David Kirtley
@dvdkirtley.bsky.social
Bookworm, non-fiction. Proud member of the reality-based community, and host of the woke mind virus.
Reposted by David Kirtley
OTD in 1975 Hannah Arendt died.
"The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact & fiction and the distinction between true & false no longer exist".
"The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact & fiction and the distinction between true & false no longer exist".
December 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
OTD in 1975 Hannah Arendt died.
"The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact & fiction and the distinction between true & false no longer exist".
"The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact & fiction and the distinction between true & false no longer exist".
Reposted by David Kirtley
All I want for Christmas is for the worst people in the world to experience some consequences
December 3, 2025 at 8:03 PM
All I want for Christmas is for the worst people in the world to experience some consequences
Reposted by David Kirtley
Reminder of who the real threat was, and who the threat has never been.
Maybe today should be a day of atonement.
Maybe today should be a day of atonement.
November 27, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reminder of who the real threat was, and who the threat has never been.
Maybe today should be a day of atonement.
Maybe today should be a day of atonement.
Reposted by David Kirtley
I had terrifying conversations with four former CDC officials, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Dr. Debra Houry, Dr. Dan Jernigan, and Dr. Nikki Romanik, about the formerly prestigious public health agency.
All of them told me that any information coming out of the CDC can no longer be trusted.
All of them told me that any information coming out of the CDC can no longer be trusted.
November 21, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I had terrifying conversations with four former CDC officials, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Dr. Debra Houry, Dr. Dan Jernigan, and Dr. Nikki Romanik, about the formerly prestigious public health agency.
All of them told me that any information coming out of the CDC can no longer be trusted.
All of them told me that any information coming out of the CDC can no longer be trusted.
Reposted by David Kirtley
Reposted by David Kirtley
Happy 5th anniversary to the funniest thing that’s happened in the history of ever
November 6, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Happy 5th anniversary to the funniest thing that’s happened in the history of ever
Reposted by David Kirtley
There’s no reason ever again for any Democrat to suggest moderating on trans rights. There was never a moral reason but now there’s no political reason either.
Somebody tell Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg. it’s joe-ver.
Somebody tell Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg. it’s joe-ver.
November 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
There’s no reason ever again for any Democrat to suggest moderating on trans rights. There was never a moral reason but now there’s no political reason either.
Somebody tell Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg. it’s joe-ver.
Somebody tell Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg. it’s joe-ver.
Reposted by David Kirtley
"Speaker Johnson, it looks as though the president is currently stabbing you with a knife. Do you have any comment?"
"Well, look, this is the first I'm hearing about it. As you know, I've been really busy not doing my job, so I just don't know enough about this alleged stabbing to make a comment."
"Well, look, this is the first I'm hearing about it. As you know, I've been really busy not doing my job, so I just don't know enough about this alleged stabbing to make a comment."
November 4, 2025 at 12:01 AM
"Speaker Johnson, it looks as though the president is currently stabbing you with a knife. Do you have any comment?"
"Well, look, this is the first I'm hearing about it. As you know, I've been really busy not doing my job, so I just don't know enough about this alleged stabbing to make a comment."
"Well, look, this is the first I'm hearing about it. As you know, I've been really busy not doing my job, so I just don't know enough about this alleged stabbing to make a comment."
Reposted by David Kirtley
Let me put this as simply as possible: If the 60 Minutes editorial team cuts out most of their interview with Trump to make him look his best, and he still comes across as completely demented, then it is extremely likely that Trump actually is completely demented.
November 3, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Let me put this as simply as possible: If the 60 Minutes editorial team cuts out most of their interview with Trump to make him look his best, and he still comes across as completely demented, then it is extremely likely that Trump actually is completely demented.
Reposted by David Kirtley
it's time for journos to start asking Johnson meta questions
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
November 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
it's time for journos to start asking Johnson meta questions
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
Reposted by David Kirtley
it will never not be odd that 80 percent of america lives in cities but the only real americans are the rural ones
October 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM
it will never not be odd that 80 percent of america lives in cities but the only real americans are the rural ones
That's no moon.
October 27, 2025 at 5:18 PM
That's no moon.
Good thread
This two-parter below is exactly why it's hard to make clothes in the United States.
