#THE ARK WHEN THEY ARE IN AN INTERNMENT CAMP??? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

justinewt · 3 months

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Our Souls Bleeding Tears of Anguish - THE 100 REWRITE Chapter Twenty-Three

[THE 100 MASTERLIST]

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Summary: The days following her arrest and imprisonment had been a roller coaster of emotion for Michelle, with far more downs than ups. The mix of fear, frustration, anger and sadness that stirred her insides almost made her sink into despair, and not being sure as to where Bellamy stood in all this made it even harder. She wanted him to show her he was back on their side.

Words: 6.4k

arnings: The 100 season 3 spoilers (episode 8 “Terms and Conditions”; episode 9 "Stealing Fire"; episode 10 "Fallen"), title adapted from quote from Katie MacAlister, execution, lots of blood

Pike suspended access to the prisoners, reinforcing security in front of and in the corridor leading to the cell where all the Grounders in the camp were still locked up, or interned as the new Chancellor preferred to put it, including Michelle herself. She woke up for the second time, curled up on the cold floor and sat up against the wall, crossing her legs. Her arms were bare since she had left her jacket in her room and although they were indoors, being dressed only in a tank top at the end of winter was rather unpleasant. She hadn’t been allowed to see or talk to her father in almost two days and she wondered what was going to happen to her. Pike said they weren’t on the Ark anymore, implying that back then, she would have been floated but not down here, but now she wasn’t so sure about the fact that she wouldn’t walk out of this cell only to be executed.

She was arrested by Bellamy before she could even tell her father that Pike knew there was a mole, and that his suspicions had befallen him. She only hoped it would be all right for him. She dreaded seeing the only parent she had left die before her eyes. Staring into the void, she kept rehashing the same thoughts until she heard movement in the hallway, and she turned her head. Sinclair, the chief engineer back on the Ark and here, was pushed into the cell, just like she was, except he didn’t collapse to the ground. He noticed Michelle and seemed chocked to see her there. This immidietaly told her that her father had no idea where she had gone and it pained her, knowing he was probably doing anything he could to find her and at the same time, find a way to stop Pike.

“This cell will soon be filled with both my people and yours.” Lincoln walked up to Sinclair and Michelle stood up, approaching them. “What’d you do to get here?”

“Whatever it took. I have a message for you from Kane. Get ready. You too, Michelle. Tonight’s a go.” He stepped away and the Grounder and the young woman exchanged a look before she went back to sitting against the wall, her legs stretched out in front of her. Whatever this plan of theirs was, she might have a chance to get out of here that very night. A few hours later, Sinclair called for a guard, telling him he was ready to speak, and they sent for Bellamy who arrived shortly after. He came up to the fenced cell door, facing Sinclair. Michelle stayed put, a hand on the ground, on the go. Both her and Lincoln were watching.

“You have something to say?”

“What do you wanna know?”

“Everything.” Sinclair nodded.

“I want immunity. I’m the Chief Engineer and this camp needs me.”

“That’s up to Pike, but it shouldn’t be a problem. What have you got?”

“So…” As he was beginning to speak, or really pretend to give information, Lincoln walked towards them.

“The cowards make their deals to save their own skin.” Bellamy told him to be quiet, but the Grounder kept going at it, adding fuel to the fire. “Can’t defeat the army at the gate? So, you turn on your own? Make you feel strong?”

“I said, “be quiet”.” He repeated.

“I’m not the one who needs to be silenced. He’ll tell them nothing.” When Lincoln grabbed Sinclair by the shoulders and threw him on the ground and began to throw punches at him, Michelle stood up, a hand on the wall. Bellamy shouted and a guard unlocked the door so he could come in and put an end to the assault. Sinclair was groaning loudly at each blow, but what Bellamy wasn’t aware of was that they had been faking it all along. Sinclair was shielding himself with his arms. He realized the deception when it was already too late, Lincoln called all the other prisoners to attack, and they ran forward. Commotion ensued and Bellamy was slammed against the wall, falling to the ground with a thud. The guards outside the cell all cramed against the door to keep the prisoners inside while the Grounders pushed against them with their full strengths, eventually gaining the upper hand. Michelle was frozen in place, wanting to check on Bellamy but also wanting to just make a run for it and leave but when an alarm sounded in the building, calling for reinforcement, she chose her first option and knelt next to Bellamy who groaned in pain. When he came back to his senses, he looked at her as if she had betrayed him, when it was the other way around and he got up hastily. With all the fight going on, she stood back up and watched, almost catching a stray here and there. She then saw Bellamy run through the cell and she was tempted to follow him but knowing how much of a mess this whole operation was, she was going to get caught anyway because there wasn’t anywhere else for her to go.

The riot was quickly put down by the dozens of guards who stunned the prisoners with they weapon and put them back in the cell. The alarm eventually stopped as well, and a heavy atmosphere took over the place. This religious silence lasted all afternoon and as she watched night fall through the small portholes in the corridor, she was alerted by the sounds of footsteps approaching the cell. She got up and saw her father's silhouette through the door. He had a defeated look on his face as his glance went from Lincoln to Sinclair and stopped on his daughter. She stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. They tried to get back at Pike and Kane had been on the front line. Now he had been arrested, and Pike had probably passed sentence already. She couldn't bring herself to think that her father could be condemned to death. If he died, she would die as well. If that was what awaited him, Bellamy better be aware of this. He would lose someone he loved, again, and all because of his choices.

They sat down on one of the benches and Michelle rested her head on his shoulder, eventually falling asleep against him.

A while later, she was woken up from her nap by a loud clinging sound of metal against metal. She straightened up, squinting her eyes and put her hand in front of her mouth as she yawned. It was Pike who was hitting against the mesh wall, and she gave him a death stare. Her father stood up.

“I’m not here for you, Kane. Each of you is guilty of the same crimes and as such, you will suffer the same fate. Death.” Michelle's face fell as she heard the news, but she would rather die alongside her father than having to watch the latter get executed. A grounder woman stood up, speaking her native tongue to Lincoln who stretched his hand towards her before approaching Pike who was standing on the other side.

“My people are innocent. They know nothing.” He whispered.

“Sir, Lincoln’s right.” Michelle approached in turn, standing next to her father, who had thought it was his time. “All the others did was run through an open door. Same thing we would do if we were in there. And Michelle—”

“Michelle did protect a traitor, but…” He cut him off and his focus went back to Lincoln. Bellamy looked at her through the holes and she could see his loyalty to Pike was beginning to crumble but she was disappointed things had had to go this far for him to doubt Pike. It had to come to the point where she was sentenced to death. “I believe that’s true. Kane, Lincoln, Sinclair… as the leaders of this coup, you will pay for your crimes with your lives. Execution is set for dawn.”

Michelle’s face lost all its colors and she turned as white as a sheet, as if she had seen a ghost or was on the verge of death. She was exempted from being killed, but her father was not, and just thinking about having to watch him die made her feel sick to her stomach and drained her of all her life force. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Bellamy turn around and she almost threw herself against the grid, her fingers gripping through the mesh. She saw the young man stop in his tracks and look behind him.

“You can’t let him do this.” As she repeated herself two and then three times, she hit the grid each time, she gritted her teeth as she held back from crying, both out of frustration and sadness. His eyes showed that all this disturbed and upset him and he turned his back to her before walking away. She took a step back and her father gently took her shoulder and pulled her back against him. At some point in the night, he was quickly taken out of the cell, chained of course, to go see Abby but he was back barely a couple minutes later. Michelle had never been this clingy in her whole life but all she could do now was to sit next to her father, clinging to his arm, her head resting on his shoulder. Michelle was unable to get any more sleep out of this night and awaiting her father’s death filled her heart with despair. He wasn't even on the scaffold yet and she was ready to give up on life. His sleeve was rolled up to the elbow and he detailed the coalition mark with his fingertip, thinking.

“It could’ve worked.” Lincoln said, sat on the bench a few feet away.

“Death can be an act of unity, too. We don’t break.” He turned his face to Sinclair, quickly glancing to Michelle after placing a kiss on her hair. “We don’t show fear. The people will remember.”

“Chancellor on deck.” A guard then announced. A second later it was Pike’s voice which came to irritate Michelle's ears, and which also made her heart drop. A few Grounders stood up, not knowing what this was about but Lincoln spoke to them. Michelle and Kane got up and he held her face, first looking into her eyes then he pressed his forehead against hers and placed a second kiss there.

