Shahid Buttar
@shahbbles.bsky.social
Lawyer, DJ, MC, poet, grassroots organizer, won 81k votes in 2020 to serve San Francisco in Congress. https://shahidbuttar.substack.com
A wildfire broke out this morning not far from my sweetheart’s house at Reno.
The West is burning, yet Washington continues to waste our tax dollars on weapons and wars for oil—which only accelerate climate collapse—while failing to adequately resource firefighters.
The West is burning, yet Washington continues to waste our tax dollars on weapons and wars for oil—which only accelerate climate collapse—while failing to adequately resource firefighters.
Politics as mass delusion
The accelerating global climate catastrophe should be driving decisions at the local, national, and international level—yet neither elected leaders, nor journalists, nor even voters seem to care
open.substack.com
August 22, 2026 at 8:10 PM
A wildfire broke out this morning not far from my sweetheart’s house at Reno.
The West is burning, yet Washington continues to waste our tax dollars on weapons and wars for oil—which only accelerate climate collapse—while failing to adequately resource firefighters.
The West is burning, yet Washington continues to waste our tax dollars on weapons and wars for oil—which only accelerate climate collapse—while failing to adequately resource firefighters.
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure raping children is an impeachable offense.
August 12, 2026 at 10:58 AM
I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure raping children is an impeachable offense.
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
NEW: Tennessee’s highest-security youth prisons are operated by a single private company.
Former staff say they felt pressure to hide abuse and other serious incidents from the state and to handle medical emergencies without calling 911.
with @wpln.bsky.social
Former staff say they felt pressure to hide abuse and other serious incidents from the state and to handle medical emergencies without calling 911.
with @wpln.bsky.social
He Suffered Abuse in a Private Youth Jail. The Company Never Reported It.
Tennessee’s highest-security youth prisons are operated by a single private company. Former staff say they felt pressure to hide abuse and other serious incidents from the state and to handle medical ...
www.propublica.org
August 12, 2026 at 12:01 PM
NEW: Tennessee’s highest-security youth prisons are operated by a single private company.
Former staff say they felt pressure to hide abuse and other serious incidents from the state and to handle medical emergencies without calling 911.
with @wpln.bsky.social
Former staff say they felt pressure to hide abuse and other serious incidents from the state and to handle medical emergencies without calling 911.
with @wpln.bsky.social
The urgency of decisions that should have been made 20 years ago to protect the future grow increasingly insufficient as our leaders continue to bury their hands in the sand, and double down on a fossil fuel paradigm that threatens life on Earth.
Read the rest…
Read the rest…
Politics as mass delusion
The accelerating global climate catastrophe should be driving decisions at the local, national, and international level—yet neither elected leaders, nor journalists, nor even voters seem to care
open.substack.com
August 12, 2026 at 5:52 AM
The urgency of decisions that should have been made 20 years ago to protect the future grow increasingly insufficient as our leaders continue to bury their hands in the sand, and double down on a fossil fuel paradigm that threatens life on Earth.
Read the rest…
Read the rest…
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
new metaphor just dropped
July 4, 2026 at 1:30 AM
new metaphor just dropped
What do Fourth of July celebrations routinely overlook?
Frederick Douglas explained it all for us 200 years ago.
Frederick Douglas explained it all for us 200 years ago.
Frederick Douglass Exposed America's Ongoing Fraud and Despotism
This Fourth of July, remember the reality that feel-good propaganda continues to obscure and hide in plain sight
open.substack.com
July 4, 2026 at 4:00 PM
What do Fourth of July celebrations routinely overlook?
Frederick Douglas explained it all for us 200 years ago.
Frederick Douglas explained it all for us 200 years ago.
The war on Iran launched by the Trump-Netanyahu Axis of Evil has stretched on for far longer than its proponents guessed at the outset. As the damage to the global economy continues to mount, their desperation appears increasingly evident.
open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Cracks in the armor
As the war on Iran continues to drag the global economy into a ditch, the Israeli-American Axis of Evil is fraying—and administration officials are revealing their mounting desperation
open.substack.com
June 2, 2026 at 10:31 PM
The war on Iran launched by the Trump-Netanyahu Axis of Evil has stretched on for far longer than its proponents guessed at the outset. As the damage to the global economy continues to mount, their desperation appears increasingly evident.
open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Israel’s depraved sexual torture of detainees has gone on for years.
Nakba Day offers an apt moment to observe that human rights have been—and remain—in exile.
shahidbuttar.substack.com/p/nakba-day-... open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Nakba Day offers an apt moment to observe that human rights have been—and remain—in exile.
shahidbuttar.substack.com/p/nakba-day-... open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Nakba day: a commemoration that deserves more attention
Only a few decades ago, a zionist terror campaign displaced thousands of Palestinians, allowing an ongoing parade of horrors—including a continuing genocide relying on bipartisan support from the U.S.
open.substack.com
May 16, 2026 at 3:46 AM
Israel’s depraved sexual torture of detainees has gone on for years.
