Midterminator
@midterminator.bsky.social
Protect the #midterms! The policy of the GOP, the oligarchs and the trolling felon in the WH looks like a preparation for rigging the midterm elections.
![https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Problem_We_All_Live_With#Reception
=== Reception ===
After the work was published, Rockwell received "sacks of disapproving mail", one letter accusing him of being a race traitor.
Bridges herself never met Rockwell, but as an adult expressed admiration for Rockwell's courage in creating the painting. “Here was a man that had been doing lots
of work, painting family images, and all of a sudden decided this is what I’m going to do…it’s wrong, and I’m going to say that it’s wrong…the mere fact that [Norman Rockwell] had enough courage to step up to the plate and say I’m going to make a statement, and he did it in a very powerful way…even though I had not had an opportunity to meet him, I commend him for that.”
=== Legacy ===
[image: Ruby Bridges and President Barack Obama view the painting in the White House. (video)]
At Bridges' suggestion, President Barack Obama had the painting installed in the White House, in a hallway outside the Oval Office, from July to October 2011. Art historian William Kloss stated, "The N-word there – it sure stops you. There's a realistic reason for having the graffiti as a slur, [but] it's also right in the middle of the painting. It's a painting that could not be hung even for a brief time in the public spaces [of the White House]. I'm pretty sure of that." Bridges and Obama viewed the painting together on July 15, 2011, and he told her, "I think it's fair to say that if it hadn't been for you guys, I might not be here and we wouldn't be looking at this together."
A copy of the painting was used to "dress" O. J. Simpson's house during his 1995 murder trial by defense attorney Johnnie Cochran. Cochran hoped to evoke the sympathy of visiting jurors, who were mostly black, by including "something depicting African-American history."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lftldd4k2bnecjcxja2zz2d7/bafkreicaah6fmkvj55lwc7aqyb7h3jmln7c2kjauiuri7ugtkyq6lr6ufa@jpeg)
November 16, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Will they ban Norman Rockwell too?
November 16, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Will they ban Norman Rockwell too?
@skywatch.bsky.social, again, please remove my account from your misleading list.
Because of Skywatch, there still are accounts believing that I support MAGA. Your list is flawed and probably does harm to many @Blueskyhelp.bsky.social accounts.
-> @support.bsky.team
Because of Skywatch, there still are accounts believing that I support MAGA. Your list is flawed and probably does harm to many @Blueskyhelp.bsky.social accounts.
-> @support.bsky.team
November 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
@skywatch.bsky.social, again, please remove my account from your misleading list.
Because of Skywatch, there still are accounts believing that I support MAGA. Your list is flawed and probably does harm to many @Blueskyhelp.bsky.social accounts.
-> @support.bsky.team
Because of Skywatch, there still are accounts believing that I support MAGA. Your list is flawed and probably does harm to many @Blueskyhelp.bsky.social accounts.
-> @support.bsky.team
![https://substack.com/home/post/p-176876503 contains a link to this letter.
«National Trust for Historic Preservation
October 21, 2025
Mr. William Scharf, Chair
National Capital Planning Commission
401 Ninth Street NW, Suite 500N
Washington, DC 20004
Ms. Jessica Bowron
Acting Director, National Park Service
National Park Service
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Ms. Billie Tsien, Chair
Commission of Fine Arts
401 F Street NW, Suite 312
Washington, DC 20001-2728
Re: Proposed Construction of White House Ballroom
Mr. Scharf, Ms. Bowron, and Ms. Tsien, [...]
[...] While the National Trust acknowledges the utility of a larger meeting space at the
White House, we are deeply concerned that the massing and height of the
proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself—it is 55,000
square feet—and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical
design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings. [...]
[...] Sincerely,
Dr. Carol Quillen
President and Chief Executive Officer»](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lftldd4k2bnecjcxja2zz2d7/bafkreic3d72c2o27h4cul625wgalya32b62xabnzpv5rdguiabqxfsxgy4@jpeg)
October 28, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Many US citizens still support the Republicans. And the Republicans strongly support Trump's atrocities.
Looking at the GOP and their voters, we now can understand better than ever before how Hitler could grab absolute power.
Looking at the GOP and their voters, we now can understand better than ever before how Hitler could grab absolute power.
