Nuadaargetlamh - Nazi Punks Fuck Off

"Terrorism and Communism" by Leon Trotsky is book published in 1920 as a reply to Karl Kautsky and others who had criticized the Bolshevik use of political terror, compulsory labor, and other tactics. It is a defense of the use of revolutionary violence by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. Trotsky argues that in the struggle to build a socialist state, the use of force and even terror is justified to protect the revolution against its enemies, both internal and external. He critiques those who condemn Bolshevik methods, claiming that the harsh measures are necessary to ensure the survival and success of the workers' government. The book contrasts the violent methods of the bourgeoisie, which Trotsky argues are used to oppress, with the revolutionary violence of the proletariat, which he believes is used to liberate and create a just society.

Genuinely solid policy.

So, I really love the selection of Tim Walz for VP and it’s taken me a moment to articulate why. I mean, obviously, Dem bonafides, he’s sharp, he’s funny, etc etc. But everyone in the Veepstakes fits that bill, Harris was spoiled for good choices.

But Walz offers something that the other men in contention don’t that I think will be incredibly useful in combating Trumpism.

He offers an example and an off ramp to the section of men who felt like they were Republicans by default, and so support Trump by default. There are a lot of Trump voters who are full on obsessive, but that’s not who we’re talking to. We’re talking to folks who grew up in Republican areas, or felt their hobbies didn’t line up with who a Democrat was, or didn’t feel represented by their image of a Democrat. You want to see it so you can be it, you know? Which is why Harris is so inspirational to a lot of segments of folks, but Walz is too.

He served in the military. He went to a state college. He’s your favorite teacher from your public high school. He’s your football coach who actually cared if you were passing your math class. He’s the guy you looked up to at school when your family sucked but this guy cared, and he helped you get out and make something of yourself.

He’s the neighbor who helps you jump your car. He’s your uncle who takes you hunting. He’s your Dad who loves teasing you at the Stare Fair. He’s you when he makes a mistake like his DUI and takes responsibility for it, and when he has the chance makes sure other can come back from similar mistakes. He’s you when you and your wife want so badly to be parents and IVF gives you the family you wanted. He’s you when he says ‘it had to be me’ and used his standing and power to protect vulnerable kids sponsoring the GSA at his school.

He gives the real life example to these men that they can be that football, fishing, hunting family man who wants to provide for his family, be that powerful, respected member of the community and use that power to feed kids in school. That it’s normal to enthusiastically work for a boss like Harris. That yeah those other guys are fucking weirdos, and you’re not a weirdo, are you?

That there’s a place in the Democratic Party for them. That they don’t have to default to being fucking weird.

I hope those guys see this example of masculinity and go… yeah, that’s me. That’s who I’m gonna be.

The thing is... Israel admitted to this from the very beginning.

They said the confessions were obtained through 'interrogation' in the Shin Bet aka torture (Shin Bet is where they like to torture Palestinian prisoners for intel) so every country that cut funding to the UNRWA knew from the beginning that Israel was using false forced statements.

The famine in Gaza is partly due to this. Never forget that.

I think something that's not clicking for a lot of people on the left with the whole "Tampon Tim" thing (beyond general misogyny and transphobia) is that in conservative areas, there can actually be a pretty huge stigma on tampons vs pads

At least some areas where I grew up in the South, there were even some parents that would outright refuse to let their daughters use tampons (especially in middle school/junior high)

I remember going to the pool and seeing some girls just uncomfortably sitting off to the side, because they were on their period and were only allowed pads. Then in general, there were times people would offer each other products during an emergency, with some girls apologizing and awkwardly refusing tampons even when that was the only thing available, or girls apologizing they couldn't offer any tampons because they weren't allowed to have them

Even though for the most part there is a logical acknowledgement that it's just a hygiene product, there's still the general phrase I'd hear of "Nothing should go up there until marriage"

Then even beyond that, periods in general were seen as something personal and embarrassing that you were supposed to hide however you could (and this is still true in most places). Even a married man with children could get mocked for buying his wife any period products

With all of this, Tim Walz crossed multiple lines by specifically and publicly making period products available - especially tampons, especially in middle schools, and especially in boys' bathrooms. Boys (and people in general) shouldn't have to be aware of periods, and especially not something as morally questionable as a tampon.

So yeah. For some people "Tampon Tim" really is a deeply cutting and uncomfortable insult, to associate him with something (seen as) disgusting and borderline immoral that no one should ever be associated with.