Nakba Day offers an apt moment to observe that human rights have been—and remain—in exile.
shahidbuttar.substack.com/p/nakba-day-... open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Nakba Day offers an apt moment to observe that human rights have been—and remain—in exile.
shahidbuttar.substack.com/p/nakba-day-... open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Many Americans are fed up with the complicity of elected Democrats, but most grassroots voices can do only so much to shrug off the yolk of fascist enablers.
Californians, however, enjoy a unique opportunity by electing Green Party nominee Butch Ware for Governor.
Californians, however, enjoy a unique opportunity by electing Green Party nominee Butch Ware for Governor.
Californians have a chance to do something big
Democracy in America has collapsed under the weight under a corporate two-party duopoly that California has a unique and rare chance to reject by electing Butch Ware as our next Governor.
open.substack.com
May 10, 2026 at 12:25 AM
Many Americans are fed up with the complicity of elected Democrats, but most grassroots voices can do only so much to shrug off the yolk of fascist enablers.
Californians, however, enjoy a unique opportunity by electing Green Party nominee Butch Ware for Governor.
Californians, however, enjoy a unique opportunity by electing Green Party nominee Butch Ware for Governor.
May the Fourth is a great time to rediscover the profound allegory that prompted Lucas to write Star Wars.
Its message holds immense relevance for America in 2026.
Its message holds immense relevance for America in 2026.
The forgotten meaning of #MayTheFourth
Millions celebrate the legacy of George Lucas, but most never learn the symbolism of the Star Wars series explained by its creator
shahidbuttar.substack.com
May 4, 2026 at 3:35 PM
May the Fourth is a great time to rediscover the profound allegory that prompted Lucas to write Star Wars.
Its message holds immense relevance for America in 2026.
Its message holds immense relevance for America in 2026.
How many double standards can the press squeeze into a single news cycle? open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
What did last night's attack on the White House Correspondents Dinner reveal?
Double standards among journalists, political figures, and foreign heads of state all indicate a profound bias favoring the president—despite his longstanding role in encouraging political violence.
open.substack.com
April 27, 2026 at 2:54 AM
How many double standards can the press squeeze into a single news cycle? open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
Before I became an American, I was Lebanese. Parts of my family live in Lebanon.
Anyway, you don't need those bona fides to feel this way, but what is happening in Lebanon right now is a complete outrage. The people there, who mostly are just trying to carve out a living, don't deserve this.
Anyway, you don't need those bona fides to feel this way, but what is happening in Lebanon right now is a complete outrage. The people there, who mostly are just trying to carve out a living, don't deserve this.
April 8, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Before I became an American, I was Lebanese. Parts of my family live in Lebanon.
Anyway, you don't need those bona fides to feel this way, but what is happening in Lebanon right now is a complete outrage. The people there, who mostly are just trying to carve out a living, don't deserve this.
Anyway, you don't need those bona fides to feel this way, but what is happening in Lebanon right now is a complete outrage. The people there, who mostly are just trying to carve out a living, don't deserve this.
Laugh…or cry?
This is not an April fool’s joke
It’s not even funny, but it might make you laugh—for now
open.substack.com
April 1, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Laugh…or cry?
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
I don’t think unconditional surrender is imminent.
March 12, 2026 at 2:09 AM
I don’t think unconditional surrender is imminent.
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
A man who was shot by Connecticut police last year and later died had to wait 10 extra minutes for another ambulance to arrive at the scene, after another officer having an anxiety attack took the first one.
Officer having anxiety attack took ambulance sent for man dying from police shooting, report says
A man who was shot by Connecticut police last year and later died had to wait 10 extra minutes for another ambulance to arrive at the scene, after another officer having an anxiety attack took the first one.
bit.ly
March 12, 2026 at 4:30 AM
A man who was shot by Connecticut police last year and later died had to wait 10 extra minutes for another ambulance to arrive at the scene, after another officer having an anxiety attack took the first one.
The American empire is effectively impaling itself on Iran.
We might have the world’s strongest military, but we have the most vulnerable economy—and Americans (including corporate Democrats) who put a maniac in the White House are about to find out the hard way. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
We might have the world’s strongest military, but we have the most vulnerable economy—and Americans (including corporate Democrats) who put a maniac in the White House are about to find out the hard way. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Hurtling into the abyss
How deep does it go?
open.substack.com
March 12, 2026 at 3:24 PM
The American empire is effectively impaling itself on Iran.
We might have the world’s strongest military, but we have the most vulnerable economy—and Americans (including corporate Democrats) who put a maniac in the White House are about to find out the hard way. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
We might have the world’s strongest military, but we have the most vulnerable economy—and Americans (including corporate Democrats) who put a maniac in the White House are about to find out the hard way. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
It’s almost as if Trump ducked into a punch from Iran directed squarely at Wall Street.
