4/9/26 - 4/12/26
Apr. 12th, 2026 06:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydion* "The deadliest 10 minutes in decades: Lebanese reel from Israeli strikes that killed hundreds:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/09/lebanon-beirut-israel-strikes-hundreds-killed
******
* "Trump 'optimistic' about Iran peace deal even as ceasefire appears strained:" https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/trump-optimistic-iran-peace-deal-even-ceasefire-appears-strained-rcna267428
* "Trump says U.S. ready for ‘next conquest,’ warns military will remain near Iran until ‘real agreement’ is honored:" https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/09/trump-military-troops-iran-conflict-middle-east-hormuz.html
* "Trump lashes NATO after ‘frank and open’ Rutte meeting:" https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-lashes-nato-mark-rutte-meeting/
* "‘A very dangerous moment’: Kerry schools Trump on dealing with Iran:" https://www.ms.now/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/a-very-dangerous-moment-kerry-schools-trump-on-dealing-with-iran-2495845955552
* "Pentagon misleading public about deadly Kuwait base attack:" https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/military/pentagon-misleading-public-kuwait-base/
* "Iran maintains firm grip on Hormuz traffic:" https://www.semafor.com/article/04/09/2026/tehran-pauses-traffic-through-hormuz-strait-over-israels-lebanon-attacks
* "Keir Starmer: ‘I’m fed up’ with Trump and Putin affecting UK energy costs:" https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/09/keir-starmer-fed-up-trump-putin-uk-energy-costs.html
* "Manila’s transport workers struggle to make ends meet as Philippines feels force of oil crisis:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/31/manilas-transport-workers-struggle-to-make-ends-meet-as-philippines-feels-force-of-oil-crisis
* "Photos show the effects of the Iran war on global energy worldwide:" https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/iran-war-global-energy-crisis-0e48cb06f3e04e18bc7c80444fff7664?
******
* "Ukraine violence ‘worse than ever’, Security Council hears :" https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167186
* "US senators aim to sanction Hungary over obstructing Ukraine aid :" https://archive.ph/pF7oz
* "Ukraine signs deal with Saudi Arabia offering drone expertise:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2r4wxdw3no
* "Putin sends Ukraine’s stolen children to military training at special camps:" https://inews.co.uk/news/kremlin-abduction-ukraine-children-russian-energy-companies-4318629
* "Russia plans to send second oil tanker to Cuba:" https://apnews.com/article/russia-cuba-oil-tanker-us-energy-blockade-cfbe8565b665fa99117b449112621dfd
The lifting of Russian sanctions means Russian can use that money to fight Ukraine.
* I'm also including this here as it feels relevant. "Borderline war:" https://border-line-war.longlead.com/?
* "How Russia's threat has seen Germany become Europe's most important army:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvge7r31989o?
******
* "They were under siege by a Mexican cartel. Now these civilians fight back with AK-47s and grenades:" https://apnews.com/article/mexico-civilian-selfdefense-guerrero-cartels-sheinbaum-vigilantes-83d58237ca428ddcd0ad0e8c73c8ea4c?