October 28, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Many US citizens still support the Republicans. And the Republicans strongly support Trump's atrocities.
Looking at the GOP and their voters, we now can understand better than ever before how Hitler could grab absolute power.
Looking at the GOP and their voters, we now can understand better than ever before how Hitler could grab absolute power.
Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way,
"Elections Without Democracy
THE RISE OF COMPETITIVE AUTHORITARIANISM",
page 53,
Journal of Democracy Volume 13, Number 2 April 2002
#CompetitiveAuthoritarism #Authoritarism #Democracy #AntiFascism
scholar.harvard.edu/files/levits...
"Elections Without Democracy
THE RISE OF COMPETITIVE AUTHORITARIANISM",
page 53,
Journal of Democracy Volume 13, Number 2 April 2002
#CompetitiveAuthoritarism #Authoritarism #Democracy #AntiFascism
scholar.harvard.edu/files/levits...
![https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/levitsky/files/SL_elections.pdf
Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way, Elections Without Democracy - THE RISE OF COMPETITIVE AUTHORITARIANISM, page 53,
Journal of Democracy Volume 13, Number 2 April 2002
«[...] Competitive authoritarianism must be distinguished from democracy on the one hand and full-scale authoritarianism on the other. Modern democratic regimes all meet four minimum criteria:
1) Executives and legislatures are chosen through elections that are open, free, and fair;
2) virtually all adults possess the right to vote;
3) political rights and civil liberties, including freedom of the press, freedom of association, and freedom to criticize the government without reprisal, are broadly protected; and
4) elected authorities possess real authority to govern, in that they are not subject to the tutelary control of military or clerical leaders.
Although even fully democratic regimes may at times violate one or more of these criteria, such violations are not broad or systematic enough to seriously impede democratic challenges to incumbent governments. In other words, they do not fundamentally alter the playing field between government and opposition.
In competitive authoritarian regimes, by contrast, violations of these criteria are both frequent enough and serious enough to create an uneven playing field between government and opposition. Although elections are regularly held and are generally free of massive fraud, incumbents routinely abuse state resources, deny the opposition adequate media coverage, harass opposition candidates and their supporters, and in some cases manipulate electoral results. Journalists, opposition politicians, and other government critics may be spied on, threatened, harassed, or arrested. Members of the opposition may be jailed, exiled, or—less frequently—even assaulted or murdered. Regimes characterized by such abuses cannot be called democratic. [...]»](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lftldd4k2bnecjcxja2zz2d7/bafkreib4n5ylvym5flcfj36hdcdchhqb6gcc74xrvhug4xkcdqtbcsrak4@jpeg)
October 28, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way,
"Elections Without Democracy
THE RISE OF COMPETITIVE AUTHORITARIANISM",
page 53,
Journal of Democracy Volume 13, Number 2 April 2002
#CompetitiveAuthoritarism #Authoritarism #Democracy #AntiFascism
scholar.harvard.edu/files/levits...
"Elections Without Democracy
THE RISE OF COMPETITIVE AUTHORITARIANISM",
page 53,
Journal of Democracy Volume 13, Number 2 April 2002
#CompetitiveAuthoritarism #Authoritarism #Democracy #AntiFascism
scholar.harvard.edu/files/levits...
October 21, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Different necktie in August 2025.
October 18, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Different necktie in August 2025.
Often the small print is at least as important as the large print.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But to those who got triggered by it, the hoax might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But to those who got triggered by it, the hoax might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
October 15, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Often the small print is at least as important as the large print.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But to those who got triggered by it, the hoax might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But to those who got triggered by it, the hoax might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
Often the small print is at least as important as the large print.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But it might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But it might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
October 15, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Often the small print is at least as important as the large print.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But it might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
I am not sure whether I like that hoax or not. But it might work as an incentive to improve critical thinking.
Too many people get triggered by this. Keep your mind cool, your thinking critical and your resistance focused. Nothing should help the #RepublicanFelon and his gang to sabotage the midterm elections.
October 15, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Too many people get triggered by this. Keep your mind cool, your thinking critical and your resistance focused. Nothing should help the #RepublicanFelon and his gang to sabotage the midterm elections.
Some facts for the SCOTUS to consider: open.substack.com/pub/robertre...
October 10, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Some facts for the SCOTUS to consider: open.substack.com/pub/robertre...
