#protect indigenous peoples everywhere!!!! protect each other!!!!

[edenfenixblogs]

I think that I’ve realized one of the big reasons that antisemites are so anti-Israel—I mean, aside from it being a state where a lot of Jews are.

Israel is a state that protects Jews. It also does a lot of bad things under the Likud government. And it also harms Jews that get in the way of the Likud government. But none of that matters to antisemites.

Because a state is an institution. And the left has been very clear that it’s all about criticizing institutions.

And in the absence of a governing religious body to criticize, the Israeli state is all the leftist antisemites have to criticize.

They can’t seem to fathom that the leadership of Israel is not in anyway synonymous with a religious institution. They cannot seem to fathom that the Likud government isn’t in any way representative of Jewish people as a whole—and not even of Israelis as a whole! (Once again, Israel is a parliamentary system. It’s about who has the largest proportion of votes, not a majority) and that Jews in Israel as well as non-Jews in Israel have a say in who to vote for and often strongly oppose Likud and Netanyahu.

It’s like a whole chunk of otherwise progressive people have been waiting for a way to criticize all Jews by attacking some institution they think speaks for us.

They cannot fathom that we are literally just a small ethnic group with half of our number in one location and would very much like for us and for them to not be victims of violence. That’s the uniting principle.

They’ve continually demonstrated how little they know and understand about Judaism, Jewish culture, and Jewish history.

I genuinely do not know if they’re aware that there’s no supreme Jewish council or whatever. There’s no Jewish version of the Grand Imam, Grand Ayatollah, Dalai Lama, Celestial Master, or Head/President of the Church.

We don’t even have a main synagogue from which edicts or traditions flow. We did have one. The Wall in Israel was our main institution. But colonizers and invaders destroyed it. And other religions built their institutions on top of it. And the religious governing body of Jews fell apart thousands of years ago.

…so the only thing that holds us together is each other. Rabbis don’t answer to some central authority. We hold traditions together through culture and traditions and connection to our land of origin, like many our even most other indigenous cultures.

But, because there is one (1) place on the entire planet where Jews are a majority of the population and not a minority, suddenly vicious attacks on the character of Jews everywhere are fair game as long as antisemites pretend they are talking about “Israel.” But they aren’t talking about the State of Israel. Because they get mad whenever we tell them to please specify the current government and the Likud party, because they are the ones responsible for carrying out the needless violence.

But they won’t do that. They seem to believe that there is some uniting religious force that exists in the Israeli government. And they seem to think that we are all united by this religious directive of “Zionism.”

That’s the only way any of their criticisms make sense logically. They don’t see themselves as attacking actual humans. They see themselves as attacking institutions. And any Jew who disagrees with them? Well they are just bastards supporting the institution.

But…there is no supreme Jewish institution. It doesn’t exist. It doesn’t exist because they destroyed those institutions.

They’re making themselves feel good by thinking attacking Jews is somehow helping free Palestine. But it’s just attacking Jews.

It’s like a weird continuation of supercessionism. They’re projecting their religious structure onto a religion that is fundamentally incompatible with that structure.

#antisemitism #leftist antisemitism #supercessionism #jumblr

[fatehbaz]

Indigenous knowledge and food sovereignty on the prairies. Native plants and history of farming in the the northern Great Plains. Maskēko-sākahikanihk (Muskeg Lake Cree Nation), Wipazoka Wakpa Oyate (Sioux Valley Dakota Nation), and Piikani First Nation recent approaches to sustainable food production. Bison grazing and grassland health on Piikani land.

---

Indigenous peoples had lived and farmed the area centuries before European contact. [...]

Melissa Arcand is a soil scientist and associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan, and she grew up on a modern grain farm at Maskēko-sākahikanihk, or Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, north of Saskatoon. [...] Saskatchewan has more farmland than any other Canadian province. [...]

The yard is full of trees, including poplars, spruce and Manitoba maples — the fast-growing hardy species that form a protective wind-break around farm yards across the Prairies. Patricia shows me her vast garden on the south side of the yard. She has corn, squash, sunflowers, carrots, peas, flowers and shrubs of haskap and saskatoon berries. [...]

First Nation grain farmers are rare everywhere. In most cases, farmable land on the dozens of First Nation reserves across the plains of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta is rented out to non-Indigenous farmers who live nearby. That came up as a concern during a forum Arcand organized on Indigenous farming in Saskatchewan in 2018. In forum discussions, attendees resolved to take greater control over farming activities on their lands. [...]