“May we meet again.” Pike ordered for everyone to stand against the wall. She was pushed away from her father by a guard and had to watch them tie him, Sinclair, and Lincoln up. Also noticing the absence of Bellamy among the guards and wondered where he had gone now but she quickly put this question at the back of her head. She didn’t care where he was right now, she only cared that she was about to become an orphan. A guard came towards her, and she got her hands tied. Seeing this, Kane got alarmed. “What are you doing?”

“She will be released right after your execution.” The Chancellor then said to Kane. She was already upset over her father’s upcoming death, but she became even more terrified of having to watch. Maybe Pike would keep her somewhere else while it happened, or he would force her to witness it, to break her and ensure she wouldn’t try to fight him in the future. If it was the latter, he would succeed. She would be broken.

“Charles, she doesn’t need to see this.” His plead was ignored and the four of them were walked out of the cell.

“Make way.” Pike commanded as they crossed paths with Harper. She exchanged a prolonged glance with Kane. Once they were further away from her, Michelle saw her peer bring her radio up to her mouth, mumbling something. She figured the latter was in contact with Octavia and as usual, she would get them out of this situation. It somewhat relaxed her because if Octavia was coming, then none of them would be executed and she wouldn’t have to watch. A minute later, Hannah’s voice sounded from Pike’s radio.

“Sir, you were right. Octavia Blake is here, and she’s not alone.” He turned around, cocking his gun at them.

“On their knees!” They were pushed to the ground. He grabbed his walkie-talkie. “Can you confirm a location?”

“Negative, sir.”

“We can assume her friends have told her where we’re taking them. We shouldn’t go further till the route’s secure.” A young guard advised. Michelle recognized Nate’s boyfriend, though she had no idea what his name was.

“Put them in there. Let’s go, move!” They were pushed into an empty dormitory and the door was locked behind them, telling two of his men to stand stand watch. From inside the room, they heard him shouting orders before leaving. They all exchanged a look when, a moment later, the door burst open, revealing Octavia. Michelle glanced out the doorway, the two guards were lying on the floor. Knowing Pike would be back soon, she picked up one of the square floorboards and they slipped in the crawlspace underneath. They heard the guards and the Chancellor walk right above their heads.

“The guys are alive, sir. They must have drugged them.” One spoke.

“We did what they wanted us to do. That won’t happen again.” He declared as he walked out. The guards jogged after him. They waited a little longer and Octavia pushed the floorboard, taking a look.

“All clear.” She grabbed the guns and put them on the floor before jumping out of the crawlspace.

“A little tight in there.”

“Try doing it for 16 years.” Kane was second to climb out and she cut his restraints. She walked towards Lincoln after freeing Michelle while Sinclair pushed the floorboard back into place. Abby entered the room going straight to Kane and Michelle.

“I told you not to do this.”

“Why would I start listening to you now?” She undid their restraints and Michelle sketched an amused smile. That was something she could have said to her father. The radio at Octavia’s belt beeped and Kane looked up at her.

“What is it?”

“This wasn’t the plan. We used their frequencies so they could hear us.”

“Stay where you are.” Harper’s voice came through in a whisper. “Repeat. Stay where you are. The exit is not clear.”

“How many guards?”

“Too many. I said stay put.” Then, suddenly, someone made an announcement sounded throughout the ring, calling all the guards at the main gate claiming the prisoners were headed there. This was obviously a false report to cover for them and allow them to flee.

“That was Monty.”

“Guess he’s with us after all.” Nate said, looking at Octavia.

“Pike will find out.” Kane added.

“We don’t know that. What we do know is we have to move.” Abby quietly urged them. They slipped away into the corridor and headed towards the entrance to the crawlspace to allow them to exit the camp without being seen. A woman’s voice came over PA, warning the citizens of Arkadia that an emergency lockdown was going into effect. Michelle stood by with Abby while Kane had everyone get through the opening. He turned to the two women and motioned for Michelle to move forward. She stepped in and was about to go through the tunnel but when she didn’t hear Abby reply to Kane when he told her it was her turn, she wondered what was going on and looked back.

“I’m not going. They need someone to show them the way out of the dark.” Michelle's eyes widened in shock when she saw her father step forward and take Abby's face in his hands to kiss her passionately. She wasn't expecting it at all and was quite taken aback but she turned out to be pleasantly surprised. If she wanted to see her father with anyone, it would for sure be Abby. She was already like a second mother to her. A sweet smile sketched her lips and she let them have a moment before Abby walked away. Michelle stuck her head through the opening.

“I already saw Clarke as my sister so that's fine with me.” She giggled and her father glanced at her, letting out a quiet laugh until Pike’s voice came over Octavia’s radio and the situation took on a more serious tone again. They were hanging on his threatening words.

“I have a message for the traitors in this camp. There will be an execution today. Either turn yourselves in, or the other Grounder prisoners will die in your place.” Lincoln looked at Octavia, his face impassive and pushed her out of the way. She grabbed his arm to stop him. Kane turned to his daughter and motioned for her to go with the others, telling her he would join them shortly and she nodded before crouching her way to the exit, dropping her right outside the camp. She waited for her father alongside Nate and Bryan and he eventually arrived, carrying an unconscious Octavia in his arms. Lincoln was nowhere to be seen, and for a very simple reason. He stayed behind to turn himself in and save his people from getting killed because of them. He put Octavia on the back of a horse and gave Michelle his jacket when he realized that she was still in just a tank top. She tried to refuse, not wanting her father to be cold but he insisted and placed the garment on her shoulders. She slipped her arms in the sleeves and the group started walking. Octavia came to her senses as it started raining and she clumsily jumped off the horse, mumbling Lincoln’s name. From where they were, they could see the camp in the distance. She stumbled through the bushes to get closer. Her face twisted with anguish. Lincoln fell to his knees in the mud, Pike facing him. Michelle got startled when he shot the Grounder in the head, his body collapsing to the ground and disappearing from their field of vision. She looked at Octavia and the sorrow on her face was gone. She looked cold and emotionless, but hatred pierced through her eyes as she stared at Pike's silhouette.

At the speed they were walking, it took them a minute to get to the cave where Octavia had left Indra earlier in the day. Their walk was in the most heavy and morose silence. Michelle and Kane entered the place after Sinclair, Nate and Harper and the young woman was surprised to see Bellamy there, chained to a rock. This gave her an answer to the question of where he had gone. Octavia walked past them, looking down at her sword in its sheath. He looked nervously at the entrance to the cave.

“Where’s Lincoln?”

“Pike put a bullet in his brain.” She said, her back to him. He couldn’t hide his shock, and guilt, regarding the Grounder’s death.

“O… O, I’m so sorry.” She snapped, suddenly turning around and punched him in the face with all her force. He stood back up, looking at her without saying anything and she kept hitting him, blood staining his lips and cheek. Michelle gritted her teeth, wanting to say something but not daring. She understood how much anger and resentment Octavia must have felt towards her brother, blaming him for what happened.

“Octavia, that’s enough.”

“Kane, stay out of this.” His eyes were wide open. He obviously felt responsible and let his sister lash out at him. She started hitting him repeatedly and everyone without exception looked away. Michelle closed her eyes, wincing at the gruntings. Kane took her by the shoulders, and they moved away from the scene. Octavia was sobbing and pushed Nate away when he tried to stop her. Again, Bellamy said to stay out of this and back off. Michelle put her hands on her ears when Octavia screamed and finished her brother off, his body falling with a thud.

“You’re dead to me.” Michelle heard silence return as Octavia's footsteps walked away towards the back of the cave. She let her hands fall and dared to turn her head, breathing heavily. She tried not to let her jaw drop at the dreadful sight of Bellamy's face covered in blood. She finally got up and approached one of the big bags they had brought. It was mostly weapons, but she found a cloth and some water while the others began to set up a fire on the other side of the cave. Bellamy avoided her gaze and turned his face away when she knelt beside him and tried to bring the folded cloth closer. With a trembling hand, she took his face and proceeded to gently wipe away the blood. He winced from the pain, tightening his lips. His eyes were no longer so wide open but still shocked and flooded with shame as he stared into the void.

“I deserve this.”

“Never said you didn’t.” He rolled his head against the rock and looked at her. She crossed his gaze. His eyes were asking her why she was even tending to him since she agreed he deserved this punishment. “I just— I don’t like seeing you like this. But I'm still angry with you.”

“I’m so sorry.” His voice was soft, almost sounding like a silent request to forgive him and he plunged his eyes into hers. Her hand still against his face, he wrapped hs fingers around her wrist.

