Josh V
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bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Josh V
@bruiserchgo.bsky.social
410 followers 240 following 1.5K posts
Chicagoan, liberal, LGBT, tech, gaming, etc.
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bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Distracted boyfriend meme: Girl on left labeled “Venezuela”. Guy in middle looking at girl on left labeled “USA”. Annoyed girl on right looking at guy labeled “Mid East”.
November 24, 2025 at 10:38 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
What is this crap? So tired of these fundraising texts. There seems to be an endless supply of these organizations, no matter how many times you STOP or block.
October 18, 2025 at 5:54 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
How articulate people (like Shapiro) get away with making bad arguments. www.samwoolfe.com/2021/11/art-...
I am not focusing only on Shapiro and Peterson here in an effort to peddle an anti-conservative narrative. Rhetoricians exist across the spectrum of ideology and political beliefs. However, because Shapiro and Peterson are, by many people, held up as paragons of rationality, I think it's useful to examine how they both actually heavily rely on rhetoric to cover up their bad ideas and poor argumentation. One rhetorical technique they both use, which attracts so many people to them as the voices of reason in an irrational world, is the way they articulate their ideas. Before looking at the powers of articulation, however, here are some examples of Shapiro and Peterson's dubious ideas and other rhetorical devices used to support them. Despite Shapiro holding dearly onto his mantra "facts don't care about your feelings", the conservative commentator repeatedly contradicts himself (so what are the facts he holds to be true?) and makes feelings-based arguments, either expressing his own feelings to make a point or stoking emotional reactions in others through the use of inflammatory language and insults. Robinson ends the piece by saying that what annoys him about Shapiro is that he "is lying to his audience, by telling them that he is just a person concerned with the Truth, when the only thing he actually cares about is destroying the left." And that the mantra "facts don't care about your feelings" is "worthless if you're going to interpret every last fact in the way most favorable to your own preconceptions, if you're going to ignore evidence contrary to your position, and refuse to try to understand what your opponents actually believe." In other words, Shapiro cares about convincing others he's right but not actually being right. goes on to write that "This man's ongoing popularity may be a sad comment on the quality of our public discourse," although I think this also speaks to the perennial influence of rhetoric. There have always been ways to conceal the shoddiness of bad ideas, and wearing and promoting the presentation of the Facts and Logic Guy is just one manifestation of that. In an earlier piece for Current Affairs, Robinson addresses some of Shapiro's other controversial, apparently purely fact-based claims, such as that racism is not a serious problem facing black people and that an issue like the black-white wealth gap "has nothing to do with race and everything to do with culture", with Robinson highlighting the pertinent facts Shapiro leaves out, which contradict his positions on racism.
September 16, 2025 at 7:57 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
I don’t think it was the quote, but the references to white men and White America that did. Maybe the quote was the cherry on top.

Nothing she says here is wrong, certainly not something she should get fired for.
Karen Attiah • @karenattiah.bsky.social Because America, especially white America is not going to do what it needs to do to get rid of the guns in their country. It will be thoughts and prayers, "violence has no place" out of a performance of goodness, not out of the resolve to convince their communities to disarm. September 10, 2025 at 6:05 PM Karen Attiah • @karenattiah.bsky.social For everyone saying political violence has no place in this country... Remember two Democratic legislators were shot in Minnesota just this year. And America shrugged and moved on. September 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM (Reply post) Karen Attiah •@karenattiah.bsky.social • 3d Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence. (Reply post) Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social • 3d Again. I don't care for empty rhetoric.
September 15, 2025 at 2:25 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
These are the mayors of cities Trump has sent or threatened to send troops and/or his federal goon squad to. Something seems a bit suspicious here but I can’t quite put my finger on it 🤔
Photo of Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. She is smiling, wearing a pearl necklace and earrings and dark suit in front of an American flag. Photo of LA mayor Karen Bass. She is smiling, standing behind a podium with a microphone, wearing a blue suit. Photo of Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson. He is smiling, standing at a podium with his name on it, wearing a dark blue suit and tie. Photo of Memphis mayor Paul Young. He is smiling and wearing a dark blue suit. He is standing in front of a scale model of some sort, likely of part of Memphis but it’s not readily identifiable.