* "Trump lauds Viktor Orbán as Europe’s far-right leaders gather in Budapest:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/trump-lauds-viktor-orban-far-right-leaders-gather-budapest
* "JD Vance accuses EU of ‘interference’ as he visits Hungary to help Orbán win election:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/07/jd-vance-eu-interference-hungary-election-viktor-orban
* "Trump stumps for Viktor Orbán in phone call during Vance’s rally:" https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/07/trump-viktor-orban-vance-00861898
* "Orban's Hungarian government accused of mass voter intimidation ahead of election:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c36r0068xp2o
* "MEPs raise alarm about possible Russian meddling in Hungary elections:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/09/meps-alarm-possible-russian-interference-hungary-elections
* "Pro-Kremlin bots cry ‘murder’ ahead of Hungary vote:" https://www.politico.eu/article/pro-kremlin-bots-cry-murder-ahead-of-hungary-vote/
* "Hungary's election could end Orban era and reshape its place in Europe:" https://archive.ph/N2oTw
* "French municipal elections hit with foreign interference allegations:" https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/04/02/french-municipal-elections-hit-with-foreign-interference-allegations
* "A new generation of politicians of colour is emerging in France. The backlash speaks volumes:" https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/08/politicians-colour-france-backlash-elections-racism
* "Switzerland: Voters Overwhelmingly Choose to Protect Cash Use in the Constitution:" https://cashessentials.org/switzerland-voters-overwhelmingly-choose-to-protect-cash-use-in-the-constitution/
* "Exclusive: White House uses USAID funds for budget director Vought's security, documents show:" https://archive.ph/86wlY
* "With US aid slashed, Nigerian HIV volunteers went door‑to‑door to keep patients alive:" https://archive.ph/VRZhd
*** Immigration/I.C.E/Autocracy/Slow Motion Civil War/Violent Illegal Occupation of Blue Cities News (Sort likely a little rough)***
* Some items below this point may be older.
* "Supreme Court considers a historic case about who is — and isn't — born a citizen:" https://www.npr.org/2026/04/01/nx-s1-5732437/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-trump
* "The Supreme Court Has Heard This One Before:" https://archive.ph/46NTV
* "Looking to limit birthright citizenship, Trump turns to an 1884 Supreme Court ruling against a Native American man:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/trump-birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-native-american-rcna263223
* "Trump rails against birthright citizenship, courts after attending Supreme Court arguments:" https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-historic-attends-supreme-court-arguments-birthright-citizenship/story?id=131610905
* "The birthright citizenship case at the Supreme Court hits close to home for this immigrant mother:" https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-trump-immigration-constitution-e51d13b21b4240f6b8625700abe6030e
* "Trump shows up to Supreme Court as birthright citizenship case gets picked apart:" https://www.ms.now/all-in/watch/trump-shows-up-to-supreme-court-as-birthright-citizenship-case-gets-picked-apart-2494793283580
* "The IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential information to ICE 42,695 times, judge says:" https://apnews.com/article/irs-breaks-law-judge-finds-2dbe472e46121091a32309bdab6795d7
* "The Justice Department plans to share sensitive voter data with Homeland Security:" https://www.npr.org/2026/03/27/nx-s1-5764266/voter-data-trump-doj-dhs
* "Unmasking the Paramilitary Agents Behind Trump’s Violent Immigration Crackdown:" https://www.wired.com/story/border-patrol-bortac-borstar-use-of-force-midway-blitz/
* "State Troopers Laughed at the Suffering of People They Detained:" https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthewind/opinion-nashville-banner-ice-thp-footage/article_c40d3f44-2b56-4a38-97e4-1984b3d3a55b.html
* "Lawyers alarmed by immigration judge's 'atrocious' questions for gay asylum seekers:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/bias-new-mexico-immigration-judge
* "US deports eight people 'of African origin' to Uganda:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ej43z8yw4o
* "Some Marines graduate without their parents present amid ICE fears:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/marines-graduation-ice-fears-parris-island-rcna266019
I.C.E. was planning to send ICE to deport the families of marines, many about to deploy to the Middle East for Trump's illegal war, in order to punish the marines and their families.
Cruelty is the point and so is absolutely demoralizing and hollowing out our military.
They pretended it was miscommunication rather than a plan because of all the outcry.
* "ICE agents reportedly detain wife of US soldier just days after their marriage :" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/06/ice-agents-detain-wife-of-us-soldier
She is a legal immigrant who committed no crimes and is working on a bio-chemistry degree.
How much do Republicans hate our troops? This much. They voted for this. They knew what Trump is like and how much he hates military members, their families and any one not white.
* "Newlywed wife of US soldier freed by ICE after detention at military base:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98kn1k3nreo
Stay noisy! Sometimes the protests work.