Let's look at how much it costs to produce a button-up shirt in the US. 🧵
Let's look at how much it costs to produce a button-up shirt in the US. 🧵
October 12, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Good thread
Reposted by David Kirtley
So Pete Hegseth is getting gender affirming care while kicking highly qualified, highly trained trans service members out of our military? Got it.
October 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
So Pete Hegseth is getting gender affirming care while kicking highly qualified, highly trained trans service members out of our military? Got it.
Reposted by David Kirtley
I am writing this because it has swiftly become crystal clear to me that many people have no idea what is happening or how this works. Here is a thread for non-academics to put into context what just happened to Dr. Mark Bray, a fellow historian.
October 10, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I am writing this because it has swiftly become crystal clear to me that many people have no idea what is happening or how this works. Here is a thread for non-academics to put into context what just happened to Dr. Mark Bray, a fellow historian.
Trump Watches, not even right two times a day.
October 9, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Trump Watches, not even right two times a day.
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Real post on another network:
September 26, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Real post on another network:
Reposted by David Kirtley
Left: Wow. We need gun reform.
Right: Wow. We need to put the left in concentration camps.
Media: Ok. It's time for the the left to bring down the political temperature here. Enough is enough.
Right: Wow. We need to put the left in concentration camps.
Media: Ok. It's time for the the left to bring down the political temperature here. Enough is enough.
September 25, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Left: Wow. We need gun reform.
Right: Wow. We need to put the left in concentration camps.
Media: Ok. It's time for the the left to bring down the political temperature here. Enough is enough.
Right: Wow. We need to put the left in concentration camps.
Media: Ok. It's time for the the left to bring down the political temperature here. Enough is enough.
Reposted by David Kirtley
Dr. Susan Monarez: “I could have stayed silent, agreed to the demands, and no one would have known. What the public would have seen were scientists dismissed without cause and vaccine protections quietly eroded…I would have lost the one thing that cannot be replaced: My integrity.”
September 17, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Dr. Susan Monarez: “I could have stayed silent, agreed to the demands, and no one would have known. What the public would have seen were scientists dismissed without cause and vaccine protections quietly eroded…I would have lost the one thing that cannot be replaced: My integrity.”
Reposted by David Kirtley
Welcome to Trump’s America, where they fire Karen Attiah and Matthew Dowd for pointing out Charlie Kirk’s right-wing extremism and applaud Brian Kilmeade for suggesting we murder the homeless.
September 15, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Welcome to Trump’s America, where they fire Karen Attiah and Matthew Dowd for pointing out Charlie Kirk’s right-wing extremism and applaud Brian Kilmeade for suggesting we murder the homeless.
Reposted by David Kirtley
This post that a friend of my partner's shared on FB potentially explains the Kristin Chenoweth thing, and is frightening.
September 13, 2025 at 8:59 AM
This post that a friend of my partner's shared on FB potentially explains the Kristin Chenoweth thing, and is frightening.
Reposted by David Kirtley
"…and Magda Goebbels made a great strudel.”
September 13, 2025 at 3:27 PM
"…and Magda Goebbels made a great strudel.”
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Set aside Sen. Mike Lee's storm of lies and incitement here. Lee literally made jokes on Twitter about the fmr Speaker of the Minnesota state house being murdered in her home by a right wing extremist. Hard to imagine any more twisted and malicious person in public life.
September 13, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Set aside Sen. Mike Lee's storm of lies and incitement here. Lee literally made jokes on Twitter about the fmr Speaker of the Minnesota state house being murdered in her home by a right wing extremist. Hard to imagine any more twisted and malicious person in public life.
Reposted by David Kirtley
It really cements Charlie Kirk’s reputation as a hero of free speech when his followers threaten, doxx, and get people fired for not “mourning properly.”
(Actually, it underlines what a scam that “free speech” routine was in the first place.)
(Actually, it underlines what a scam that “free speech” routine was in the first place.)
Charlie Kirk's allies warn Americans: Mourn him properly or else
After the fatal shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, U.S. Republicans have a warning for Americans: Mourn him respectfully or suffer the consequences.
www.reuters.com
September 13, 2025 at 11:05 PM
It really cements Charlie Kirk’s reputation as a hero of free speech when his followers threaten, doxx, and get people fired for not “mourning properly.”
(Actually, it underlines what a scam that “free speech” routine was in the first place.)
(Actually, it underlines what a scam that “free speech” routine was in the first place.)