This was a good SNS topic, Harron!

Happy weekend everyone, I hope you are all safe and well and taking care.

I had completely forgotten about that Debbie Allen/Phylicia Rashad video!

I love the show but I could have done without the soap-opera pregnancy surprise. And I’m glad they extended the season to 10 episodes but it really needs at least 12!

You tried it choke woke/don’t burn but I can’t be bothered with you.

Samira Nasr is a breath of fresh air. She’s effortlessly elegant with an insouciance that makes Wintour look clunky and artificial in her wake.

Similar arguments were used against queer visibility decades ago (and that bullshit never really ended). It’s really simple - people find acceptance and strength in numbers. More positive visibility gives trans people the confidence to come out and be who they are in the world.

Also even if it was true and kids across olde blightey were suddenly wanting to try out different genders before settling on one, so what? In fact, if they were then I’d even say “good”; good on the kids. If they feel empowered enough to be able to try out different genders then that is a good thing, surely? Maybe in…

Perhaps Rowling is suffering from a new disorder that my manufactured research will absolutely totally prove exists among famous wealthy people. I’m calling it E. Musk Syndrome. Much more severe than plebeian hubris. Seems to exponentially worsen as one’s net worth goes up.

And that they might come out around the same time as a result!

Agree fully. The message is fine but “defund” is going to be interpreted as “lefties want to abolish the police” which is obviously ridiculous, but never ever underestimate the stupidity of the American public. “Reform” is way more apt IMO.

I’ll be honest, if community volunteers is their answer, I don’t see how it doesn’t end up a huge disaster. It’s not even education and re-orientation question, but then also jurasdiction, some volunteers handling the complexities of murder investigations, the tendencies of communities not to hold their own…

We’ve got to stop letting the loudest voices - whatever side they are on - dictate framing and slogans. I bet there is almost zero which I would disagree with in the actual fundamentals of the policy. But as usual, the shitty framing will distract from the actual policy more than it should or have to.

They tried gradual efforts over the last 30+ years and it didn’t work. Things outright exploded this time so might as well try starting from the ground up.

When I came to DC in 1999, a friend of mine worked there as an unpaid intern.

In Quebec you must do a 3 year college Police tech program. Then a 15 week police school “boot camp” (Nicolet). 

As a non American I believe there are a few things to consider concerning policing.

One of the problems with the MNPLS FPD is that the union contract is so strong that it’s virtually impossible to fire an abusive police officer. St. Paul, which has a contract with a different police union, has far fewer problems with violently abusive police. Disbanding may be a mechanism to re-negotiate the contract…

There is more to policy making than acting out slogans. Demilitarize the police, yes. De-arm the police, yes. Reconstruct policing as community service, yes. But pushing disbandment without a plan is insane. There has to be a replacement l. If the plan is to replace with community volunteers, they need large education…

Cotton has the right to his opinions... I suppose. He does not have the right to have them published in the New York Times. So Cotton, Bennett and assorted apologists should kindly fuck off.