“I know. But I can't forgive you just yet, especially out of respect for Octavia.” He briefly looked away, nodding. She let her hand slide off his face and bringing it on her lap, she held his wrist. “I’m sorry too.”

“For what?” His gaze swiftly came back to hers. At first, he didn’t understand what she was even apologizing for.

“Pushing you away.” She said under her breath, glancing at the blood-soaked cloth in her other hand before and then over her shoulder. Behind her, the others had lit a fire and were all sitting around it, talking about their next move, Pike, and the ongoing blockade around Arkadia. That was the reason they couldn’t go very far and turned this cave into their hideout. She looked back at Bellamy’s scarred face. He was staring at her, knowing she was referencing the romance that had blossomed between them before she ended it without a word. She never explained herself to him and subsequently he got together with Gina and their relationship became even more distant and awkward.

“You don’t need to apologize for that.”

“Yes, I do. We hurt each other because I didn’t handle things very well. Had too much on my plate…” Looking away, she parted her lips, wanting to tell him she liked him, but the words wouldn’t come out. Thinking about saying it out loud to him awakened the resentment that was sleeping deep inside her and she concluded briefly, shrugging. She let go of her hand and sat on the wet rocky ground of the cavern. She sighed, raising her head towards skylight above the cave. The thick foliage of the trees let in an openwork light inside. “By the way, did you leave my jacket in my room?”

“I took it after I arrested you. It's in my room.”

“I want it back when we return to Arkadia.” After a look from her father, as he sat down at the fire, she stood up and went next to him. She didn't want to give all her empathy and kindness to Bellamy for the simple reason that she had seen him get beaten up by Octavia. She knew he was sorry for what happened but there was a part of her that wanted to wait and see if he had truly joined their side for good, or if Pike's influence had still a hold of his mind. Giving out everything without knowing if she would get anything, other than a betrayal, from him wasn’t something she was ready to do. From where she was, she had Octavia facing her, sitting with her back to her brother and the latter a few dozen feet away. They stared at each other from the corner of their eyes.

“I say, we run two-man patrols, round the clock, starting now.” Bryan said.

“We’ll do that, but we should be safe here. The Grounder’s blockade is too close for Pike to risk looking for us.” Kane spoke.

“Yeah, but are we safe from the blockade?”

“As long as we stay this side of the line, we should be.”

“They’re Grounders, you really think they’re gonna play by the rules.” Octavia glared at him, and his remark made Michelle roll her eyes, breaking eye contact with Bellamy for a moment.

“Hey, Pike will want you dead now, too. We take him him out, we can go home.”

“We take him out, then the Grounders lift the blockade.” Harper chimed in, adding to Nate’s statement to his boyfriend.

“That’s right. We become the 13th clan, again.” Michelle glanced back at Bellamy, seeing him quietly disagree with what her father was saying. He rose his eyebrows and shook his head in disbelief. Feeling her eyes on him, he peeked at her before looking away. “Those were the terms.”

“Lexa’s terms.” Sinclair corrected. “If what Bellamy says is true and she’s dead, how do we know the next commander will honor them?”

“One problem at a time.”

“What about Clarke?” Michelle turned her head to Nate at the mention of her friend. “With Lexa gone, she’s not safe at Polis."

“Clarke made her choice.” Octavia thrusted the tip of her blade into the ground. “The only thing that matters now is killing Pike.”

“Octavia’s right.” While her father agreed, Michelle saw Bellamy looking up at them and gulped. There was guilt all over his face. “Once we resume our place in the Commander’s coalition, Clarke will be safe. So, how do we do it?”

“Bellamy, come in.” Monty’s voice rising from the radio interrupted their conversation, catching their attention. “It’s Monty, I’m in trouble. Please say you still have your radio.”

“If we respond and Pike’s listening—” Sinclair picked up the radio, hesitant.

“We go to Channel 7.” Bellamy stated. “Please say you still have your radio. That’s seven words after the word “trouble”. It’s code, go to seven.”

After a few seconds of silence, Sinclair and Kane looking at each other, the Chief engineer switched the channels on the radio and hande it to the former councilman. Monty’s voice came up again, asking for Bellamy again. “Monty, it’s Kane. What’s wrong?”

“Pike knows that I helped you get out.”

“Can you get to the dropship?”

“I think so.”

“Good. Go there, I’ll bring you in.” He looked at Bellamy and ended the communication with Monty.

“Hold on, what if it’s a trap and Pike’s waiting?” Harper wondered.

“That’s why I’m going alone.” Kane declared as he stood up. Obviously, Octavia imitated him, who was quickly joined by Nate.

“Monty saved our lives. I’m going too.”

“No, you’re not.” He disapproved. Everyone got up on their feet, including Michelle. “If it is a trap, I’m not marching our entire insurgency into it.”

“To stop me, you’re gonna have to kill me.” Octavia said, coldly.

“She hopes it’s a trap.” She turned her head, looking over her shoulder.

“He’s coming too. We’ll need a hostage to trade for Monty.” Michelle’s gaze went from Octavia to Bellamy in the background. Kane admitted this was a good plan and the so-called hostage was gagged on top of remaining chained. When Nate tried to plead for him, he cut him off, reminding them that he was the enemy and repeated his order.

Advancing cautiously, with Octavia and Kane at the head of the line, the latter pushing a chained and gagged Bellamy in front of him, the group walked on the dropship ground. Fearing that Octavia was right and that it turned out to be a trap, Michelle had insisted to tag along, promising to her father that she would listen to him if something happened. Much like Octavia, but for different reasons, he was quick to realize it would be better for him to accept to let her come rather than argue with her over this. If it was a trap and they got caught, she wanted to be with her father. She refused to be pacing around a humid cave wondering if she was going to hear that her father was dead or see him come back to them. Nate had given her a gun and off she went. They stopped in their tracks. Kane called for Monty, breaking the suspicious calm and silence hanging over the place. He assumed they had gotten there first when after a few seconds there was still no answer and they took a step forward, staring at the curtain that obscured the interior of the ship. Octavia suddenly pulled out her sword, grabbing her brother’s shoulder and putting her blade up to his throat.

“Get outside! Now!” She yelled. Monty appeared and there was a moment where they thought he was alone but when they saw his hands brought together in front of him, tied up, it was clear something was wrong. And behind him, a gun appeared, held up to the young man’s head and the person who held the weapon was no other than Pike himself. The number one target on Octavia’s kill list. Monty apologized for getting them into a trap but none of them were mad at him. The fault lied with Pike, as usual.

“Let him go, Pike.” Kane’s request was obviously denied while he and Michelle aimed their guns at him. They got startled when a shot was fired at their foot and Michelle closed one of her eyes, looking through the sight on top of her gun. She noticed that in his other hand, there was a radio. She frowned, thinking she should have been more observant, at least now they knew he wasn't alone.

“It’s over. Put down your weapons.”

“Shoot him.” Octavia urged, glancing at Kane and Michelle. The latter looked at her father. If he wasn’t going to do anything, she would stand by. He couldn’t shoot though; Monty’s was in his way.

“If he keeps Monty there, I got a clear shot.” While Pike urged the former councilmate to do something, the latter told his daughter to hold her fire. If she missed and hit his gun, Monty would most definitely get a bullet in his head. Another shot was fired at their feet, unsettling them.

“I promised Monty’s mother that I’d bring him home alive. Don’t make me a liar.”

“He’s already a liar.” Michelle uttered, tighetening her grip of her automatic rifle. She was surprised when she saw her father lower his, much to Octavia’s disappointment. He took the strap of the weapon off around his chest and raised his hands in the air, sending a look prompting his daughter to do the same. She gritted her teeth and reluctantly did so, hands in the air, showing the large scar that ran across the palm of her empty hand. She watched her father throw the gun away and rolling her eyes, she imitated him.

“Now, you.” He addressed Octavia, who was still holding her blade to the side of Bellamy’s neck. Her only reaction was to pull her brother closer and put the edge of the sword at the front of his throat. Before another shot could be fired at them, Bellamy suddenly grabbed her arm, twisting it around. She fell to her knees with a grunt. As Michelle thought, not just one man came out of hiding, about half a dozen people appeared. The three of them were held at gun point while Pike picked up Octavia’s sword. Michelle was staring at Bellamy. She couldn’t tell if their conversation at the cave had had any effect or had been pointless and she fooled herself thinking he had switched sides. There was a part of her that was afraid he would just go back with Pike. That part of her believed he would.

“Now, you don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine.”

“You got about five seconds to make me believe you’re still with me.”

