July 26, 2024

In some senses a perfect pair. One has unresolved Daddy issues and the other has unresolved Mommy issues.

With the widespread availability of quality therapy for those with means, however, it feels unnecessary for all of this to be playing out on the national stage.

July 25, 2024

Am I late to realising how much Pete Buttigieg looks and speaks like Mr Rogers?

Something about the Midwestern wholesomeness.

Put on your inside shoes, change into a sweater, and talk sense to me Pete.

July 23, 2024

Kamala's power move for the DNC? Tan suit bitches!

July 22, 2024

Lifelong career public servants don't do it for gratitude or loyalty.

They do it because they love their country and feel called to serve. They consider it the highest possible privilege to throw their shoulder against the great wheel for as long as they're able to stand. The ones that start out expecting recognition or thanks don't last 50 years.

I think the absolute last thing President Biden would ever say or think was that we should place any sense of obligation or loyalty to him personally over what we think objectively is best for the country. I think Joe Biden is a great president but I don't *owe* him personal loyalty over my loyalty to democracy, country and party.

Can we please put the back-stabbing/traitor/ratfucker/coup rhetoric to rest? It's not helpful, bordering on irresponsible in the current political climate, and it's not what Joe wants.

Let's recognise and respect his extraordinary public service, be inspired by it to redouble our efforts to defeat Trump, and honour the sacrifice that he's made in the spirit that he intended it. That's how we repay him for his service.

July 21, 2024

This is why we need to be able to openly discuss facts, regardless of who the nominee is.

I understand that a lot of people are genuinely heart-broken and shocked about this.

But I also think there's a number of people on (and no longer on) this site who have been trying to explain why they thought this was a likely outcome for several weeks now and they've been subjected to some pretty shocking abuse by their fellow DUers as well as targeted campaigns to get their accounts banned.

Meanwhile, the worst kind of conspiracy theories and weak arguments have been flourishing in the vacuum. I've watched as first many people stopped believing in polls, then the media, then our elected representatives and for some people even the democratic system of government. Some people are obviously still there.

And it's a shame, because if we'd been able to have this conversation and everyone had been able to make their cases, then today might well not have come as the inexplicable shock that it seems to be to some. And we would have a much shorter hill to be pushing the next candidate up without fighting against headwinds of cynicism fuelled by making this about a donor or media conspiracy/coup or drive to cancel votes when it was always simply about the majority of ordinary Democratic voters losing faith in the ability of a candidate that they love and respect to sustain the energetic messaging necessary to beat Donald Trump.

February 1, 2024

Genderqueer person kicked off Delta flight for not wearing a bra.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/kiwi-traveller-allegedly-removed-from-delta-airlines-flight-for-not-wearing-bra/57VO4PWEOZEGXJFGFQJ232GGSA/

What's next mandatory corsets and skirts?

April 23, 2023

New charity that removes racist and extremist tattoos for free

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/new-charitable-initiative-launches-to-remove-racist-and-extremist-tattoos-for-free/BZYE4CU4DRDTBPXSYKWGWN4IDY/

"The new Chance for Change programme will offer Kiwis with tattoos featuring racist symbols, images, hate-related words and slogans or extremist ideologies free removal.

Experts say the removal of offensive tattoos can cost up to tens of thousands of dollars and could be a barrier to progression in life, however, the new charitable initiative offers a pathway for participants to rid themselves of the last vestige of an ideology they no longer identify with.

One applicant to the programme had swastikas all over his legs and although he had been out of that lifestyle for more than ten years felt the legacy was always with him. He now had a five-year-old daughter and he had never worn shorts as a result. This guy had been riddled with self-loathing, disgust and self-doubt and he said having these tattoos removed had given him a fresh start in life,” he says."

More of this please. We need creative pathways to help support people back to sanity.

March 6, 2023

World's first openly transgender mayor and Member of Parliament has passed

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/worlds-first-openly-transgender-mp-and-mayor-georgina-beyer-dies-aged-65/XJYEBLG24JEZFJ5TZPNG7LSPTE/

"Georgina Beyer, the world’s first openly transgender Member of Parliament and mayor has died aged 65....

Beyer became the first openly transgender mayor in the world when she was chosen to serve as Carterton’s mayor in 1995.

She was later elected as a member of parliament in 1999 as Wairarapa MP and in 2005 elected as the first openly transgender MP."

A woman whose remarkable life deserves some exposure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgina_Beyer



Moe mai rā.

June 21, 2022

It's as important to recognise the people who did the right thing as it is to prosecute

those who did the wrong thing.

For people wondering what the point of these hearings will be if DoJ doesn't indict (and I still think it's likely they will), telling the stories of ordinary people suffering threats and injustice and still telling the truth is the point. These people deserve their time in the sun and to have an opportunity to inspire others to do the same.