Shawn
@shawnrood.bsky.social
Reposted by Shawn
Yes, of course McDonald’s posting about National Coming Out Day is “performative.” Nobody thinks Ronald McDonald threw the first brick at Stonewall. Nonetheless, the biggest and most influential institutions in American life performing affirmation of LGBT social and civil equality is a good thing.
That's nice and all, but much of this is performative, *especially* when corporations are cowed by shareholders and anti-LGBT+ activists. The likes of Costco who gave anti-DEI activists the middle finger should be celebrated because they stand for diversity even in the face of shouty assholes.
Corporations publicly celebrating LGBT+ equality is a good thing and I am glad to see it coming back.
October 12, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Yes, of course McDonald’s posting about National Coming Out Day is “performative.” Nobody thinks Ronald McDonald threw the first brick at Stonewall. Nonetheless, the biggest and most influential institutions in American life performing affirmation of LGBT social and civil equality is a good thing.
Reposted by Shawn
the thing that characterizes nations that do public executions is authoritarianism, not skin color.
Yeah man I think it's weird we're doing a livestream execution of a disabled man, and if your reflexive reaction to this is to roll your eyes and mutter about how libs are being racist, you are nothing more than a termite eating the floorboards of opposition
October 10, 2026 at 6:17 PM
the thing that characterizes nations that do public executions is authoritarianism, not skin color.
Reposted by Shawn
i hate the "what are we a bunch of asians" meme so much
i am in fact not thinking about their ethnicity at all when i make a comparison to the politics of North Korea, but it's good to know what your mind focuses on when you think about the subject!
i am in fact not thinking about their ethnicity at all when i make a comparison to the politics of North Korea, but it's good to know what your mind focuses on when you think about the subject!
Sorry but no, it is in fact notable that the US is doing something only very extremist regimes do. To willingly abandon “this isn’t who we are” as a response is to throw away a very powerful rhetorical weapon.
October 9, 2026 at 6:29 PM
i hate the "what are we a bunch of asians" meme so much
i am in fact not thinking about their ethnicity at all when i make a comparison to the politics of North Korea, but it's good to know what your mind focuses on when you think about the subject!
i am in fact not thinking about their ethnicity at all when i make a comparison to the politics of North Korea, but it's good to know what your mind focuses on when you think about the subject!
Reposted by Shawn
two white female dems with medical backgrounds spewing transphobia is genuinely dangerous shit
October 8, 2026 at 7:06 PM
two white female dems with medical backgrounds spewing transphobia is genuinely dangerous shit
Reposted by Shawn
I will say, I am far from convinced that this is the automatic trick for winning that a lot of people do, but it is important that *somebody* say this stuff in public, because that's the only way we reestablish any kind of societal norms or push the boundaries of acceptability away from this filth.
Between this and the AES debate tonight, it's refreshing to hear this from democrats. I'm glad every question is not treated as an opportunity to pivot to "kitchen table issues," but is instead met with all the reasons why the R is a gigantic piece of shit.
October 9, 2026 at 12:45 AM
I will say, I am far from convinced that this is the automatic trick for winning that a lot of people do, but it is important that *somebody* say this stuff in public, because that's the only way we reestablish any kind of societal norms or push the boundaries of acceptability away from this filth.
Reposted by Shawn
People got understand that "cop" is still a very sympathetic figure to normies and the normie position is "get rid of the bad apples". They really do think it's just a few bad apples.
SC because not trying to pile on, but Chesa was (in part, not monocausal, etc) successfully recalled by SFPD sandbagging. I personally know people in the city told by on duty cops “sorry can’t arrest this obviously dangerous person threatening you, due to the DA”. Like, it worked.
October 6, 2026 at 10:25 PM
People got understand that "cop" is still a very sympathetic figure to normies and the normie position is "get rid of the bad apples". They really do think it's just a few bad apples.
Reposted by Shawn
This is a very popular idea and can be true in various narrow ways, but never ends up being true when put into practice. Like one has to account for the failures of Hitler, Pinoche, the USSR, Mao in contrast to the constant success of the US.
“Democracy has been hailed as, like, the holy grail for the last couple hundred years, but democracies are inefficient,” said the crypto billionaire. “If you get a benevolent dictator, it’s actually extremely efficient."
Hmm, where have I heard this before?
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/b...
Hmm, where have I heard this before?
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/b...
Inside a Billionaire’s Paradise With Crypto’s Most Powerful Ex-Convict (Gift Article)
Changpeng Zhao, jailed in the United States for a financial crime and pardoned by President Trump, is now living a gilded life in the United Arab Emirates.
www.nytimes.com
October 5, 2026 at 5:07 PM
This is a very popular idea and can be true in various narrow ways, but never ends up being true when put into practice. Like one has to account for the failures of Hitler, Pinoche, the USSR, Mao in contrast to the constant success of the US.