* "‘Don’t take me to the hospital’: Undocumented immigrants in Texas are delaying medical care:" https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/immigration/2026/03/30/547445/texas-undocumented-immigrants-health-care-hospitals/
* "‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September :" https://www.irishtimes.com/world/us/2026/02/09/absolute-hell-irish-man-with-valid-us-work-permit-held-by-ice-since-september/
* "‘Don’t go to the US – not with Trump in charge’: the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks :" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/karen-newton-valid-visa-detained-ice
* "Delta transported a 5-year-old boy detained by ICE to Texas immigration facility:" https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/liam-conejo-damos-dilley-texas-immigration-detention-center-delta-airlines
* "Immigration judge denies asylum claim for Liam Conejo Ramos and his family:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/19/liam-ramos-denied-asylum-ruling
* "14 ICE detainees have died so far in 2026 :" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/14-ice-detainees-died-far-2026-rcna265843
* "DHS pauses new immigrant warehouse purchases amid review of Noem-era contracts:" https://apnews.com/article/mullin-noem-immigration-ice-warehouse-detention-warhouses-0141f54a48a47b1a6753aeaecc1b640b
* "ICE spent $200 million on two Georgia warehouses. Did the feds overpay?:" https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/03/ice-spent-200-million-on-two-georgia-warehouses-did-the-feds-overpay/
* "‘Smells like corruption’: Maddow points out bizarre pattern of overpayments for warehouses by DHS:" https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow/watch/smells-like-corruption-maddow-points-out-bizarre-pattern-of-overpayments-for-warehouses-by-dhs-2494444611572
* "Michigan ICE detention center owner reports $254 million profit, record new business in 2025:" https://www.michiganpublic.org/criminal-justice-legal-system/2026-02-13/michigan-ice-detention-center-owner-reports-254-million-profit-record-new-business-in-2025
* CW: Rape. "‘Immensely Invisible:’ Women Fighting ICE’s Inaction on Sexual Abuses:" https://futuroinvestigates.org/investigative-stories/immensely-invisible/immensely-invisible-women-fighting-ices-inaction-on-sexual-abuses/
* "Trump Has Detained the Parents of More Than 11,000 U.S. Citizen Kids:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-family-deportations-ice-citizen-kids
* "How American Kids Have Been Collateral Damage in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown:" https://www.propublica.org/article/american-kids-detained-trump-immigration-deportation-democrats-investigation
* "‘Babies in detention’: Stacey Abrams sounds alarm on Texas ICE site holding children:" https://www.ms.now/all-in/watch/babies-in-detention-stacey-abrams-sounds-alarm-on-texas-ice-site-holding-children-2494974019808
* "Trump’s Justice Department Dropped 23,000 Criminal Investigations in Shift to Immigration:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-doj-immigration-bondi-declinations-criminal-investigations
* "The Frightening, Very Real Tool ICE Agents Have to Add You to a “Nice Little Database” if You Attend a Protest:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/what-ice-should-have-learned-from-the-fugitive-slave-act
* "What ICE Should Have Learned from the Fugitive Slave Act:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/what-ice-should-have-learned-from-the-fugitive-slave-act
* "What Counts As Domestic Terrorism in Trump’s America?:" https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/prairieland-domestic-terrorism.html
* "Anti-ICE protesters accused of being part of antifa found guilty of support for terrorism in Texas:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/13/texas-terrorism-trial
* "How the Trump Administration Has Turned Left-Wing Activism Into Terrorism:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-southwest/how-the-trump-administration-has-turned-left-wing-activism-into-terrorism
* "Army veteran faces conspiracy charges after participating in anti-ICE protest:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/army-veteran-faces-conspiracy-charges-after-participating-in-anti-ice-protest
* "DoJ cases against protesters keep collapsing as officers’ lies are exposed in court:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/doj-protesters-federal-agents-cases
* "The Crime of Witness:" https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2026/02/26/the-crime-of-witness-fintan-otoole/
* "A federal judge is forcing the Trump administration to answer for Renee Good’s killing :" https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/judge-demands-renee-good-records
* "Radiohead tells Trump's ICE to take down a video using their song:" https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/radiohead-tells-trumps-ice-take-video-using-song-rcna261010