Hurtling into the abyss
How deep does it go?
shahidbuttar.substack.com
March 9, 2026 at 2:45 PM
It’s almost as if Trump ducked into a punch from Iran directed squarely at Wall Street.
Europe recognized Trump as a lawless bully when he threatened Greenland, and condemned Netanyahu for his genocide in Gaza—only to offer them crucial support on their war on Iran.
Europe’s complicity with American & Israeli fascism is fueling the Third World War. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Europe’s complicity with American & Israeli fascism is fueling the Third World War. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Welcome to World War III
The past week has witnessed a dramatic escalation in global violence driven by a new "axis of evil" led by Trump and Netanyahu
open.substack.com
March 7, 2026 at 5:01 AM
Europe recognized Trump as a lawless bully when he threatened Greenland, and condemned Netanyahu for his genocide in Gaza—only to offer them crucial support on their war on Iran.
Europe’s complicity with American & Israeli fascism is fueling the Third World War. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Europe’s complicity with American & Israeli fascism is fueling the Third World War. open.substack.com/pub/shahidbu...
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
Reuters Exclusive
"U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school."
"The strike would rank among the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of U.S. conflicts in the Middle East."
"U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school."
"The strike would rank among the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of U.S. conflicts in the Middle East."
Exclusive: US investigation points to likely US responsibility in Iran school strike, sources say
Military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed scores of children on Saturday, two U.S. officials told Reu...
www.reuters.com
March 6, 2026 at 2:50 AM
Reuters Exclusive
"U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school."
"The strike would rank among the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of U.S. conflicts in the Middle East."
"U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school."
"The strike would rank among the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of U.S. conflicts in the Middle East."
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
Never forget that this what The Washington Post said when Noem was nominated.
March 6, 2026 at 2:45 AM
Never forget that this what The Washington Post said when Noem was nominated.
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
Appreciate the talk about banning ICE masks in shutdown negotiations.
But the non-negotiable should be congressional oversight of ICE detention facilities. Full access, no appointments, no permission slips.
No compromise.
But the non-negotiable should be congressional oversight of ICE detention facilities. Full access, no appointments, no permission slips.
No compromise.
February 14, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Appreciate the talk about banning ICE masks in shutdown negotiations.
But the non-negotiable should be congressional oversight of ICE detention facilities. Full access, no appointments, no permission slips.
No compromise.
But the non-negotiable should be congressional oversight of ICE detention facilities. Full access, no appointments, no permission slips.
No compromise.
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
“I’ve never protested before - but I just watched 4th & 5th grade kids run away from our own government.” 😕🇺🇸💔
(From @crindivisible.bsky.social )
(From @crindivisible.bsky.social )
February 15, 2026 at 12:45 AM
“I’ve never protested before - but I just watched 4th & 5th grade kids run away from our own government.” 😕🇺🇸💔
(From @crindivisible.bsky.social )
(From @crindivisible.bsky.social )
What happened to the Washington Post is the same thing that happened to Twitter: uberwealthy people destroying platforms that had once helped enable transparency.
The pattern is revolting, but it’s not actually new. 1/2
The pattern is revolting, but it’s not actually new. 1/2
February 6, 2026 at 5:52 PM
What happened to the Washington Post is the same thing that happened to Twitter: uberwealthy people destroying platforms that had once helped enable transparency.
The pattern is revolting, but it’s not actually new. 1/2
The pattern is revolting, but it’s not actually new. 1/2
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
ICE murdered Renée Good in broad daylight. Less than 3 weeks later, they killed Alex Pretti, shooting him 10 times. Every day, we watch as people are ripped from their cars, their homes, their lives.
We can't allow ourselves to look away from this cruelty. Abolish ICE.
We can't allow ourselves to look away from this cruelty. Abolish ICE.
January 26, 2026 at 10:14 PM
ICE murdered Renée Good in broad daylight. Less than 3 weeks later, they killed Alex Pretti, shooting him 10 times. Every day, we watch as people are ripped from their cars, their homes, their lives.
We can't allow ourselves to look away from this cruelty. Abolish ICE.
We can't allow ourselves to look away from this cruelty. Abolish ICE.
Reposted by Shahid Buttar
Wow! This read-along of the NYT moment-by-moment leading to the murder of Alex Pretti should shake everyone awake. He was a Good Samaritan.
Agents fired at least ten shots in roughly five seconds. DHS and Pam Bondi claim Pretti approached them armed and intent on a “massacre.”
Agents fired at least ten shots in roughly five seconds. DHS and Pam Bondi claim Pretti approached them armed and intent on a “massacre.”
January 26, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Wow! This read-along of the NYT moment-by-moment leading to the murder of Alex Pretti should shake everyone awake. He was a Good Samaritan.
Agents fired at least ten shots in roughly five seconds. DHS and Pam Bondi claim Pretti approached them armed and intent on a “massacre.”
Agents fired at least ten shots in roughly five seconds. DHS and Pam Bondi claim Pretti approached them armed and intent on a “massacre.”