Reposted by Shawn
And most people, even most liberals, will scream-cry at you if you suggest we don’t bend over backwards to subsidize the lifestyles of rural voters.
BREAKING: In Nebraska rally, Trump just suggested he would be unbothered to see Iran "take out" LA or San Diego:
“They could take out a city,” he said. “Let them take—Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. That’s—this is a very small price to pay."
“They could take out a city,” he said. “Let them take—Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. That’s—this is a very small price to pay."
October 6, 2026 at 12:09 AM
And most people, even most liberals, will scream-cry at you if you suggest we don’t bend over backwards to subsidize the lifestyles of rural voters.
Reposted by Shawn
How it feels once accept that many labor unions are just protectionist guilds and you owe them no solidarity (as they don’t extend it to anyone else anyway)
October 4, 2026 at 9:09 PM
How it feels once accept that many labor unions are just protectionist guilds and you owe them no solidarity (as they don’t extend it to anyone else anyway)
Reposted by Shawn
I think it's pretty clear by now that there is nowhere near a majority of voters, anywhere, who inherently see far-right authoritarianism as extrinsic to the success or survival of democratic systems.
October 4, 2026 at 11:31 PM
I think it's pretty clear by now that there is nowhere near a majority of voters, anywhere, who inherently see far-right authoritarianism as extrinsic to the success or survival of democratic systems.
Reposted by Shawn
I do think this should put some of the hand-wringing over the uniquely sinful American electorate, uniquely feckless institutions, etc in perspective. The truth is that there is a large trans-national constituency of people who actively want this. They aren’t deceived. They want this.
On the one hand, it’s comforting to know that Americans aren’t uniquely stupid, voters everywhere have skulls filled with mush and worms. On the other hand, global fascism is probably not an ideal state of affairs.
Brazil looks over and like Bolsonaro's definitely winning the runoff. Some crazy flips too.
October 4, 2026 at 11:45 PM
I do think this should put some of the hand-wringing over the uniquely sinful American electorate, uniquely feckless institutions, etc in perspective. The truth is that there is a large trans-national constituency of people who actively want this. They aren’t deceived. They want this.
Reposted by Shawn
Once again world historical mistake to make AI a consumer product and the greatest propaganda coup the AI industry ever pulled was labeling their product AI.
An Arizona man that fatally shot another male in a road-rage incident will be resentenced after an AI-generated video of the victim forgiving him was improperly used during sentencing.
The initial judge said he felt that the AI-generated depiction of the victim portrayed “genuine forgiveness.”
The initial judge said he felt that the AI-generated depiction of the victim portrayed “genuine forgiveness.”
October 3, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Once again world historical mistake to make AI a consumer product and the greatest propaganda coup the AI industry ever pulled was labeling their product AI.
Reposted by Shawn
The US Democrats need to look at their next Presidency as an endless sprint to obliterate MAGA, every day for years. Until the cancer is gone then there should be no time wasted on MAGA tears or conciliation. Only endless justice and rebuilding the democracy.
Govern like every day is the last day.
Govern like every day is the last day.
October 3, 2026 at 1:05 PM
The US Democrats need to look at their next Presidency as an endless sprint to obliterate MAGA, every day for years. Until the cancer is gone then there should be no time wasted on MAGA tears or conciliation. Only endless justice and rebuilding the democracy.
Govern like every day is the last day.
Govern like every day is the last day.
Reposted by Shawn
"socialist fiscal hawk" is a very weird politics to have but it's basically where I'm at
gee I wonder if electing the personification of avarice AGAIN has anything to do with the world finally waking up to the fact that the United States has been absolutely fiscally insane since no later than Trump I
October 3, 2026 at 10:26 PM
"socialist fiscal hawk" is a very weird politics to have but it's basically where I'm at
Reposted by Shawn
I'm a pro-union socialist and I think that bailing out the Teamster's pensions was a massive mistake by Biden.
what the fuck is wrong with the teamsters man
Roger Marshall is a ghoul who sued his own patients and threw them in prison!
Roger Marshall is a ghoul who sued his own patients and threw them in prison!
October 4, 2026 at 2:25 AM
I'm a pro-union socialist and I think that bailing out the Teamster's pensions was a massive mistake by Biden.
Reposted by Shawn
One of the things I've become kinda radicalized on, thanks in part to current events and also listening to @mikeduncan.bsky.social's REVOLUTIONS, is that while I maintain a moral opposition to violence, it's probably in the state's interest to shoot every coup leader that attempts it.