“All the others are in a cave not far from here.” Michelle’s face fell from the disappointment that overwhelmed her. Octavia jumped at him, swearing and she was struck with an electric baton, collapsing to the ground with a grunt.

“Give me the coordinates.”

“I don’t have the coordinates. But I can take you there.” Pike had their new prisoners gagged and tied up while he freed Bellamy from his restraints and they pushed the three of them, along with Monty, in the forest. Walking beside her father, with Octavia in front of her and Pike and Bellamy at the lead, Michelle glared at the later, looking around as they advanced, she wondered where he was taking them. This wasn't exactly the route they took to get to the dropship site in the first place. She was on guard and didn't want to get her hopes up if he turned out to be betraying them again. She would be less disappointed if she expected the worst.

“Sure about the route?” Pike eventually asked. “We’re getting close to the blockade line.”

“That’s why Kane set up out here. He didn’t think we’d risk it.”

“Well, he was wrong.”

“What’s gonna happen to my sister?” I know she has to answer for her crimes, but—”

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you the same promise I made to Monty’s mother. Immunity from all past actions, but if she screws up again—”

“Oh, she won’t. I’ll make sure of it. My sister, my responsibility.” Michelle glanced at the girl. She couldn't see her face, but she knew that hearing him talk like this made her terribly angry. After what she had said and done to him in the cave, if she ever managed to forgive him, it wasn't going to be any time soon. A moment later, Pike had them come to a halt. Bellamy ensured the cave was right on the other side and they resumed. A horn echoed through the forest. Pike's soldiers raised their weapons, aiming at the treetops but no one could see anything. He urged them to go back to higher grounds and the moment he turned his back to Bellamy, the latter snatched the gun at his belt and held him at gunpoint, yelling at him to drop his weapon. One of the Ark’s guards took a step forward and Octavia hit him in the abdomen with her tied hands and the man fell to the ground.

“We bring you Chancellor Pike of the Sky People. O, translate. Take him. Lift this blockade.” She pulled down her gag and spoke to the Grounders. Michelle jumped, taking a step back as arrows flew from the trees, taking down each of the guards. The Grounders then appeared, running towards them, and circling them, shouting. Crouched down after being startled, Octavia took a knife from one of the bodies and tried to attack Pike but Kane blocked her to stop her. The Grounders wanted him alive, and they wouldn’t get away with it if something like what happened with Finn happened again. Clarke had taken from them their right to revenge after he had shot innocent people in a village. They couldn't take this one away from them.

“In that case…” Pike took a step towards Bellamy, and an arrow lodged itself in his left shoulder. Blood sprayed as he fell to the ground and a Grounder came to deliver another blow. He was knocked out after another kicked him in the face. They picked him up. Meanwhile, Michelle had lowered her gag and Bellamy came in front of her, cutting her bonds with his knife.

“Where are you taking him?” Kane enquired after getting his ties cut.

“To the new Commander.”

“May I join you?” He pulled up his sleeve, revealing the Coallition mark on his arm. “We’re the 13th clan.”

“Don’t slow us down.” The Grounder turned around.

“Are you sure?” Michelle asked, worried.

“We know nothing about the new commander.” Monty added.

“I’m sure. Go home. Tell our people what happened here.” Monty nodded, walking away, leaving Kane with Bellamy and Michelle. He placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder and stroked her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. “Tell Abby I’ll look out for Clarke.” She nodded. He looked at Bellamy. “Did you do this for your sister? Or because it was the right thing to do?”

“You’re welcome.” He tried to dodge the question and leave but Kane grabbed his arm.

“It matters. Until you see that, you’ll still be lost.” Michelle watched her father catch up with the Grounder further away. When she looked at Bellamy, he avoided her gaze at first.

“I still don't know what to think of you.” She was still angry at him, but she really wanted to give him a second chance. Turning Pike in was a first step in the right direction. He was lost after everything that happened. They both had their issues and broken trust was a big one between them. Perhaps he was still afraid that she would push him away again, but now knowing he wouldn't betray them again, Michelle was ready to make efforts this time and she would help him get back on the right path.

“I’m sorry.” He repeated quietly, nodding.

“I’m sorry too.” After looking at each other in silence for a moment, they finally approached Monty who was standing alone not far away.

“My mom turned me in.”

“You’re family. We’ll work it out.” Bellamy put a hand on Monty’s shoulder and taking a peep at Michelle, he did the same, slightly squeezing hers. When she met the enraged gaze of Octavia who was kneeling near one of the bodies, she looked away. One of the men on the ground lifted his head, showing he wasn’t dead, and she jumped, stabbing him in the chest before staring at her brother, speaking trigedasleng. This time, Michelle clearly understood what she said, though the underlying threat wasn’t directed at her.

“Blood must have blood.”

[To be continued…]

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Published (01/19/2023) by Andrea

Taglist: @cathrin2405 @kika64 @mirellef2001

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iamryna · 6 months

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1 Samuel 4:1-11

New International Version

4 And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. 2 The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. 3 When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. 6 Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”

When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid. “A god has[a] come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. 8 We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

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liberlandtv · 7 months

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Liberland Border Crossing Opens; #Croatia Invades a Month Later

@LiberlandOfficial @Liberlanddailynews

#liberlandtv #country #libertarian #invades #nation #peace #schengen

MATEOS MARINA, LIBERLAND, SEPTEMBER 22 – On the morning of Thursday, September 21, a private company acting on behalf of the Croatian Forests (Hrvatske Šume d.o.o.) accompanied by police made an unannounced extraterritorial incursion into Liberland and demolished and removed Liberland property. Liberlanders living on the land were threatened with arrest if they interfered. An unspecified number of Liberlanders were arrested under the vague charges of “failure to comply with a lawful order.”

Croatian police escorted the demolition crews who committed this act of indiscriminate destruction. This assault was committed without warning and without the forest company or police issuing any reasons or justification.

Persons present were not given any time to gather their own personal belongings, much less their equipment. Thankfully, no one was injured, but our property was damaged and confiscated.

This has occurred on the International Day of Peace, of all days.

Some of our buildings and equipment that were destroyed and/or removed:

Two well-constructed garden houses and one marina house One well-constructed and fully functioning field kitchen with multiple refrigeration units and stoves Generators and electronic equipment Starlink antenna and router Quad bike, bicycles and other transportation Food and other supplies Personal belongings Croatian law enforcement officers and employees of Hrvatske Šume d.o.o. involved in this operation have acted unprofessionally, and have been insulting and obnoxious to our people. We asked for a written notice or report and we were told there is no report and there won’t be one.

We have documented this incident and the individuals involved with photos and video, and we are already pursuing legal action against these acts on several levels.

The settlement heroically remains on the land and is resisting these attempts at breaking their will. Croatian demolition of Liberland structures goes back to September 2017, when the original hunting lodge (lovački dom) was demolished. In 2023, we established Jefferson Square in front of the old house and began excavation and rebuilding of the old lodge and its basement.

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#liberland #liberlandtv #croatia #country #libertarian #invades #liberty #news #libertarianism

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c-c-2 · 10 months

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“Kindred” by George Sterling (1869–1926) (1), Poetry Magazine, Volume I. No. 3. December, 1912, collected by Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). “The New Poetry: An Anthology” 1917.

Musing, between the sunset and the dark,

As Twilight in unhesitating hands

Bore from the faint horizon’s underlands,

Silvern and chill, the moon’s phantasmal ark,

I heard the sea, and far away could mark

Where that unalterable waste expands

In sevenfold sapphire from the mournful sands,

And saw beyond the deep a vibrant spark.

There sank the sun Arcturus (2), and I thought:

Star, by an ocean on a world of thine,

May not a being, born like me to die,

Confront a little the eternal Naught

And watch our isolated sun decline—

Sad for his evanescence, even as I?

Illustration: “Arcturus next to the head of Comet Donati in 1858” from Edmund Weiss (1837-1917) (3) "Bilderatlas der Sternenwelt" (1888-1892)

Notes:

(1) George Sterling (1869–1926) was born in Sag Harbor, New York, and after studying poetry and considering the priesthood in seminary, he moved to California to work in real estate. He was the author of many poetry collections, including “The Testimony of the Suns, and Other Poems” (1903), “A Wine of Wizardry and Other Poems” (1909), “Beyond the Breakers and Other Poems” (1914), and “Selected Poems” (1923). He was a member of the elite Bohemian Club (1a) and wrote two of its plays: “The Triumph of Bohemia” (1907) and “Truth” (1923). He counted the writer Jack London as a close friend, and Ambrose Bierce and Ina Coolbrith as mentors. After being a prominent figure in the Bohemian literary scene in San Francisco, he helped to start an artist colony in Carmel-by the Sea, California. He committed suicide by cyanide in 1926.