* Here are some ways to help Immigrants and the anti-ICE Protesters:
"Project Salt Box:" https://projectsaltbox.substack.com/
"MASTER LIST OF WAYS TO HELP IN MINNEAPOLIS:" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/807223113540599808?source=share
"Here are Minnesota groups that need your help organizing against ICE and DHS operations:" https://www.advocate.com/news/minnesota-mutual-aid-groups-ice
Links to Help organize in advance of ICE Occupation: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/807226885129060352?source=share
"How To Help if You are Outside Minnesota:" https://naomikritzer.com/2026/01/21/how-to-help-if-you-are-outside-minnesota/
"Support minnesotans defending their communities from ICE:" https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
"When the Feds Come to Your City: Standing Up to ICE :" https://crimethinc.com/2025/12/03/when-the-feds-come-to-your-city-standing-up-to-ice-a-guide-from-chicago-organizers
Immigrant Defenders: https://give.immdef.org/give/545119/#!/donation/checkout
The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/
National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory
Amnesty International: protect asylum-seekers: https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/113080/donate/1
The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/
CHIRLA: https://www.chirla.org/
AL Otro Lado: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/projects/63833-al-otro-lado-fund
"Know Your Rights:" https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights
"Disappeared In America:" https://www.disappearedinamerica.us/
* "Nationwide General Strike Planned for May 1: No Kings Organizer:" https://www.commondreams.org/news/no-kings-general-strike
**** Corruption of the Justice System, Pushback, and Related ****
* "DOJ Lawyer Ejected From Courtroom:"
* "Republicans block effort to halt Trump's war with Iran after 'civilization' threat:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-block-effort-halt-trumps-war-iran-civilization-threat-rcna267345
In the House Republicans are delaying to let the carnage continue. Tell them what you think of this, and how you want them to vote after recess!
* Meanwhile, in the Senate: "Democrats to force Iran vote next week:" https://www.semafor.com/article/04/08/2026/democrats-to-force-iran-vote-next-week
The vote is next week! Tell your senators what you want them to do!
* "Trump’s gay ‘special envoy’ Ric Grenell eyes ambassador to Russia position:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/ric-grenell-russia-ambassador
* Our until Midterms is to survive, to build grassroots resistance, to do all in our power to slow the republican Christo-fascist agenda, and to prepare for 2026 in case there is still Democracy.
"Take action with Indivisible:" https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/
Trump 2.0 Indivisible Guide. https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options for contacting your Congress Critters:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
And another: https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
Snail Mail Campaigns: https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3622760.html
"Congress. gov:" https://www.congress.gov/
White house (Possibly Dangerous): https://www.whitehouse.gov/
ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
"The Public Comment Process (+ how to write effective public comments):" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/781844516804149248?source=share
"Swing Left:" https://swingleft.org/
Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
"Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
Protests: "50501 Events:" https://www.fiftyfifty.one/events
"ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
* We are in primary season now. States vote at different times, so I beg ALL of you to check when your state is voting. If you are in an in-person vote state, research ahead of time so you can vote for the candidate with views closest to your own. If you vote by mail, take the time to look them up when your ballot comes.
THIS is how you move the party further LEFT.
PLAN YOUR VOTE!!!
Primary schedule here:
* "2026 Statewide Primary Calendar:" https://www.270towin.com/2026-state-primary-calendar/
I don't know where you live, so I can't link this for you, but I find the Progressive Voter Guide online very helpful in narrowing down candidates in the often packed primaries where I live.
I also suggest looking at things like volunteer work and endorsements, because it really, really helps with things like sheriff and judicial elections, but can be useful in all sorts of primaries when you have multiple good options.
REMEMBER: Don't just vote for the big things like US Congress. Vote in every State and local race down to the smallest and on all the referendums.
State and local elections have a massive impact on your quality of life.
* Indiana! Ohio! Don't forget to vote in the Primaries May 5!