I have a strictly consequentialist view of punishment, which means that I oppose the death penalty not in principle but in most cases, as p(likely future harm) of someone with LWOP is almost never high enough to justify murder. However, Korea should probably have shot Yoon ASAP.
October 3, 2026 at 12:34 PM
One of the things I've become kinda radicalized on, thanks in part to current events and also listening to @mikeduncan.bsky.social's REVOLUTIONS, is that while I maintain a moral opposition to violence, it's probably in the state's interest to shoot every coup leader that attempts it.
Reposted by Shawn
something most people seem to believe which I disagree with very strongly is that a system becomes more democratic if it includes more points at which people vote
October 2, 2026 at 7:40 PM
something most people seem to believe which I disagree with very strongly is that a system becomes more democratic if it includes more points at which people vote
Reposted by Shawn
American direct democracy has largely been bad for well... everyone. Even the good things then get reduced by legislatures which just raises the question of why doing referendums in the first place?
anti-prop 40 ad seems very concerned that it allows the state legislature to tax me without an additional proposition, a power which as far as I know they already have
October 2, 2026 at 7:34 PM
American direct democracy has largely been bad for well... everyone. Even the good things then get reduced by legislatures which just raises the question of why doing referendums in the first place?
Reposted by Shawn
you think Jon 'Laken Reilly' Ossoff is going to match this? or a former prosecutor in Harris? there is one option, and I pray she runs.
AOC understands this and I'm extremely excited to campaign for her because of it.
October 2, 2026 at 8:32 PM
you think Jon 'Laken Reilly' Ossoff is going to match this? or a former prosecutor in Harris? there is one option, and I pray she runs.
Reposted by Shawn
there literally is no system that is abuse proof, so at a certain point you’re just against the abstract concept of authority or power in general. I think about this when it comes to ALPRs for traffic enforcement. Like if you want to have laws at all, you have to give someone power.
I react very poorly when any proposed policy or plan is met with "but what if someone like Trump gets hold of it?? then it would be not good, but very bad" because there really is no law or institution that can work when a population is willing to elect the stupidest, worst asshole alive
September 29, 2026 at 6:54 PM
there literally is no system that is abuse proof, so at a certain point you’re just against the abstract concept of authority or power in general. I think about this when it comes to ALPRs for traffic enforcement. Like if you want to have laws at all, you have to give someone power.
Reposted by Shawn
most importantly, don't *only* do it in campaign ads in the fall of election years
I think the cliched version of this is 'Tell them what you're going to do, tell them what you're doing as you do it, and then tell them that you've done it.'
September 29, 2026 at 7:01 PM
most importantly, don't *only* do it in campaign ads in the fall of election years
Reposted by Shawn
no other Democrat can do this, not without planning. the emotional appeal and the core backing of the facts. she's the one. she speaks the language of the base. she gives them a voice.
*whispers* stunt on these hos
September 28, 2026 at 4:47 AM
no other Democrat can do this, not without planning. the emotional appeal and the core backing of the facts. she's the one. she speaks the language of the base. she gives them a voice.
Reposted by Shawn
we saw a wave of "woke is overrrr!!!" pieces after the election, mostly typed one-handed. just now we're starting to see some very sotto-voce "we need to talk about woke 1" pieces, whether that's the lesbian bar piece or the nikole hannah-jones education piece.
What Is Woke 2?
Woke 2 is Woke 1 with an honest relation to power.
www.liberalcurrents.com
September 26, 2026 at 9:09 PM
we saw a wave of "woke is overrrr!!!" pieces after the election, mostly typed one-handed. just now we're starting to see some very sotto-voce "we need to talk about woke 1" pieces, whether that's the lesbian bar piece or the nikole hannah-jones education piece.
Reposted by Shawn
this is why I don't find the arguments it would be better for her, socialism, or the country that she run for Senate or try to create a path to Speaker.
the times demand our best.
the times demand our best.
September 23, 2026 at 12:28 AM
this is why I don't find the arguments it would be better for her, socialism, or the country that she run for Senate or try to create a path to Speaker.
the times demand our best.
the times demand our best.
Reposted by Shawn
transphobic Dems will go the way of pro-life Dems ultimately. but they stuck around for a while. we should seek to hasten their exit
my message to the GOP on trans rights is basically "dread it, run from it, Gender Equality arrives all the same" and i encourage other cis feminists to embrace this as well
September 22, 2026 at 3:31 AM
transphobic Dems will go the way of pro-life Dems ultimately. but they stuck around for a while. we should seek to hasten their exit