(1a) "There are two elements, at least, that are essential to Bohemianism," George Sterling once wrote in a letter to Jack London. "The first is devotion or addiction to one of the Seven Arts; the other is poverty. . . . I like to think of my Bohemians as young, as radical as their outlook on art and life, as unconventional . ."

The Bohemian Club was founded as an official regular meeting of journalists, artists, and musicians in 1872. The building’s exterior is adorned with plaques bearing owls and the Club’s motto, “Weaving spiders come not here,” just as it had when early members Ambrose Bierce, Mark Twain, and Jack London roamed its halls. That soon changed, however, when local businessmen and entrepreneurs were granted admission.

Still headquartered today in its original location at Post and Taylor, it has become among the most exclusive men’s clubs and/or secret societies in the United States. Club standards remain so high that honorary membership is offered to only some United States presidents, usually bestowed prior to their inauguration, and a select coterie of international business leaders and policy-makers.

Every year the Bohemian Club holds a two-week-long gathering at their private forest in Sonoma County, Bohemian Grove. The notorious “camp” reunites members from around the world to participate in male bonding, unabashed bacchanalia, and debauchery such as relieving themselves on the surrounding redwood trees in a “display of man’s power over nature.” The half-sanctimonious Cremation of Cares opens the festivities, in which members figuratively (and sometimes literally) burn away the responsibilities of their outside lives.

The present corps are understood to include George Bush (the elder), Henry Kissinger, board members from Halliburton, Bank of America, and international members of the so-called “oiligarchy.” Put bluntly, the Bohemian Club’s roster can read like a complete list of modern day hegemony, replete with powerful, conservative white men. To this day, very few Jews and even fewer black members have been granted admission to the elite circle.

(2) Arcturus, also called Alpha Boötis, one of the five brightest stars in the night sky, and the brightest star in the northern constellation Boötes, with an apparent visual magnitude of −0.05. It is an orange-coloured giant star 36.7 light-years from Earth. It lies in an almost direct line with the tail of Ursa Major (the Great Bear); hence its name, derived from the Greek words for “bear guard.” As one of the brightest stars in the sky, Arcturus has been significant to observers since antiquity. (2a)

(2a) In popular culture, the star’s name brings “A Voyage to Arcturus” (1920) by David Lindsay (1876-1945) to mind. It is a gender-bending, genre-smashing novel that is a neglected landmark in the history of science fiction and fantasy. Cited as a major influence by J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, its impact continues to resonate across medium and culture. In Lindsay's vision, a young soldier travels the multiverse in search of meaning. In the star system of Arcturus, he will encounter astonishing new worlds containing strange and inexplicable transformations. He will fight Gods and become them. His story is a revelation, a riddle and a ride. This gloriously strange and singular ur-text is unjustly forgotten and gives evidence to the many meanings and cultural currents that went into this work, one that changed the course of a century's worth of fiction.

Though he is today regarded as a profoundly influential author of sci-fi and visionary fiction, British novelist David Lindsay struggled to publish during his life. “A Voyage to Arcturus,” his first novel, didn't see print until he was in his mid-40's, and his career as a writer saw very little critical or commercial success. He died in 1945, leaving behind several more manuscripts, which remained unpublished after numerous rejections, and an unfinished novel. A year after his death, Arcturus was republished. Bolstered now by praise from authors and critics including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, the popularity of Arcturus spurred a republications of Lindsay's other titles and the publication of his previously unpublished works, including his unfinished final novel “The Witch.” Experimental in both form and content, Lindsay's novels may not have found their readership while he was alive, but today, they are recognized and praised for their singular vision, deep impact on multiple genres, and unique blend of fantasy, philosophy, and science-fiction.

(3) Edmund Weiss (1837-1917) was an Austrian astronomer. He was born in Frývaldov, Austrian Silesia, now Jeseník, Czech Silesia. His father, Josef Weiss (1795–1847), was a pioneer of hydrotherapy. His twin brother, Adolf Gustav Weiss (1837–1894), became a botanist.

In 1869 he became a professor at the University of Vienna. He was named the director of the Vienna Observatory in 1878. He also served as president of the Austrian österreichischen Gradmessungskommission, the degree measurement commission. He published a number of comet observations and ephemeris' in the Astronomische Nachrichten between 1859 and 1909. In 1892 he published "Atlas der Sternenwelt", a pictorial atlas of astronomy in German.

Weiss died in Vienna on 21 June 1917. The lunar crater Weiss is named after him. Asteroid 229 Adelinda, discovered by Johann Palisa in 1882, was named after his wife, Adelinde Fenzel Weiss, with whom he had seven children. The asteroid's name was given by the Astronomische Gesellschaft during its meeting in Vienna in September 1883. Adelinde Weiss also named the asteroid 583 Klotilde after their daughter. Asteroids 265 Anna, 266 Aline and 722 Frieda were also named after members of his family.

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torahtantra · 1 year

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"Twelve Men." From The Book of Joshua, Chapter 4.

4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been[a] in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

The Twelve Stones are:

Ruby and Reuben. Reuben sinned by transposing the beds of his mother Leah and his father’s concubine Bilhah.20 The ruby’s red color represents the shame Reuben felt when admitting his misdeed.

Prase and Simeon. The tribe of Simeon sinned with the daughters of Moab and Midian,21 causing their faces to turn pale, adopting the greenish tinge of prase.

Carbuncle and Levi. The tribe of Levi devoted themselves to transmitting the teachings of G‑d to their brethren.22 The carbuncle’s brilliant sparkle symbolizes the Torah’s spiritual radiance.

Emerald and Judah. The emerald’s green color is reminiscent of Judah’s pale visage when his father incorrectly suspected him of murdering Joseph. The gem’s radiance represents Judah’s shining face when his father later praised him for saving Joseph from death.23

Sapphire and Issachar. The tribe of Issachar was renowned for its greatness in Torah study. They are therefore associated with sapphire, the material from which the two tablets were formed.

Pearl and Zebulun. The tribe of Zebulun engaged in commerce, amassing great wealth. The white pearl resembles the color of silver coins.

Leshem and Dan. The streaks within the leshem appear similar to a backward human face. This alludes to the tribe of Dan’s “backward” conduct in fashioning an idolatrous image.24

Turquoise and Naphtali. In days of old, turquoise was commonly carried by members of the cavalry. The closeness between the rider and his horse is associated with the name Naphtali, Hebrew for connection.

Crystal and Gad. Just as crystals are widespread minerals, the tribe of Gad were numerous and well-known.

Chrysolite and Asher. Chrysolite takes on the complexion of olive oil, a substance found in abundance in the land of the tribe of Asher.

Onyx and Joseph. The letters of the Hebrew name for onyx, shoham, can be rearranged to spell Hashem (“the Name”), a common way of referring to G‑d. This alludes to Joseph’s Divinely sourced success in the home of Potiphar.25

Jasper and Benjamin. After Joseph’s sale into slavery by his brothers, Benjamin—who was not present at the time—deliberated whether or not he should reveal his brother’s whereabouts to his father, Jacob.26 This back-and-forth internal dialogue is reflected in jasper’s numerous colors.

10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, 11 and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. 12 The men of Reuben (the leader) , Gad (the teacher) and the half-tribe of Manasseh (the law) crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. 13 About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

-> remember, Leaders, Teachers, and Lawyers, the persons who separate the past from the present are the key to establishing and maintaining civil societies.

14 That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

15 Then the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.”

17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

18 And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.

19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal "the circle of stones" on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea[b] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

-> The Separation of the Red Sea and Fording of the Jordan are stages each person must undertake on the way to adulthood and civilization, but Civilization itself should only do it once, and transmit the importance to each newcomer.

This is the great contribution of Judaism to the world, this idea each man can "pick up" his manhood at humankind's highest point right where our ancestors left us.

All the slaving, back and forthing, and staggering, these are struggles our ancestors undertook so we would not have to:

From Massei:

Boundaries of Canaan

34 The Lord said to Moses, 2“Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries:

The Southern Boundary.

The Southern Side of the Day of Yah is where awakening becomes reason:

3 “‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin "traditions" along the border of Edom "vows". Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea, 4 cross south of Scorpion Pass, continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea "holy purifying staggerings." Then it will go to Hazar Addar "majestic village", and over to Azmon "well structured", 5 where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt "transitioning through" and end at the Mediterranean Sea, "where one sees one's greatness."