Portlanders don't provide the Republicans with excuses for turning Portland into a war zone. They create friendly and entertaining #traininggrounds for Trumps ICE thugs as well as for those forces who don't like to be misused by the #RepublicanFelon.
#ICE #Portland #NationalGuard
#ICE #Portland #NationalGuard
October 4, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Portlanders don't provide the Republicans with excuses for turning Portland into a war zone. They create friendly and entertaining #traininggrounds for Trumps ICE thugs as well as for those forces who don't like to be misused by the #RepublicanFelon.
#ICE #Portland #NationalGuard
#ICE #Portland #NationalGuard
September 27, 2025 at 4:53 PM
"About the Chick on the Piano . . ."
Posted on Monday, February 29, 2016 by @dougwils.bsky.social: dougwils.com/books-and-cu...
Posted on Monday, February 29, 2016 by @dougwils.bsky.social: dougwils.com/books-and-cu...
September 27, 2025 at 3:13 PM
"About the Chick on the Piano . . ."
Posted on Monday, February 29, 2016 by @dougwils.bsky.social: dougwils.com/books-and-cu...
Posted on Monday, February 29, 2016 by @dougwils.bsky.social: dougwils.com/books-and-cu...
![https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Being_Right
The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument (also The Art of Controversy, or Eristic Dialectic: The Art of Winning an Argument; German: Eristische Dialektik: Die Kunst, Recht zu behalten; 1831) is an acidulous, sarcastic treatise written by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.[1] In it, Schopenhauer examines a total of thirty-eight methods of defeating one's opponent in a debate. He introduces his essay with the idea that philosophers have concentrated in ample measure on the rules of logic, but have not (especially since the time of Immanuel Kant) engaged with the darker art of the dialectic, of controversy. Whereas the purpose of logic is classically said to be a method of arriving at the truth, dialectic, says Schopenhauer, "... on the other hand, would treat of the intercourse between two rational beings who, because they are rational, ought to think in common, but who, as soon as they cease to agree like two clocks keeping exactly the same time, create a disputation, or intellectual contest."
... ... ...](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lftldd4k2bnecjcxja2zz2d7/bafkreici4khvtw2mvwklsgve2oudan5f565gyrcbgh6eoxwxvjjana2wwe@jpeg)
September 20, 2025 at 8:34 PM
September 11, 2025 5:20PM
Politically Motivated Violence Is Rare in the United States
By Alex Nowrasteh
Table 2 in www.cato.org/blog/politic...
Murders in Politically Motivated Terrorism, Excluding 9/11
(Data are in ALT text)
Politically Motivated Violence Is Rare in the United States
By Alex Nowrasteh
Table 2 in www.cato.org/blog/politic...
Murders in Politically Motivated Terrorism, Excluding 9/11
(Data are in ALT text)
September 20, 2025 at 10:18 AM
September 11, 2025 5:20PM
Politically Motivated Violence Is Rare in the United States
By Alex Nowrasteh
Table 2 in www.cato.org/blog/politic...
Murders in Politically Motivated Terrorism, Excluding 9/11
(Data are in ALT text)
Politically Motivated Violence Is Rare in the United States
By Alex Nowrasteh
Table 2 in www.cato.org/blog/politic...
Murders in Politically Motivated Terrorism, Excluding 9/11
(Data are in ALT text)
Strange. The TikTok video isn't related to the text. Is this disinformation by Breitbart on X?
![Breitbart News (on X)
@BreitbartNews
Rep. Ilhan Omar just shared this video repeatedly smearing Charlie Kirk and dancing on his grave, reposting someone endorsing "every" word in the clip. [...]maddenifico/status/1966307794438717513/video/1
"Kirk was a reprehensible human being... a stochastic terrorist... With his last dying words, he was spewing racist dog whistles. Charlie Kirk was Dr. Frankenstein, and his monster shot him through the neck."
From
Bill Madden
4:31 PM · Sep 12, 2025](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lftldd4k2bnecjcxja2zz2d7/bafkreihfzi7h52plgqel7l2knmhh4xhqt43m6n6xorcm5d5qpmqwx7l26i@jpeg)
September 16, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Strange. The TikTok video isn't related to the text. Is this disinformation by Breitbart on X?