---

Eugene Ross has a slow, soothing voice. [...] Ross is an Elder at Wipazoka Wakpa Oyate, literally “Saskatoon river people”, the Dakota name for Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. It lies at the forks of the Assiniboine and Oak Rivers, 50 kilometres west of Brandon, Manitoba [...].

Entering the plains from the rugged forest landscape of the Canadian Shield feels like dropping through a hatch in the back of a wardrobe. They are completely different worlds. West of the uber-flat Red River Valley, just beyond the town of Austin, the landscape begins to undulate, like a sloppily made bed. From there, the Prairies fold and flatten, roll and settle, in all directions, seemingly forever. Canada has 154 million acres of farmland, according to Statistics Canada’s 2021 census, and 126 million of those are in the Prairie provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. [...]

“Our Tylenol back in the day,” he says, pointing to Seneca root. From a ceiling hook, Ross takes down a string of white tubers, each about the size of a big toe: wild turnips. [...]

Production of another oilseed relative, Brassica napus, now the most common species on the Prairies, began in the 1940s. [...] In 1978, this improved crop got a new name: canola. Western Canadian farmers now grow canola on more than 20 million acres [...].  Canola is a cool-season crop that thrives in Western Canadian growing conditions. Ross knows a long list of native plants traditionally used for food and medicine that also thrive in the region. While highly unlikely that any will become the next canola, they could underpin a more diverse farming future. [...]

---

You can see Piikani First Nation from the cliff’s edge at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in southern Alberta. [...] Today that great green sea, whipped by winds from a cascade of buffalo ghosts and bisected by the Old Man River, is Piikani territory. Noreen Plain Eagle is the land manager for Piikani First Nation and its 106,000 acres. [...]

Food sovereignty is a priority. Piikani’s reliance on outside food became acutely clear in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic when food companies, overwhelmed by supply chain issues, could not deliver their usual supply. Piikani nearly ran out of fresh food. It was a call to action for Plain Eagle. “We don’t want to be at the mercy of someone else to provide food to our community,” she says. “We want food sovereignty.” [...]

The next phase is to build a greenhouse at the school to produce a wider variety of vegetables. “We will use it as a hands-on teaching tool for students,” Plain Eagle says. “Terminology will be in the Blackfoot language.” [...] Plain Eagle also has plans to grow corn and potatoes for the community, and to think more strategically about the nation’s small bison herd. “Bison have always been part of our history,” she says, “and we’re learning how they can contribute to our grassland health.” Grasslands need a keystone grazer, like bison or cattle, to keep the grass in check and maintain grassland biodiversity. [...]

---

Text by: Jay Whetter. “The true history of farming on the Prairies.” The Narwhal. 8 October 2022. [Bolded emphasis and italicized first paragraph added by me.]

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Optimism dries up in Amazon as Lula drifts from climate priorities

Brazil’s president inspired hope a year ago but approval of a new highway shows he remains a concrete-and-oil state builder

What a difference a year makes in the Brazilian Amazon. At the start of 2023, I wrote about the green shoots of the rainy season and feelings of hope inspired by the new president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who promised to strengthen Indigenous rights and aim for zero deforestation. Twelve months on, both the vegetation and political optimism are drying up.

The most severe drought in living memory has finally been broken, but the rains are late and weak compared with previous years. The Xingu River is far lower than normal for January. The pulse of forest growth is also fainter – the new vegetation does not push out as far into the road as it did last January. The neighbouring cattle pasture is faring even worse. The forage grasses, known as capim, were so severely burned that they have not grown back, leaving the hillsides brown and the cows emaciated. Several of the poor, skeletal beasts have escaped their fields and wandered towards our community in search of food. Local people say more than a dozen cows have died of starvation at this one ranch, and countless others elsewhere.

Less obvious, but in many ways more worrying, is the dearth of leafcutter ants. These large-mandibled insects are usually everywhere, slicing and carrying vegetation in columns to create fungal gardens in their nests, which spread out over dozens of metres in Gaudi-esque towers and mounds. Entomologists say these ants have the second most-complex societies on Earth, after humans, and they are the dominant herbivores in the South American tropics, trimming about a sixth of all the leaves produced in the forest. This stimulates new plant growth and enriches the soil. Not for nothing have these ants been described as ecosystem engineers.