"The traditions of the past must give way to the vows. All idols must be destroyed no matter how much it stings to let go of them. Then one must stagger to well-structured holy places and transition into true greatness."

The Western Boundary.

The WEST is associated with the wall between reason and full enlightenment":

6 “‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, "the very best version of the self, selves, and Self that can be made". This will be your boundary on the west."

The Northern Boundary.

The NORTH is associated with the Super Conscious, the Holy Spirit.

7 “‘For your northern boundary, run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor "the highest place." 8 and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath "entering the fortification". Then the boundary will go to Zedad, "the flank" 9 continue to Ziphron "sweet smell" and end at Hazar Enan "the village of the fountain." This will be your boundary on the north.

"The Fortification, the place God vaulted during the first days of the creation, contains none of the impurities found in civilizations that engage in idolatry, propaganda, violence, and corruption. Unlike Eden, where innocence is lost forever, God says the North is available to us at any time. All we need do is enter and protect it once we are established within.

It is the belief, it is the optimism this is possible and there is a bona fide way to make it come true that sets the Torah and Judaism itself apart from all the other faiths and their instruments.

Jewish People in particular have been longing for and clinging to hope it will come to pass more than any other since time began."

The Eastern Boundary.

The EAST is associated with waking up, of the beginning of the Age of Reason:

10 “‘For your eastern boundary, run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham "the fence keeper". 11 The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah "fertility" on the east side of Ain "the eye of the fountain" and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee "to roll".[c] 12 Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.

"Fence off the Eye of the Fountain, and maintain traditions that allow men to safely cross over and live in peace until they pass away."

“‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’”

We must not violate the boundaries. Our peers must not see us violate them, our successors must not see this happen.

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learning2walkdaily · 1 year

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March 24th-Some people are overly tied up in the external practices of religion, missing God’s plan for their internal, eternal souls.

1 Samuel 4: 3 When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.”…….. 5 As the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the…

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#following God #God&039;s plan #laboring with God #overcoming #preparation #trials #trusting God #wisdom

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jdgo51 · 1 year

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR MARCH 12, 2023

3rd Sunday in Lent

By Carol Harrison (Saskatchewan, Canada)

READ JOSHUA 3:7-17

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

JOSHUA 1:9 (NIV)

"I stood staring at the far side of the 604-foot-long swinging pedestrian bridge that spanned a wide river far below. My fear of heights kept me rooted in place, unable to enjoy an adventure. My daughter promised not to make the bridge swing too much and encouraged me to face my fears by taking a few steps out onto the bridge. I hesitated a few minutes longer. The bridge appeared sturdy with thick, metal handrails. I watched someone stride across without pause or concern. The bridge swayed less than I expected.

One step at a time I began to move toward the other side. I paused in the middle to survey the wonderful view only visible from this new perspective. Then I completed my journey to the other side — one step at a time.

In Joshua 3, God commanded the Israelites to cross the Jordan River so they could enter the Promised Land. God instructed the priests to step into the river. They obeyed God’s command to stand still in the raging flood waters before God miraculously stopped the river’s flow and the people crossed on dry ground. We face many frightening moments, most of them beyond our control. Placing our trust in God helps us to conquer those fears and move forward." Always place your trust in God, regardless of what is involved. Even when you have fear, just take that first step of faith and move ahead. We are never sorry when we do this.

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Dear God, give us courage to face our fears and to trust that with your help, we can move forward — one step at a time." Amen.

Joshua 3:7-17

New International Version

"'7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground."' We must complete our crossing into the promises that God has given to us. Be blessed! Joe

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suneechinchane · 2 years

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New Residential projects launched in south Pune

Right now, the Real Estate business is booming again. This is the perfect time to buy new properties after the pandemic. During this time, Real estate companies come up with new ideas and innovations for their customers.

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takaraphoenix · 3 years

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Ship game!! What about Nico and Will?? It’s pretty popular, but I don’t think I’ve seen you write much of it…

That's an interesting one in that I have vocalized my reasons for disliking it way back when it first became popular but instead of just linking that, it has been years so I think it's time for an updated version.

Firstly: This post is gonna be properly tagged and not crosstagged so if any shipper comes across it and feels the need to bitch about it, just don't; your lack of curating your own tumblr experience is not my problem! ;D

Now, there are three key factors that play into my dislike of this ship: How it was written, what it represents, how the fandom around it acts.

1. It’s rushed and uncomfortable

In BoO, it was incredibly rushed. They had literally five sentences of interactions before they walked into the literal sunset together. Five. It was just entirely born from Riordan's Noah's Ark Complex, where he just can't let people be single. The series was ending and he needed Nico to have an endgame so he rushed into some random romance with zero build-up.

The way their interactions went down was also severely uncomfortable for me. Will was acting so offended by Nico not wanting to go to camp and be friends in an entitled way that he had no right to be, he downright guilt-tripped Nico about how he had wanted to be friends. Nico has been just so severely traumatized at such a young age and his coping mechanism, as unhealthy as it was, was to run away and hide. Will acted like Nico not wanting to form attachments to people who could potentially leave him again was somehow just an Edgy Emo Decision and not a direct reaction to his trauma. His entire approach to Nico was basically all these hippie posts of "Don't have depression!! Just go out into the sun and stop being depressed!", which is already a bad take with non-medical people but he's supposed to be a doctor (and let's not get into the shadiness of him technically being Nico's doctor).

There is also an inherent "I can fix him" angle to this ship and to me, only few ship dynamics are more uncomfortable than that. If you want to fundamentally change a person's behavior and personality, you... don't actually want to be with this person.

Now, here's where my points overlap, because the following parts of their writing that bothers me also stand for what this ship fundamentally represents.

2. Solangelo is a queer ship written by and for straights

I'm a queer woman and as a queer woman, I want queer wish-fulfillment, not what straights want out of queerness. I'm kind of tired of that, I've been sitting through it for enough decades now. That's, of course, not to say that no straight writer can give proper queer representation, but far too often do straight writers - even the most well-meaning ones - project straight desires of queerness into their queer representation.

Let me explain that closer through this ship.

Nico's been in love with Percy for years and I'm going to do my best to not hijack this post with some Percico agenda; that's not what this his about, this isn't some "my ship is better than your ship" ship-war nonsense. It's simply a canonical fact that Nico has had romantic feelings for another character for years.

A character who, in this medium, is heterosexual. And if you're queer, you've been there. In love with your straight best friend. It's a cliche, but it's a cliche for a reason.

We have also all been well-meaningly rejected by said straight friend.

And here's the straight desires for you: The queer person who was in love with a straight person just immediately stops having those feelings and will then as quickly as possible fall in love with the next queer person they meet to be happy and no longer uncomfortably in love with a straight person, because that thought makes the straights uncomfortable.

Queer wish-fulfillment would be for Percy to return those feelings, for the queer character to get his first love, to not be rejected. That thing queer teens always dreamed about for themselves.

Aside from the wish-fulfillment angle, the pacing is another problem. Let me repeat, Nico was in love for years. But a five sentence conversation with Will once causes a crush on Will and we see him physically turn away from Percy and toward Will just immediately to rebound and actually fall out of love with Percy and in love with Will. Anyone who's ever been unlucky in love will attest to just how unrealistic and ridiculous the pacing here is.

It's also straight queerness in another respect; Nico has been the first ever queer character we meet in that world. He loves a straight guy - and to get over that, we introduce the second queer character. Because heaven forbid there are multiple queers to pick from. No, in straight-written queer romances, there is always that one main queer and then they introduce a second one and the two just immediately hit it off and develop a romance like all a queer person needs to form attraction to someone is the confirmation that the other person shares your sexuality.

Also the notable gay guy on gay guy ship here, whereas the more queer-wish-fulfillment option would have also included more nuance to the queer experience, because Percy doesn't have to be heterosexual just because he has only been with girls so far. It's a very old-fashioned - think 90s and early 2000s - kind of straight-written queerness that there are only exactly two homosexuals and that those two homosexuals then pair up.

And, listen, I'm not immune to these outdated straight-written queers entirely, I have many such ships that I grew up with that I am still fond of because they were groundbreaking at that time and they weren't outdated yet back when they happened in said 90s and early 2000s. I am however a grown woman now and just like I have grown, so has queer rep so I am not as easily baited into falling onto my knees in gratitude for canon rep. You have to go with the times. And this ship, by all that is given to us, is just entirely outdated straight-written rep.

