Lauren Nelson
@laurennelson.bsky.social
I write things on the internet sometimes || formerly @snarkysmarty on Twitter || she/her/hers
I want every person in Congress worth a damn raising hell about the US intervening in Iran right now. RIGHT NOW. Trump doesn't want violence against peaceful protest? START AT FUCKING HOME.
January 9, 2026 at 3:56 AM
I want every person in Congress worth a damn raising hell about the US intervening in Iran right now. RIGHT NOW. Trump doesn't want violence against peaceful protest? START AT FUCKING HOME.
I don't have the words for what's happening now. I keep having conversations with folks who are all utterly terrified (and I include myself in that group). What I can say without caveat is this:
It's ok to be scared. It's ok to be confused and unsure. But silence? Less so. 1/2
It's ok to be scared. It's ok to be confused and unsure. But silence? Less so. 1/2
January 8, 2026 at 8:13 PM
I don't have the words for what's happening now. I keep having conversations with folks who are all utterly terrified (and I include myself in that group). What I can say without caveat is this:
It's ok to be scared. It's ok to be confused and unsure. But silence? Less so. 1/2
It's ok to be scared. It's ok to be confused and unsure. But silence? Less so. 1/2
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
Vaccines keep kids out of ICUs.
Vaccines keep schools safe.
Vaccines. Save. Lives.
Vaccines keep schools safe.
Vaccines. Save. Lives.
January 5, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Vaccines keep kids out of ICUs.
Vaccines keep schools safe.
Vaccines. Save. Lives.
Vaccines keep schools safe.
Vaccines. Save. Lives.
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
Parent and pediatrician here.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.
January 5, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Parent and pediatrician here.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
arresting someone during a tv interview is crazy
they're claiming the arrest was for 'obstructing a roadway and failure to obey a lawful command' but it certainly looks like they just saw her talking to a reporter and said Oh that's enough of that
they're claiming the arrest was for 'obstructing a roadway and failure to obey a lawful command' but it certainly looks like they just saw her talking to a reporter and said Oh that's enough of that
What in the Gestapo is going on in Grand Rapids?
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
January 5, 2026 at 7:08 PM
arresting someone during a tv interview is crazy
they're claiming the arrest was for 'obstructing a roadway and failure to obey a lawful command' but it certainly looks like they just saw her talking to a reporter and said Oh that's enough of that
they're claiming the arrest was for 'obstructing a roadway and failure to obey a lawful command' but it certainly looks like they just saw her talking to a reporter and said Oh that's enough of that
Fuck Blue Apron. Just saw an ad from them that was 100% very obviously AI generated. Don’t give them your money.
January 5, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Fuck Blue Apron. Just saw an ad from them that was 100% very obviously AI generated. Don’t give them your money.
I did not have this on my bingo card.
UNSC will convene at Colombia's request - backed by China and Russia — today at 10am ET. UNSG Guterres has warned the U.S. action could set "a dangerous precedent".
China accused US of acting like a "world judge" by seizing Maduro, with Beijing set to confront Washington at the UN.
China accused US of acting like a "world judge" by seizing Maduro, with Beijing set to confront Washington at the UN.
January 5, 2026 at 1:55 PM
I did not have this on my bingo card.
If you're a Republican in Congress right now, how do you possibly tell your constituents that you have their back when you've been part of abdicating all Congressional powers?
January 5, 2026 at 1:53 PM
If you're a Republican in Congress right now, how do you possibly tell your constituents that you have their back when you've been part of abdicating all Congressional powers?
Me calling my kid: Are you taking history this year?
Her: No.
Me: Do you remember anything from previous history classes about the US acting in South America?
Her: I mean, we built the Panama Canal, right?
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Her: No.
Me: Do you remember anything from previous history classes about the US acting in South America?
Her: I mean, we built the Panama Canal, right?
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
January 3, 2026 at 7:24 PM
Me calling my kid: Are you taking history this year?
Her: No.
Me: Do you remember anything from previous history classes about the US acting in South America?
Her: I mean, we built the Panama Canal, right?
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Her: No.
Me: Do you remember anything from previous history classes about the US acting in South America?
Her: I mean, we built the Panama Canal, right?