* "How a Democrat's House win in Nebraska could erase the ‘blue dot’ & harm LGBTQ+ rights:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/nebraska-democrats-blue-dot
* "Mississippi passes restrictive transgender driver’s license law:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/mississippi-transgender-drivers-licenses
* "Nebraska lawmaker fails again to revive anti-trans bills after repeated attempts:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/nebraska-anti-trans-measures-fail
* "Kalshi Criminally Indicted:"
* "Iowa can enforce previously blocked ‘don’t say gay’ law, appeals court rules:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/iowa-lgbtq-restrictions-appeals-court
* "Attacks on abortion and gender-affirming care are inextricably linked:" https://www.advocate.com/opinion/abortion-trans-care-attacks
* "how “trans panic” took over the world:"
* "Britain Still Has Conversion Therapists. Here’s Why.:"
* "Don't fall for WSJ's 'normal gay' whitewashing of queer life:" https://www.advocate.com/opinion/wall-street-journal-normal-gay
* "Maryland protects trans students. Stephen Miller’s group is coming for those protections:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/stephen-miller-trans-kids-maryland
Proud Neo-NAZI wants to harm vulnerable children in Maryland, would be another way to put it.
* "TV judge slams homophobic father who sued his gay son for conversion therapy costs:" https://www.advocate.com/news/eboni-k-williams-conversion-therapy
* "Day of Silence marks 30 years as anti-LGBTQ+ school battles intensify nationwide:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/day-of-silence-30-years
* "As Day of Silence turns 30, LGBTQ+ students are stuck in 1996:" https://www.advocate.com/opinion/day-of-silence-2026-lgbtq
* "Beyond awareness: How youth leadership is reshaping the HIV response:" https://www.advocate.com/opinion/youth-hiv-leadership-op-ed
* "The Future of Everything is Lies, I Guess:" https://aphyr.com/posts/411-the-future-of-everything-is-lies-i-guess
* "Why So Many Control Rooms Were Seafoam Green:" https://bethmathews.substack.com/p/why-so-many-control-rooms-were-seafoam
* Fucking hell! Waterfox updated and scrambled stuff. Which is better than deleting it outright. (I'm glaring at you firefox), but this is at least the second update in a row to do that, and now I get to waste time unfucking it.
In other news, Livia likes Open Window Time enough to sit on the living room sill, but not lounge in her window box. It is essential to pretend she's not doing it.
I have reason to think this month is going to work out financially. I should know by the end of next week if we are going to mostly catch up or not. Let us hope.
We are waiting to here about Squirrel's ACL situation yet again as they just had to go to a review thingie. Medical side says it's still borked and more time is needed to decide if surgery or not. The workman's comp people from squirrel's work want them to either get back to work or to stop having to cover medical and partial pay. Sigh.
I still have the shakes from being pushed way to far physically and keep having to lie down. It is annoying. I think I may have finally blocked enough autodialers from the Insurance harasser scams to knock two of them out. One hasn't called this week, and it's been a couple days on the other. Those are the you might lose your medicare if you don't switch to our shitty insurance and the softer sell one.
The one that's left calls from 5:55AM to before 8PM, and they are the ones I hate the most, because they are so clearly trying to trick people with dementia. It's so calculated to play on the way people with dementia tend to react to prompts it just fills me with white hot center of a sun fury. They are basically implying the person who they are spamming called them yesterday and they got cut off. "Do you remember we talked about death benefits yesterday? Do you remember the card I sent you about it?" There is no card and Our conversation yesterday consisted of them ignoring my do not call list statement in favour of talking over me and me hanging up, then blocking them. If I believed in hell I'd be betting every single person involved in this scam belonged in hell.
