest of your life because democracy is being taken away.
Do not be quiet in this moment.
September 18, 2025 at 4:12 PM
This is the playbook, folks.
If you're not paying attention now and doing something about it, then you're going to have to sit down the rest of your life because democracy is being taken away.
Do not be quiet in this moment.
If you're not paying attention now and doing something about it, then you're going to have to sit down the rest of your life because democracy is being taken away.
Do not be quiet in this moment.
Reposted by Mark
A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say.
This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.
All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.
This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.
All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.
September 17, 2025 at 11:22 PM
A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say.
This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.
All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.
This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.
All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.
Reposted by Mark
I miss moderate centrists, who don’t claim to have all the answers, who don’t ascribe to either extreme ideologies or supposedly god-given rules to try and control other people, and who try to work together to settle problems aware of their own limitations. Where have they gone?
September 14, 2025 at 7:27 AM
I miss moderate centrists, who don’t claim to have all the answers, who don’t ascribe to either extreme ideologies or supposedly god-given rules to try and control other people, and who try to work together to settle problems aware of their own limitations. Where have they gone?
Reposted by Mark
I've written a lot about disordered discourse and counterpublics, but given recent events I want to cover a key part of disordered discourse, which I call the four pillars of disordered doubt.
September 9, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I've written a lot about disordered discourse and counterpublics, but given recent events I want to cover a key part of disordered discourse, which I call the four pillars of disordered doubt.
Reposted by Mark
European leaders speaking the truth to Trump, and not enabling his terrible lies, is a great thing and should be encouraged.
September 12, 2025 at 3:53 PM
European leaders speaking the truth to Trump, and not enabling his terrible lies, is a great thing and should be encouraged.