Each day, I pass three big nests of leafcutters on my daily walk with the dogs. Just over a year ago, I ventured too close during the annual revoada, when the winged females set out on their nuptial flights followed by clouds of males. It is a sensitive time for the insects and the soldier ants were in fiercely protective mode. I was driven away with my foot bloodied and me howling with pain. Despite this, I have never ceased to admire these tiny, powerful creatures so I was dismayed to discover that all four nests are apparently lifeless. The mounds appear deflated, there is no newly excavated soil at the entrances, and not a single leafcutter ant to be seen. This is bizarre as a healthy colony can have 3.5 million members and they never previously stopped working. Entomologists tell me they may have relocated or been wiped out by the prolonged dry season. It is an alarming reminder that the weakening of forest resilience takes many forms and the impact of the drought remains incalculable.

Human-caused global heating and deforestation are parching the forest – and not just over the last year. Scientists have found the Amazonian dry season is getting hotter, drier and longer. Fifty years ago, it lasted four months. Now, it is five. This is causing a die-back of trees and other species that are being pushed beyond their survival thresholds. An ecosystem-wide collapse that would turn the Amazon into a savanna draws ever closer.

Lula knows this. In a speech at Cop28 in Dubai last November he told the world he was shocked that the region’s rivers, which are the greatest freshwater source in the world, are at their lowest level for more than 120 years. He said this was a global climate problem and called on other countries to make a greater effort. “Even if we do not cut down any more trees, the Amazon could reach its point of no return if other countries do not do their part.”

But his own government’s efforts to protect the forest and its people have been mixed. A first-year report card for Lula would show progress compared with the low benchmark set by the previous far-right administration of Jair Bolsonaro, but also failed promises, political weakness and worrying signs of regression.

Continue reading.

#brazil #brazilian politics #politics #environmentalism #environmental justice #mod nise da silveira #image description in alt

[dasenergi-diary]

@persepinesascent asked, "And there are other books?"

These are all of the books I have written that are currently available:

Governments Around the World Discover the evolution of governments everywhere! This social studies book explores the past, present, and possible futures of governments around the world. Across the world, local, state, and national governments work to protect and serve their citizens. This teacher-approved book provides students with opportunities to understand the ins and outs of government, including how governments from different countries can work together. The book covers the structure and history of each type of government in an easy-to-follow way. With a glossary and index, essential discussion questions, and other engaging features, this book brings the intricacies of government to life for students.

The Middle East Explore the beautiful land and ancient history of the Middle East! This social studies book describes the rich art, science, and culture of the land where Africa, Asia, and Europe meet. Known as a cradle of civilization, the Middle East is famous for its natural resources and fascinating past. This teacher-approved book offers students opportunities to understand life in the Middle East, including the history of indigenous peoples in the region. The book incorporates the geography, history, economics, and civics of the Middle East in an easy-to-follow way. With a glossary and index, key discussion questions, and other useful tools, this book brings the wonders of the Middle East to life for students.

The Southwest Dive into the fascinating culture of the southwestern United States! This social studies book describes how the Southwest embraces its rich American Indian, Spanish, and Mexican heritages. From ancient pueblos to the Old West to today, the Southwest is a region steeped in history and culture. This teacher-approved book gives students the chance to explore the lives of people from the Southwest, including the diverse history of native peoples in the region. The book covers the geography, history, economics, and civics of the midwestern United States in an easy-to-follow way. With a glossary and index, key discussion questions, and other useful features, this book brings the beauty of the Southwest to life for students.

The Mississippi and Other U.S. Waterways Explore the amazing life of one of the world’s busiest waterways! This social studies book tells the story of the Mississippi River and other important U.S. waterways. The Mississippi River has flowed for millions of years, and today it provides people with food, water, and transportation. This teacher-approved book offers students the chance to dive into the rich history of U.S. rivers, including the history of native peoples along riverbanks. The book covers the geography, history, economics, and civics of the Mississippi Valley in an easy-to-follow way. With a glossary and index, essential discussion questions, and other useful features, this book gives students a thoughtful inside look at major U.S. rivers and waterways.

Untold Stories Untold Stories is a series that uses fascinating tales about real people and events to boost literacy skills, empower students, and promote representation. The Untold Stories series describes ordinary people doing extraordinary things, all while promoting representation and culturally responsive learning.