* "*The Pitt* Fans Aren't Happy With Journalists. We Need Real Etiquette When Reporting on Fandom:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/journalists-need-real-etiquette-when-reporting-on-fandom
* "Stoney Start:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FmcfVv805J8
* "Gangster Gods:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/u4Ww2OEsJ4I
* "Sarrisa Spears:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EocmLvnLrKE
* "Groovy Germanic Gangs:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-medzZd16P0
* "Titus Trifles:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9bITaLVVE_o
* "Erratic Eddas:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v53zqZVXqgY
* "Medieval Marriage Madness:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iSU74rCneUg
* "Crusader Cavalcade:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YHMRLOP8MW8
* "Lionheart Letters:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LjbuvFaTtQc
* "Horrendous Hutts:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/leFtiiz_o2M
* Abbot Elementrary and the Homework Debate, A response I wrote on Tumblr:
I’m retired for disability, but yeah, I have opinions too. I worked in public schools exclusively, mostly with a high English language learner and/or special needs proportion and a variety of socio-Economic backgrounds.
That matters for the homework debate. A lot of time people are picturing some idealized sitcom family situation instead of thinking about the whole range of kids in the room.
In this episode, both Ava and the teachers are wrong to some degree.
Homework requires a lot of help from parents. Things like flash card review that a kid can’t do alone. Things like someone having time and energy to monitor that it gets done and help when the kid is stuck.
Some parents have jobs that conflict with that and whoever is watching the kids may not be equipped to help or have homework of their own.
Some parents are exhausted from work and too tired or overwhelmed, especially if there are multiple kids with only one parent and/or there is a big project the child needs to do.
Some projects that get assigned require expensive things to complete, like science projects or social studies displays which parents may not have time and/or money to shop for.
Some parents don’t have enough English to help with the assignment.
Some parents haven’t had enough education to understand or help with the assignment. Maybe they dropped out or have a learning issue like dyslexia or are refugees who barely got an education in their own language. About a third of the immigrant parents in this county and the one just south of us were refugees who had been through serious shit. A lot had 2nd or 3rd grade education at best. Some had had none. We were also getting kids who had mostly lived in refugee camps, usually in multiple countries who had never been to an actual sit down at a desk school. (They generally spoke several languages and had had some informal schooling, but they and their parents had a level of needs that the refugees coming from shorter conflicts didn’t).
Some kids don’t have a quiet and safe place to do homework. They may be living with people who are always fighting. There may be a chaotic situation with to many people living in a small place. They may have insecure housing or no housing at all. Some kids are living in foster care, shelters, or group homes. There may just be a lot of stress at home or noise they can’t control from neighbors or nearby businesses.
Yeah, some homework can’t be helped, but the goal is to try to make it classwork, not homework, because homework will leave a whole lot of kids behind. It is so much better to set up your curriculum to minimize homework.
You do the lesson and then they work on whatever it is. You wander around and keep kids on track. If they are distracted, you gently guide them back on task. If they are showing signs of struggling with something, you sit with them and help them out. You keep an extra sharp eye on the kids most likely to need help who are often the least likely to ask for it, but every kid needs help sometimes.
If they do it in class, they have all the things they need to do it right there and all the help they need write there.
If they do it at home it’s a crap shoot if they have things like good lighting, a desk, lack of general noise and chaos, help if they need it, the books they may or may not have left at school, paper, writing utensils, computer, art supplies, etc..
But here is where Ava is also wrong: You literally can’t redesign the whole curriculum on a dime mid-March!
An absolutist zero homework policy in the middle of the year with zero prep has zero chances of working well.
You do a bunch of in services (or whatever your district calls them) in spring to help retrain older teachers who didn’t learn how to do it this way and to remind younger teachers of techniques to use and how to design things so it works.
Then you give them the Summer to do a total curriculum over haul, which sucks for that year, but its long term worth it for your kids.
Look, I was a scholarship kid who was sent to a school that made us do on average six hours of homework, not counting things like research papers. It was exhausting and frequently traumatic and it was only possible because nearly everyone had two college educated parents and a majority of parents could afford tutors if there was a problem. We absolutely couldn’t afford tutors. My parents had three jobs between them and struggled to stay afloat, but they were both highly educated people in a house full of books who understood the math and could help with most subjects and would trade off who was better at what or who could make time to help. (I did have a couple of languages neither of them could read, but most of it, one of them could sort out).