Which, I mention earlier that even straight-written rep can be good. If the author tries. Riordan doesn't really try though; he does the bare minimum when he writes any of his rep - and there have been many, many more qualified voices being very vocal about his depiction of people of color and, as a woman, I've been vocal about his depiction of women. I don't want to derail this post with all of that, but I do think that it bears mentioning that Riordan doing rep but only doing a bare minimum and not putting in the necessary work to deepen the representation he wants to give is a repeating pattern that has been pointed out many times by now.

(I’d also like to point out that no, it is not just the ship and not just the listed instances that make it straight-written rep for straights. It’s Nico’s entire queer arc, starting with his forced coming out. A severely traumatizing event that is completely brushed over because the straight author doesn’t understand the impact this has on queer people. Not to mention the framework; Nico’s coming out isn’t Nico’s story, it happens in Jason’s POV, it is given to us through the POV of the straight bystander who gets to be Best Ally by assuring Nico that being gay is okay. This kind of coming out is not a queer wish-fulfillment, it’s a straight wish-fulfillment of getting to be the straight savior, the ally to show the gay the light of acceptance. And, additional to the ridiculous pacing of how fast Nico gets over his love for Percy, Nico also gets over years of internalized homophobia just because of, I don’t know, Jason’s few encouraging words and the fact that Will paid attention to him? For a gay kid who was in the closet all his life, the nonchalant way in which he publicly confessed his crush to Percy at the end made absolutely no sense and was written as basically a joke, finished off with Nico literally high-fiving Percy’s girlfriend despite those two never having seen eye to eye before but this is straight wish-fulfillment so all straights are Super Allies, because that’s the way straights want to see themselves, even though Annabeth has shown before just how jealous she can be and she most definitely wouldn’t go around high-fiving people who confess to her boyfriend. Nothing about Nico’s queer arc in HoO felt natural or queer or satisfying.)

Sure, Solangelo on a surface level is big because it's a canon queer couple in a YA book-series and kudos for that and yay for the kids who get to grow up seeing queers in YA books, but I actually do think that kids growing up with books written in the 2010s shouldn't grow up with 1990s levels of representation, because the 2010s overall are actually at a far more nuanced and better level of representation when it comes to queerness. And I do reserve the right to quit on too straight-written and too outdated queer rep in a landscape where I can get more satisfying representation elsewhere; we don’t live in times anymore where you necessarily have to love every bit of rep because it’s the only one you get.

Now that we've gone through my first two gripes, let's wrap this up with the final point, because it also directly ties into this.

3. The new wave of antis hiding behind this ship

A huge part of the fandom is so busy kissing Riordan's ass solely for giving them queer rep at all they think that both the author and the ship are beyond flawless and that kind of attitude is not good. Just because an author includes rep doesn't make either perfect. Absolutely no one is beyond critique - especially not when said critique comes from the very people the author is representing. And even beyond any "valid" critique on the ship, quite frankly, someone should also be allowed to just not like it, without any reasons given at all.

But there is a certain... protective obsessiveness about this ship that doesn't allow a not liking. Very similar to how PJO bore this mindset around Perc/abeth already. It's okay to have OTPs, even OTPs that you have a blindspot for and just don't want to see any flaws in. It is however not okay to then go around attacking people who don't like the thing and mind their own business.

Solangelo's bred a new generation of antis in this fandom. And, particularly with the fact that this post too receives an "anti" tag, I feel like there needs to be a clarification (because tumblr likes to forget what actually makes an anti). Not liking something doesn't make you an anti, venting in properly tagged posts doesn't either; it's the people who harass others, who seek out the content they dislike to then complain that it even exists and who actively try to make others stop creating for it - those are antis.

And with Solangelo's popularity, there was a high rise in Percico antis, who sought it out, were unnecessarily nasty about it, harrassed creators and tried to enforce some kind of "Solangelo supremacy" that won't allow other ships for the characters.

I've been in fandom long enough to be perfectly aware that not all Solangelo shippers count into this category and that there are completely normal and nice Solangelo shippers, but this is a Venn diagram where the overlap between Solangelo shippers and antis is too large to not widely associate the nasty people with the ship itself. (I've been there myself, shipping the very ship behind which a fandom's antis all hid. The second-hand embarrassment of having these people give the ship a bad name is horrendous and I do feel bad for all the normal Solangelo shippers.)

The more often I encountered these people, who made Percico bad (sometimes in wildly ridiculous manners that bent and deliberately misinterpreted canon) and who in the same breath praised Solangelo high, the more tired I grew of that ship. It's a simple game of association, really. You see that linked to the gross and nasty behavior and you start associating the ship itself with that gross and nasty behavior - and with all the things I said before that already weighed into my dislike of the ship, this just was the final tipping point, really.

And that's it. That sums up why I dislike Solangelo. It was hastily rushed, uncomfortable in its execution, it is outdated rep that very much feels as straight-written as it factually is and it does not feel aimed at me as a queer person but rather at the straight audience and it has gathered a cult following of quite uncomfortable people who on their own would be reason enough to avoid it so you can avoid them.

Send me a ship and I will explain why I do or don't ship it

#Anti Solangelo #PJOverse #Riordan Critical #Shipping #Ship Ask Game #send me asks #it IS both a positive AND negative game #and I gotta admit #it is nice to put these things #into proper words #every once in a while

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officialyourdailyinspiration · 2 years

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Crossing the Jordan

1 Early one morning Joshua and all the Israelites started out from Shittim. They went down to the Jordan River. They camped there before they went across it. 2 After three days the officers went all through the camp. 3 They gave orders to the people. They said, “Watch for the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. The priests, who are Levites, will be carrying it. When you see it, you must move out from where you are and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go. You have never gone this way before. But don’t go near the ark. Stay about 1,000 yards away from it.”

5 Joshua said to the people, “Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Tomorrow he’ll do amazing things among you.”

6 Joshua said to the priests, “Go and get the ark of the covenant. Walk on ahead of the people.” So they went and got it. Then they walked on ahead of them.

7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to honor you in the eyes of all the Israelites. Then they will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. 8 Speak to the priests who carry the ark of the covenant. Tell them, ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan River, go into the water and stand there.’ ”

9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here. Listen to what the Lord your God is saying. 10 You will soon know that the living God is among you. He will certainly drive out the people now living in the land. He’ll do it to make room for you. He’ll drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 The ark will go into the Jordan River ahead of you. It’s the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth. 12 Choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel. Choose one from each tribe. 13 The priests will carry the ark of the Lord. He’s the Lord of the whole earth. As soon as the priests step into the Jordan, it will stop flowing. The water that’s coming down the river will pile up in one place. That’s how you will know that the living God is among you.”

14 So the people took their tents down. They prepared to go across the Jordan River. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 The water of the Jordan was going over its banks. It always does that at the time the crops are being gathered. The priests came to the river. Their feet touched the water’s edge. 16 Right away the water coming down the river stopped flowing. It piled up far away at a town called Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down to the Dead Sea was completely cut off. So the people went across the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They stopped in the middle of the river and stood on dry ground. They stayed there until the whole nation of Israel had gone across on dry ground. — Joshua 3 | New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 14:3; Exodus 14:21-22; Exodus 15:8; Exodus 19:10-11; Exodus 33:2; Numbers 33:51; Deuteronomy 9:3; Deuteronomy 31:9; Joshua 1:11; Joshua 2:1; Joshua 4:1-2; Joshua 4:7; Joshua 4:14; Joshua 4:22; Joshua 7:13; Joshua 24:11; 1 Samuel 6:15; 1 Kings 8:3; 2 Kings 2:6; 1 Chronicles 12:15; 2 Chronicles 5:4; Job 41:11; Jeremiah 12:5; Micah 6:5; Acts 7:44-45; 1 Thessalonians 1:9

#Israel #Jordan River #crossing #ark of the Covenant of the Lord #Joshua 3 #Book of Joshua #Old Testament #New International Reader's Version #NIRV #Holy Bible #Biblica

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comrade-meow · 3 years

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Why a hand gesture has South Korean companies on edge 👌

It took three years for players to notice the "offensive" hand gesture lurking in one of South Korea's most popular multiplayer games.

When players made their avatars laugh, talk or give the "OK" sign in "Lost Ark," they clicked an icon featuring a gesture that might have appeared benign to many: an index finger nearly touching a thumb.

But some of "Lost Ark's" users began claiming in August that the gesture was a sexist insult against men, and they demanded its removal.