September 13, 2025 at 5:00 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Can’t say I disagree
“CARS RUIN CITIES” written in chalk on asphalt
August 31, 2025 at 8:54 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Man in Guy Fawkes mask, holding blades by his face forming a V, wearing a black hat
August 25, 2025 at 5:06 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Bluesky has a real issue with authentic users, or rather lack of them. Despite having over 300 followers I get minimal engagement on original skeets, compared to replies on other people’s skeets. And I think the majority of my followers are fake.
August 4, 2025 at 3:59 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
The researchers believe X is likely rife with inauthentic accounts, though it's impossible to tell the scope. Last year, researchers found a different network of Al-driven pro-Trump accounts on X. But there is no way to grasp the scale of their presence on the network. X disbanded much of its trust and safety team when billionaire Elon Musk bought the site in 2022 and has since made it significantly harder for researchers to access data.
July 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. This Berry Weiss would make a better ideological guide.
July 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
I got a fundraising email from @aoc.bsky.social and to my pleasant surprise, it wasn’t for her campaign or anyone else’s campaign, it was to support @trevorproject.bsky.social after the Trump regime’s latest shenanigans with the 988 suicide prevention crisis line. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🏳️‍🌈
Screenshot of email message: 1 message Before Pride Month ends. Since day one, Trump has been trying to erase LGBTQ folks: declaring that the United States only recognizes two sexes, reinstating the ban on trans service members in the military, and more. 1 Now the administration has announced that, starting next month, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline will no longer offer specialized support for LGTBQ+ people. The New Mork Times Trump Administration Will End L.G.B.T.Q. Suicide Prevention Service This specific service within the 988 suicide prevention hotline began after studies showed that the LGBTQ+ community suffers from disproportionately high suicide rates, and has been stewarded by The Trevor Project - a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth LGBTQ+ suicide prevention, whose empoyees are represented by the Communication Workers of America. So today, we're asking this community to support The Trevor Project, so they can continue saving lives with free, confidential, 24/7 services for LGBTQ+ youth, who are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers? The 988 hotline for LGBTQ+ youth receives an average of 2,100 contacts per day and has received over 1.3 million calls, text, and chats since 2022.3 Help us power this vital lifeline for so many of our nation's youth. Will you make a $5 contribution today to support The Trevor Project?
June 30, 2025 at 3:02 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
I’d say “unbelievable” not much rises to that level anymore. USDHS revokes temporary protected status from Haitian refugees, saying the country is safe now. This is going to result in people being sent to their deaths.
After conferring with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Haiti no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements. The Secretary's decision was based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the conditions in Haiti and in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Haitians can return home in safety. She further determined that permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States. Haitian nationals returning home are encouraged to use
June 27, 2025 at 6:39 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
How much time do we have before Emperor Trumpatine dissolves the Imperial Senate?
June 13, 2025 at 6:23 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Happy #Pride Chicago! Love, The Universe. 🌈
Photo of a double rainbow over some low rise city buildings
June 5, 2025 at 12:50 AM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Is she really?

And also no, there is nothing you can SAY. Probably nothing you can DO at this point to get me to donate to the DNC. I’ll support individual candidates directly who deserve it.
Screenshot of part of a text message with an image of Kamala Harris smiling, wearing a dark suit. Text reads: Kamala Harris is asking if there is ANYTHING we can say to convince you to donate to the Democratic National Committee --especially after today's vote?
May 22, 2025 at 8:55 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
I think I found at least one
April 9, 2025 at 9:23 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Musk has a well established history of over promising and under delivering. Why anyone thought he was going to fix our government is beyond me. Anyone who still thinks so, well I have a Cyberbridge to sell you.