Rewrite the Stars Suppressed memories from childhood. You have always known you were different. You are not alone. There are others like you. A healer. A prophet. A mystic. A martyr. God. The world is changing and you are changing with it. This is called evolution. Los Angeles-based Performance Artist, Das Energi (David Scott Coleman), brings his art to the page in this spiritual tour-de-force of stylistically postmodern storytelling. Across multiple narratives, Das Energi taps into the anxiety of our time to create a world of magical realism that won't seem like fiction. "David Scott is taking risks in this collection of poetry and prose, giving us characters and concepts, we haven't experienced before." —Steven Reigns, author of "Inheritance".

[visityaratoday]

Fauna y Flora de Yara: Crocodiles

If you explore Yara long enough, chances are you will encounter crocodiles along the coastline as well as inland around rivers and lakes. In this article, you will learn about Yara’s crocodiles, their importance in our society as well as some safety tips if you ever find yourself face to face with these majestic but dangerous creatures.

Species: Yaran vs Yanqui

Yaran Crocodile

Indigenous to our country, they are smaller than their American counterparts with a longer snout and generally live and hunt in small groups (basks? A float? I’m sure there is a fancy word for a bunch of crocs other than run!)

American Crocodile

They are HUGE. More than triple the size of our indigenous crocs. They emit a deep rumbling sound when disturbed. American crocodiles were introduced into Yara by the Castillo administration for reasons unknown.

American Crocodile vs fighting roosters.

Size comparison Yaran vs Yanqui crocs.

Importance in Yaran Society

Back to Content Index

There is so much to say about crocodiles. We do try and keep these articles as concise as possible, but there is a lot to cover.

Crocodile Farms

Our crocodile farms are more intended as tourist attractions rather than actually raising crocodiles. There are several of them across the island as well as theme parks. Too many to show them all but notable attractions include:

Ortega Croc Farm where you can sit and enjoy a meal while watching crocodiles go about their crocodile business. This farm also holds a special mixed breed croc named “Beatriz” on display.

Ortega Croc Farm in Aguas Lindas, Madrugada featuring Beatriz.

Serpentino Park on Cortina River features breathtaking habitats where you can encounter crocodiles in their natural environment. Guided tours may be offered. Check schedules at the visitor centre. Bring mosquito repellent. 

Serpentino Park on Cortina River, Costa del Mar, Madrugada.

Hunting and Food Source  

People hunt them for food as much as they hunt humans for the same reason.

Pop-culture and the Arts

Croco-Taxi: These novelty taxis are obviously aimed at tourists. The idea was borrowed from our Cuban neighbours but we like to pretend we came up with it.

Sculptures: Yarans from the upper class will commission impressive sculptures featuring crocodiles as a display of power and wealth.

Paintings of crocodiles in a rich gusano's bathroom and office space.

"Art Nouveau:" Taxidermy...not sure how well I would sleep with a dead croc hanging over my bed, but to each his or her own.

Habitat and Conservation

Crocodiles are everywhere even if you can’t always see them.

Yaran crocodiles silently gliding under a fishing boat, Cortina River, Costa del Mar.

Despite our government’s every effort to protect crocodile habitats, there has been occurrences of toxic spills as a consequence of Viviro™ production with disastrous impact on wildlife, including crocodiles.

A mutated crocodile in Cienaga Nublada National Park - Cocodrilo Swamps, Balaceras, Valle de Oro.

Guerrilla Warfare

Crocodiles have been utilized in guerrilla warfare - from tossing chunks of meat into military bases to attract wild crocodiles to actually training them as attacking combatants.

Safety Around Crocodiles

We don’t really need to tell you that crocodiles are dangerous animals but let’s stress the fact anyway. - We are working on a Crocodile Safety Instructional Video which will be made available in the near future. Stay tuned. 

In the meantime, if you do find yourself in the murderous clutches of a crocodile, here are a few tips to increase your chances of survival:

You will want to press into the roof of the crocodile's mouth to release/loosen its grip..

Remove your body part from the mouth as fast as possible and clock the thing in the eye..

Then kick as hard as you can and run away.

As you see, crocodiles are truly a part of the very fabric of Yara and, like them or hate them, they are unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon. Yara is their island and we just live on it.

Editor's Note: Loco por los Cocodrilos

Some crazy cabrón held a funeral for his pet croc.

Some even crazier cabrón had a relationship with his pet croc and he  … well .. you don’t wanna know. She ate him in the end and she lived happily ever after. Or not. She was shot. What’s wrong with people?

To learn more about activities, places, events, and all things Yara, follow us here and on all major social media. You can also check out our Content Index to find more articles of interest. Stay safe, mi gente.

If you've made it this far, drop us a like!