What happened next underscores a trend in South Korea among anti-feminists, who have been increasingly pushing companies to repent for what they see as a conspiracy within the government and private companies to promote a feminist agenda.

Smilegate — the creator of "Lost Ark" and one of South Korea's biggest video game developers — quickly complied with the requests for removal. The company removed the icon from the game, and vowed to be more vigilant about policing "game-unrelated controversies" in their products.

A gender war has been unfolding in South Korea for years, pitting feminists against angry young men who feel they're being left behind as the country seeks to address gender inequality.

Now, though, the latest development in this war is reaching a fever pitch. Since May, more than 20 brands and government organizations have removed what some see as feminist symbols from their products, after mounting pressure. At least 12 of those brands or organizations have issued an apology to placate male customers.

Anti-feminism has a years-long history in South Korea, and research suggests that such sentiments are taking hold among the country's young men. In May, the Korean marketing and research firm Hankook Research said it found that more than 77% of men in their twenties and more than 73% of men in their 30s were "repulsed by feminists or feminism," according to a survey. (The firm surveyed 3,000 adults, half of whom were men.)

The fact that corporations are responding to pressure to modify their products suggests that these anti-feminists are gaining influence in a country that is already struggling with gender issues. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says that South Korea has by far the largest gender wage gap among OECD countries. And roughly 5% of board members at publicly listed companies in the country are women compared to the OECD average of nearly 27%.

A suspicious sausage

The online firestorm that has spread across South Korea's corporate landscape kicked off in May with a simple camping advertisement.

GS25, one of the country's biggest convenience store chains, released an ad that month enticing customers to order camping food on their app, promising free items as a reward. The ad showed an index finger and a thumb appearing to pinch a sausage. The finger-pinching motif is frequently used in advertising as a way to hold an item without obscuring the product.

Critics, though, saw something different in that hand signal. They accused it of being a code for feminist sympathies, tracing the use of the finger-pinching motif to 2015, when the symbol was co-opted by Megalia, a now-defunct feminist online community, to ridicule the size of Korean men's genitals.

Megalia has since shut down, but its logo has outlived the group. Now anti-feminists are trying to purge South Korea of its existence.

Source: Megalia, @starbucksrtd/Instagram, @gs25_official/Instagram

GS25 removed the hand symbol from the poster. But critics still weren't satisfied, and began trawling the advertisement for other feminist clues. One person pointed out that the last letter of each word featured on the poster — "Emotional Camping Must-have Item" — spelled "Megal," a shorthand for "Megalia," when read backward.

GS25 removed the text from the poster, but that still wasn't enough. People theorized that even the moon in the background of the poster was a feminist symbol, because a moon is used as the logo of a feminist scholar organization in South Korea.

After revising the poster multiple times, GS eventually pulled it entirely, just a day after the campaign launched. The company apologized and promised a better editorial process. It also said it reprimanded the staff responsible for the ad, and removed the marketing team leader.

The online mob had tasted success, and it wanted more.

Other companies and government organizations soon became targets. The online fashion retailer Musinsa was criticized for offering women-only discounts, as well as using the finger-pinching motif in an ad for a credit card. The company defended the use of that motif as a neutral element regularly used in advertising, and said its discount program was meant to help expand its small female customer base. Still, founder and CEO Cho Man-ho stepped down after the backlash.

South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day as part of the country's #MeToo movement in Seoul on March 8, 2018. Dongsuh, the Korean company that licenses a Starbucks ready-to-drink line in the country, was attacked in July after one of its Korean Instagram accounts published an image of fingers pinching a can of coffee. The company pulled the ad and apologized, saying that it "considers these matters seriously." The firm also said the image had no hidden intent.

Even local governments have been caught up in the pressure campaign. The Pyeongtaek city government was criticized in August after uploading an image to its Instagram account that warned residents of a heatwave. It used an illustration of a farmer wiping his forehead — and critics noticed that the farmer's hand was shaped similarly to the finger pinch.

"How deeply did [feminists] infiltrate?" one person wrote on MLB Park, an internet forum used primarily by men. Another person shared contact information for the city government, encouraging people to flood their channels with complaints. The image was later removed from the Instagram account.

Gender wars

At the core of the anti-feminist campaign is a widespread fear among young men that they are falling behind their female peers, according to Professor Park Ju-yeon, professor of sociology at Yonsei University.

The sentiment has grown because of a hyper competitive job market and skyrocketing housing prices. The government has also rolled out programs in recent years to bring more women into the workforce. Proponents of those programs have said they're necessary for closing gender gaps, but some men have worried they give women an unfair advantage.

Another compounding factor: Unlike women, men in South Korea have to complete up to 21 months of military service before they're 28 years old — a sore point for some men who feel unfairly burdened.

Anti-feminists have also taken umbrage with President Moon Jae-in, who, when elected in 2017, promised to be a "feminist president." Moon pledged to fix the systemic and cultural barriers that prevented women from participating more in the workforce. He also vowed to address sexual crimes in the wake of the global #MeToo movement.

This year's corporate pressure campaign adds another complication, as brands weigh the possible fallout.

Young men are "big spenders," said Professor Choi Jae-seob, a marketing professor at Namseoul University in Seoul. He added that many young people today are driven by personal political values when they buy things.

Ha, a 23-year-old university student, said he pays attention to what companies say about gender issues before making a purchase.

"Between two stores, I would use the one that doesn't support [feminism]," said Ha, who declined to give his full name because he said that gender is a thorny topic among his peers.

Ha said he's far from alone. When his friends were discussing the GS25 camping poster, for example, he was surprised to find that many of them felt the way he did: "I realized that many men were silently seething."

"I realized that many men were silently seething."Ha, a 23-year-old university student

The gender war leaves companies in a tough spot, according to Noh Yeong-woo, a consultant at the public relations agency PR One.

By not responding to allegations that they are taking a stance on gender issues, that could lead to what Noh called a "constant barrage of accusation" and the creation of a stigma. It also means that companies are actively monitoring online groups and studying what their users have designated as hidden codes or associations, to avoid being called out.

"They are continuously checking for the next problematic symbols," Noh said of brands in South Korea.

Stigmas and fighting back

Some women, though, say that the corporate apologies are also creating a climate where some people are afraid to identify as feminist.

"It's the new Red Scare. Like McCarthyism," said Yonsei University's Park, referring to the mass hysteria to root out communists in the United States in the 1950s.

Lee Ye-rin, a college student, said she has been a feminist since middle school. But in recent years she has found it impossible to be open about her stance.

"It's the new Red Scare. Like McCarthyism."Professor Park Ju-yeon, professor of sociology at Yonsei University

She recalled an incident in high school, when some boys openly heckled a feminist friend of hers while that friend was giving a class presentation on the depiction of women in the media. Lee and her classmates were too scared to defend the friend.

"We all knew that a person who would step up and say that feminism is not some weird thing would be stigmatized, too," Lee said.

In response to this year's anti-feminist pressure campaigns, though, some feminists have been fighting back. The apology over the camping poster from GS25, for example, prompted feminists to call for boycotts against the company. Some people shared images online of themselves shopping at rival stores, using hashtags that called on people to avoid shopping at GS25.

Balancing act

As there doesn't seem to be much hope of finding middle ground for those waging South Korea's gender war, experts say companies have to figure out ways to avoid being dragged into a brand-damaging fight.

Noh, from PR One, encouraged companies and organizations to educate their employees on gender sensitivity — and even reconsider the use of symbols that have become heavily politicized.

Finger-pinching motifs "are images with complex metaphors and symbols and they already carry a social stigma," he said. "So, once you get involved in it, it's hard to explain them away ... the issue keeps spreading until they are removed as demanded."

Park, the Yonsei University professor, said that part of the problem is that many South Korean companies are led by older men who don't have a firm grasp of present-day gender issues. The average age of an executive-level employee at the country's top 30 publicly traded companies is 53, according to a 2020 analysis by JobKorea, a Korean version of LinkedIn.

That suggests a level of irony. Maybe it's not that some of these companies have a specific agenda, as online critics are accusing them. Perhaps for some of them, high levels of leadership are just not in tune with the debate.

To Park, the vitriol directed at companies has also buried some of the underlying, systemic issues that contribute to gender inequality, along with debates about how best to crack the glass ceiling or address the division of labor at home, among other concerns.

"Some very important debates are being buried," Park said, adding that today's gender war is being fought on the tip of the "iceberg." "It's not a fight about the fingers."

#Anglo.txt #lmao it's this again #👌

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