April 6, 2025 at 11:12 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
I’m not an educational elitist—I kind of think the Ivies are a joke—but I’ve literally never heard of Stetson University. Makes me think of a cowboy hat 🤠
April 6, 2025 at 4:54 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Chicago #HandsOff
Group of protesters mostly with their backs to the camera. In the center is a bright yellow sign reading “Grab em by the Tesla’cles”
April 6, 2025 at 5:26 AM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Checks and balances? Have you looked around?!
Apple News Today Fri 7:02 AM On today's podcast: Are democratic checks and balances breaking down? Plus, hundreds of Social Security numbers were revealed in the JFK files.
March 23, 2025 at 4:27 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
The largest union for federal employees is encouraging a NO vote
But in a letter to senators on Wednesday, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)-the nation's largest federal workers' union-stressed that this is not a typical shutdown fight. "AFGE's position until this year has been that although continuing resolutions are far from ideal, they are better than an outright government shutdown," wrote Everett Kelley, the union's president. "This year is different... The Trump administration has repeatedly demonstrated over the last seven weeks that it will not spend appropriated funds as the law dictates, including funds provided under the current continuing resolution that was enacted in December with AFGE's support." Kelley went on to reject the notion that a vote against the GOP bill is a vote in favor of a shutdown, noting that Congress still has time to pass a short-term continuing resolution and that "we only find ourselves in the current predicament because of the Republican leadership's steadfast refusal to engage in sincere steadfast refusal to engage in sincere bipartisan negotiations on this or any issue since December." "With thousands of federal workers either fired, placed on administrative leave, or at immediate risk of losing their jobs, AFGE members have concluded that a widespread government shutdown has been underway since January 20 and will continue to spread whether senators vote yes or no on H.R. 1968," Kelley wrote. "Under the current CR, federal workers are being treated no better than they will be if government funding ceases Friday night." "Only a return to the negotiating table can prevent the government-wide debacle that we see every day," he added. "A yes vote on H.R. 1968 eliminates one of the last opportunities for Congress to assert any rights under Article I of the Constitution."
March 14, 2025 at 3:17 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
This is what Reagan had to say in his farewell address about that shining city…
And that's about all I have to say tonight, except for one thing. The past few days when I've been at that window upstairs, I've thought a bit of the ``shining city upon a hill.'' The phrase comes from John Winthrop, who wrote it to describe the America he imagined. What he imagined was important because he was an early Pilgrim, an early freedom man. He journeyed here on what today we'd call a little wooden boat; and like the other Pilgrims, he was looking for a home that would be free. I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it, and see it still. And how stands the city on this winter night? More prosperous, more secure, and happier than it was 8 years ago. But more than that: After 200 years, two centuries, she still stands strong and true on the granite ridge, and her glow has held steady no matter what storm. And she's still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.
March 12, 2025 at 8:54 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Only 75%?!
February 27, 2025 at 3:42 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
Look, both sides push boundaries, ok?
Screenshot of notification: Today's Podcast News Today How Biden is testing the limit of presidential powers in his final days Screenshot of notification Apple News In Conversation Trump is testing the boundaries of executive power. Are his actions legal? Listen on this week's podcast.
February 23, 2025 at 5:09 PM
bruiserchgo.bsky.social
This ad from @ourcommoncause.bsky.social was approved by the @washingtonpost.com as a wrap on their print edition. Until it suddenly wasn’t. Wonder why that is? Anyway, let’s make sure as many people as possible see it. FireMusk.org
Image of an ad: Elon Musk is pictured behind the White House. Text reads: "Who’s running this country: Donald Trump or Elon Musk? Since day one, Elon has created chaos and confusion and put our livelihoods at risk. And he is accountable to no one but himself. The Constitution only allows for one president at a time. Call your Senators and tell them it’s time Donald Trump fire Elon Musk. No one elected Elon Musk. FireMusk.org.” Footer includes logos of Common Cause and SPLC Action Fund.
February 19, 2025 at 6:19 PM