I was fucking lucky to have that kind of support, but most people absolutely don’t get that.
You have to teach ALL of the kids as best you can. That means shifting away from homework to classwork as much as humanly possible
I would like to thank your brother and everyone else going into teaching now because they are the heroes we absolutely need and teaching is So Much harder now than it was. You are fighting the good fight to make a better future.
The Gregory Addendum: Gregory’s approach is kind and it’s rational (Like him). In his place, I would read the homeworks so I’d know what needs more reinforcement in class, but low stakes is so much better than high stakes if you are sending work home.
* "A world in bloom: Spring flowers unfold from Tokyo to Mexico, in photos:" https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/spring-blossoms-photos-peach-cherry-flowers-5ed75828a5a87378dc478163611b28df
* It is Poetry Month again. I post them here if you are interested: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/tagged/Poetry
*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.
The help links are at the bottom under the cut.
* "Transcontinental Pipeline:" https://tcpipeline.org/steps/
* "Donate to Kansas ACLU:" https://action.aclu.org/give/support-aclu-kansas
* "Project Salt Box:" https://projectsaltbox.substack.com/
* "When the Feds Come to Your City: Standing Up to ICE :" https://crimethinc.com/2025/12/03/when-the-feds-come-to-your-city-standing-up-to-ice-a-guide-from-chicago-organizers
* "MASTER LIST OF WAYS TO HELP IN MINNEAPOLIS:" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/807223113540599808?source=share
* "Here are Minnesota groups that need your help organizing against ICE and DHS operations:" https://www.advocate.com/news/minnesota-mutual-aid-groups-ice
* Links to Help organize in advance of ICE Occupation: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/807226885129060352?source=share
* "Swing Left:" https://swingleft.org/
* Contains link to trans girl sales pages. "Trans Girl Scouts On Cookie List Sell 71,000 Boxes Of Cookies And Growing:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/trans-girl-scouts-on-cookie-list
* "2026 Statewide Primary Calendar:" https://www.270towin.com/2026-state-primary-calendar/
* "The List of Shame: People frequently ask us about whether their specific US state is trying to enact a social media age verification law so they can call their state representatives and yell at them about it!:" https://dw-advocacy.dreamwidth.org/1493.html
* "Keep Android Open:" https://keepandroidopen.org/
* "Taking action against AI harms:" https://www.anildash.com/2026/02/23/taking-action-ai-harms/
* "Resist and Unsubscribe:" https://www.resistandunsubscribe.com/
* Suggestions for crafts a person can do in bed are in the notes: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/809534727291912192?source=share
* If you need help with chest binders:
* "Free Chest Binders:" https://www.pointofpride.org/free-chest-binders
* "Brother 2 Brother Binder Program:" https://blacktransmen.org/binder-program/
* "Morebinders:" https://www.morebinders.com/about
* "The Queer Trans Project :" https://queertransproject.org/
* "Free Gender Affirming Gear Program:" https://www.ftmessentials.com/pages/ftme-free-youth-binder-program
* "Hospital Crisis Watch:" https://www.protectourcare.org/hospital-crisis-watch/
* CW: Suicide "These hotlines are still available for LGBTQ+ youth after Trump kills 988 services:" https://www.advocate.com/news/lgbtq-youth-hotlines-still-available
* "State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies:" https://rsa.ed.gov/about/states
* "United States Disappeared Tracker:" https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/danielleharlow/viz/UnitedStatesDisappearedTracker/Map
* "Introducing Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network:" https://aflcio.org/2025/4/16/introducing-rise-federal-workers-legal-defense-network
* Here are some ways to help Immigrants and the anti-ICE Protesters:
Immigrant Defenders: https://give.immdef.org/give/545119/#!/donation/checkout
The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/
National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory
Amnesty International: protect asylum-seekers: https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/113080/donate/1
The Young Center for Immigtrant Children's Rights: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/
CHIRLA: https://www.chirla.org/
AL Otro Lado: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/projects/63833-al-otro-lado-fund
Mid-South Immigration Advocates: https://miamemphis.org/
* Help Lambda Legal Continue their fight: https://support.lambdalegal.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app30130a?df_id=6680&mfc_pref=T&6680.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=D3311163DF16F06EEA5520010BAF90B5&_gl=1*n53ras*_gcl_au*MTMxNDYxNjc0LjE3MzgxODExMzg.*_ga*MTY0NDY4OTM4NC4xNzM4MTgxMTM4*_ga_290ZG8GMP3*MTczODE4MTEzOC4xLjEuMTczODE4MTIwMi41OC4wLjA.