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
I'll say it again: Venezuela is only the start. We are so royally fucked.
Trump on Sheinbaum: "The cartels are running Mexico. She's not running Mexico. We could be politically correct & nice and say, 'Oh, yes, she is.' No no. And I've asked her number times, 'Would you like us to take out the cartels?' ... something is gonna have to be done with Mexico."
January 3, 2026 at 2:56 PM
I'll say it again: Venezuela is only the start. We are so royally fucked.
More than half my timeline is folks waking up with a collective reaction of WTF.
January 3, 2026 at 1:49 PM
More than half my timeline is folks waking up with a collective reaction of WTF.
I need you to realize that, right this moment, someone in this administration is probably floating the idea of bringing back the draft sometime soon. Venezuela will not be the last target.
January 3, 2026 at 1:45 PM
I need you to realize that, right this moment, someone in this administration is probably floating the idea of bringing back the draft sometime soon. Venezuela will not be the last target.
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
It’s old-fashioned to defend mainstream journalism these days but some of the most reliable reporting from people actually on the ground will be the AP and Reuters the next 24 hours. Your Substack journalist writing takes will be using frontline reporting from them.
January 3, 2026 at 8:09 AM
It’s old-fashioned to defend mainstream journalism these days but some of the most reliable reporting from people actually on the ground will be the AP and Reuters the next 24 hours. Your Substack journalist writing takes will be using frontline reporting from them.
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
That is a lot of news to wake up to.
January 3, 2026 at 12:37 PM
That is a lot of news to wake up to.
Rightfully acknowledging climate change as fact and making an urgent and widespread transition to renewable energy could have prevented so many wars.
January 3, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Rightfully acknowledging climate change as fact and making an urgent and widespread transition to renewable energy could have prevented so many wars.
WTF are we doing? We spent decades royally fucking the Middle East and aligning with dangerous factions. It gave us Bin Laden and 9/11. Religious extremism might not be on the bingo card for South America, but righteous resentment is a helluva drug.
January 3, 2026 at 1:24 PM
WTF are we doing? We spent decades royally fucking the Middle East and aligning with dangerous factions. It gave us Bin Laden and 9/11. Religious extremism might not be on the bingo card for South America, but righteous resentment is a helluva drug.
This is so much worse than us going into Iraq.
January 3, 2026 at 1:19 PM
This is so much worse than us going into Iraq.
I want a US court to throw the cases against the Maduro out. If that can't happen, I want a jury to tell this administration to fuck all the way off. This is all such unmitigated bullshit.
January 3, 2026 at 1:17 PM
I want a US court to throw the cases against the Maduro out. If that can't happen, I want a jury to tell this administration to fuck all the way off. This is all such unmitigated bullshit.
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
This is a foolish question but how often does US Law Enforcement get involved in international regime changes
January 3, 2026 at 9:42 AM
This is a foolish question but how often does US Law Enforcement get involved in international regime changes
There's going to be a lot of chatter following what happened in Caracas about legality and wtf we're doing as a country. But it's the AFTER that's going to fuck things up, because that's ALWAYS when the US fucks up. We have NEVER stuck the landing on an exit following independent military action.
January 3, 2026 at 1:04 PM
There's going to be a lot of chatter following what happened in Caracas about legality and wtf we're doing as a country. But it's the AFTER that's going to fuck things up, because that's ALWAYS when the US fucks up. We have NEVER stuck the landing on an exit following independent military action.
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Shouldn’t have taken me this long, but my family didn’t watch a lot of stuff when I was growing up that challenged anything, but now I’m watching Ghosts of Mississippi and this should 100% be required viewing in high school history classes. 1/
January 2, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Shouldn’t have taken me this long, but my family didn’t watch a lot of stuff when I was growing up that challenged anything, but now I’m watching Ghosts of Mississippi and this should 100% be required viewing in high school history classes. 1/
Reposted by Lauren Nelson
4 yrs ago today, a family member managed a truly spectacular own goal, splintered his domestic bliss, & in the process, united the world for a day.
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
September 4, 2024 at 4:14 PM
4 yrs ago today, a family member managed a truly spectacular own goal, splintered his domestic bliss, & in the process, united the world for a day.
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga