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[Reading] Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red [Listening] "The Trees Saw Everything" from Vibe Check [Watching] Widow's Bay (Matthew Rhys - swoon) A CASE STUDY IN ALLYSHIP On 18 April 2025, Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan confronted ICE officers, there to arrest undocumented immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, by referring the immigration agents to the chief judge's chambers because their administrative warrant wasn't adequate to arrest him. Flores-Ruiz was in court to face battery charges, and ICE used his attendance at the hearing as a trap to detain and deport him. Judge Dugan's actions allowed Flores-Ruiz to slip out of the Milwaukee courthouse, ensuring his right to due process. I am not defending Flores-Ruiz's alleged crime of battery. Rather, I am acknowledging the importance of the rule of law (when ICE, CBP, and the Trump Administration behave lawlessly every day) and highlighting what real allyship through action looks like. Judge Dugan placed her body between Trump's ICE thugs and their target. Judge Dugan put her career and her reputation on the line to defend the rule of law and to protect a member of a marginalized community actively targeted by Trump's violent white supremacist policies. Judge Dugan demonstrated more than allyship through her actions. Indeed, Judge Dugan exceeded basic allyship becoming an accomplice. Basic allyship requires little personal or professional risk, which is why (cishet white women) allies* are often deeply disappointing. Being an accomplice requires risk - risk to person, risk to profession, risk to reputation - in order to disrupt the status quo and ensure liberation for marginalized communities. The ACLU of Kansas succinctly analogizes the difference between allies and accomplices: [A]llies are more like cheerleaders, rooting for [marginalized groups and their liberation] from the sidelines without significantly participating [but] accomplices are out on the field, playing the game with members of the community and taking action to further the cause of [marginalized groups and their liberation]. We don't need more cheerleaders. We have enough. We need more fellow players. We don't need more allies. We have enough. We need more accomplices. In these dark Trumpy times, it's not enough to be an ally - you need to be an accomplice. CODA For her actions, Judge Dugan resigned her position and was tried and found guilty. Though she was spared jail time, Judge Dugan was fined $5,000 for her actions as an accomplice. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, showing his pre-Boomer agèd cards, said Judge Dungan was a good person who made a bad decision. But we need more good people, more accomplices like Judge Dugan who are willing to make bad decisions if we are all going to survive the next two and a half years of Trump and his goon squad. Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Metallic Sapphire Sharpie** * I am calling out cishet white women specifically because A) they often claim to be allies without actually doing the work of allyship; B) their proximity to cishet white patriarchal power often overrides their alleged allyship; and C) cishet white men will never truly be allies because their power is always already corrupting. Cishet white women are where we can see potential movement; that is, cishet white women will become accomplices only when they renounce their blind allegiance to white patriarchal power. (I believe I'm now firmly in my Magneto era.) ** Uff da, I'm really on a Sharpie kick lately, which means I'm probably seeking stability, permanence in the chaos of our current political moment.
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Current Curiosities
[Reading] Create Dangerously by Albert Camus [Listening] Star Wars: Old Canon Book Club [Watching] The Sopranos Please note this post has been radically updated (1/25/26) since its original upload (1/15/26). With the peaceful protests and brutal federal violence in Minnesota, now did not seem the time to focus on how fascism is creeping into Human Resources. I plan to repost "Words Matter: Divergent Opinions," with a tighter focus on words and their meanings and real-world impacts, at a later date. Rebellions Are Built on 'Ope I'm angry and anxious and heartbroken about what's happening in Minnesota. I'm Minnesotan by choice. And I could not be prouder of my fellow Minnesotans as we protect our neighbors and protest the horrific brutality of ICE and Border Patrol agents enacting Trump's retribution (his word) on our state for not electing him three times. (Indeed, Bondi demanded Minnesota voter rolls as the quid for the quo of stopping ICE and CBP violence in Minnesota.) As Governor Tim Walz said in his address, Attorney General Kieth Ellison's office has set up the Federal Action Reporting Form to document ICE atrocities throughout the state. Additionally, Attorney General Ellison published this press release alerting Minnesotans that the Department of Homeland Security is digitally surveilling peaceful protestors. Protect yourselves. Use encrypted messaging apps like Signal, but be cautious of Meta's WhatsApp. (See also, the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act.) If you document an incidence of ICE or CBP brutality, send the videos and photos immediately to a friend or family member not present at the protest in case ICE or CBP seizes your phone. Then immediately delete the sent message. This ensures your evidence reaches others — including the media — and protects you from the initial search of your phone. To my fellow Minnesotans — be vigilant, be vocal, be safe. And document everything. Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Silver Fox Tools Mini Caddy [Sharpie] The title and subtitle of this post come from signs seen at local protests and on r/Minnesota. Tomorrow marks the official start of Pride season. And honestly, this year I am more concerned than ever about the safety of my fellow LGBTQ+ community members.
We now live in a post-Trump conviction era — and as a country, we have witnessed again and again what his aggrieved followers do when Trump and his ideology lose. And Trump lost bigly yesterday. The threat of danger to queer and trans folks this Pride is incredibly real. Allies, your role at Pride must evolve past simply showing up in support and celebrating. As allies, you may be called upon to upstand, to intervene when queer or trans people are being threatened, harassed, or harmed. Upstanding for Allies If you witness harassment or violence targeting queer or trans Pride attendees, it’s your job as an ally to upstand.
For more on upstanding, check out this Bystander Intervention Tip Sheet from the American Psychological Association. Safety Reminders for LGBTQ+ Folks
An Additional Consideration Cops do not belong at Pride. Every queer and trans person, regardless of citizenship status, race or ethnicity, deserves to feel safe celebrating Pride. As Roxane Gay wrote in her thoughtful 2021 New York Times opinion piece, police harassment of LGBTQ+ communities did not start with the Stonewall Riots and did not end afterward. And BIPOC queer and trans communities bear the brunt of contemporary police harassment. Fellow queer and trans folks, I wish y'all happiness and love this Pride season. Be safe, be proud, be you. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. If you have questions, curiosities, or are interested in learning more about inclusion and leadership possibilities for yourself or your organization, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Musgrave Pencil Company Tennessee Red [Wood Pencil] |
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