* Glad Law is fighting for trans service members. Want to help? https://givebutter.com/donatetoglad?utm_src=webheader&_gl=1*1qhxi1q*_ga*NDM3MjM0Mzk1LjE3NDEwMDk5NDA.*_ga_PCJHHSV2G7*MTc0MTAwOTk0MC4xLjAuMTc0MTAwOTk0MC4wLjAuMA..
* "Donate to the ACLU:" https://action.aclu.org/give/now
* "Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1
* "Here are 26 organizations fighting Donald Trump that you can donate to:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-donald-trump-charities
* Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
* "LGBTQ+ Victory Fund:" https://victoryfund.org/
* Want to help Virginia get a Democratic Governor? "Support Abigail's Campaign for Governor of Virginia!" https://secure.actblue.com/donate/blu-asfg-2025-gs-dd?refcode=BLU_ASFG_DD_GS_NT_NTL_Q1_01&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAt4C-BhBcEiwA8Kp0CcaXXWdWpVI1uyoauFCRFgrY9hsEMA4pbxF_TO6ZPHAdhNzOmcwHTxoC8lgQAvD_BwE
* What to do if you encounter an immigration official. "Know Your Rights:" https://unitedwedream.org/resources/know-your-rights/
* "ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
* "Legal Services for Your Reproductive Life:" https://reprolegalhelpline.org/
* "National Abortion Hotline:" https://prochoice.org/
* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/
* Trans support organization: https://www.pointofpride.org/
* "Transanta: An opportunity to directly support trans youth:" https://thisfinecrew.dreamwidth.org/291573.html
* Links for various Palestinian Aid Organizations: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750151174318112768?source=share
* "Black Alliance for Peace’s Atlanta Citywide Alliance:" https://linktr.ee/bapatlanta
* Map of Cop Cities planned or being built: https://isyourlifebetter.net/cop-cities-usa/
* Want to help Journalists without Borders? https://donate.rsf.org/us/donate/~my-donation
* How to donate to Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate
* "The Rainbow Railroad:" https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/take-action
* "These Organizations Accept Donations To Help People in Ukraine:" https://www.snopes.com/news/2022/03/01/where-to-donate-help-ukraine/
* "Russia-Ukraine War: Info and ways to help:" https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/
* "Support OVD-Info:" https://beste-glatisant.tumblr.com/post/677388506851606528/hi-ive-donated-to-the-ukranian-refugees-and-now
* "War in Ukraine! Support LGBTQ people.:" https://secure.wayforpay.com/payment/s047412e502b6
* What to help fight for queer people in Africa? Try the Initiative Sankofa D’Afrique de l’Ouest www.ISDAO.org
* Organizations to help trans folk: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/620857152453640195/about-us
* Indivisible Guide for Trump 2.0 "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
* This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely protest in person, here are some other options:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Senate: https://contactsenators.com/senator-phone-numbers/
Congress in General: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
* "DONATE TO EMILY'S LIST:" https://win.emilyslist.org/a/donate-to-emily
* Want to help support all of us all here at the Cat Asylum? https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Gwydion
* I admit to having a wicked good time tormenting myself and other history geeks with my polls: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydpolls
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Date: 2026-04-12 05:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2026-04-12 05:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2026-04-15 02:27 am (UTC)