Back to Content Index

#visityaratoday #visit yara #virtual photography #farcry6 #virtualtourism #far cry 6

[realjaysumlin]

Tired African Man Has A Message For Black Americans

Weak minded people can't think for themselves therefore they have no way of knowing who they are if they follow the narrative of their oppressors.

The Black on Black Love Movement is trying to wake Black Indigenous People up globally because most of you are following something that isn't to your benefits and if it's no benefit to yourself it isn't a benefit for our movement to become successful because we need you to get to where we need to be.

Without your Blackness globally and we working together as one people following our own narratives of who we are, this scares the fuck out of the cowards who try to disenfranchise us and keep us from uniting.

We need you because we are all we have and it's time for us to set the rules as our ancestors did until we became divided and this made us easy pickings for slaughter.

No more of this foolish nonsense, let us love each other unconditionally and let's start protecting our Black Indigenous People worldwide and restore proper ruling for our Black Indigenous People everywhere.

#black love #black positivity #black africans #black history #science #evolution #Youtube

[inquisitorius-sin-bin]

So, with Chapter 3 of Ride or Die coming out last night, I kind of wanted to give a little no-spoilers outlook into some of my worldbuilding process. I feel really passionately about using this story to create an alien culture which feels rich, tangible, and unique enough to be its own separate entity. I especially want to avoid any sort of cultural appropriation or cheap indigenous stereotypes, which would be easy to fall into when you're creating groups of nomadic grassland peoples.

So why even do plains nomads at all? The surface of Utapau is described as an uninhabitable plain, wrought with hyperwind storms and dangerous wildlife, yet there are canonically groups of people that live there such as the Amani, and it is said to be the origin of the Pau'an species. So, I reasoned it wouldn't be impossible there were groups of Pau'an that actively chose to retain their cultural heritage and stay on the surface of the planet. And to avoid dangerous natural catastrophies such as hyperwind storms or wildlife, they would need to be mobile and not utilize permanent settlements.

Of course, there are going to be certain elements that are common to nearly every indigenous group of grassland nomads. Like your shelter is going to need to be some tent-like structure you can take down and carry with you. You're probably going to rely on some kind of animal mount to carry you and your possessions from place to place. But I can add little touches to make them unique, and not quite like anything we see on Earth.

In this post, I want to focus on one micro-element from the story: floor cushions. So far in this work, we've only met one particular clan. There are ten, and I describe in short detail some of the differences between them, but we'll see more when we meet other groups. This particular group has a lifestyle based on falconry, using birds to catch small game, fletching arrows, etc.. The leader of this group is married to a former member of a different group whose focus was on textile making in a process called "stitch-weaving". In addition, the closeness of the two groups is reinforced, because the protagonist was going out to trade with this weaving group when we contacted them in the story.

So these characters' particular environment is full of mostly textile furnishings and clothes, with a few leathers and furs mixed in. Specifically, there is a floor cushion, which is described as a "woven mat, stuffed with down feathers and grass". In my head, I'm thinking, these characters need to pack efficiently so they can live life on the move, so when they need to pick up, they simply empty their cushions, roll the mats into a compact shape for travel, and when they reach their destination, they fill them full of whatever material they have on hand. For this group, their falcons would catch other birds, giving them access to down, and obviously grass is abundant everywhere and gives structure to the cushion.

In contrast, we have a different character who comes from a group that specializes in big game hunting and functions as a standing army. We haven't met them yet, but their environment would be nearly the opposite, less woven fabrics and more emphasis on animal pelts, because that is what they have in abundance. It also makes sense, because big animals are dangerous and if you're fighting, you're going to need the protection that layers of leather offer. Their floor cushions would be more likely to be made of fur, and stuffed with material like Jamel wool and hair.

Maybe other groups would use a blend, or maybe there's a plant fiber available similar to cotton, but I like to put effort into making each group distinct from one another, and how those differences play into their political relationships. To me, it makes for a rich world that feels realistic, but not exactly like "space Mongolia" or "space Great Plains". And if you like this idea, I hope you'll give my work a read! I haven't gotten spicy just yet, so if that x reader fics aren't your jam, you don't have to worry about that just yet.

Anyways, happy reading!

#ride or die fic #pau'an headcanons

[cosleia]

Andor Livetweeting: Episode 3

Continued livetweeting from September 21 of the first three episodes, plus some additional discussion from the next day after thinking more and watching breakdowns.

Episode 1 | Episode 2

· Sep 21 EPISODE THREE BITCHESSSSSS

· Sep 21 I like the opening title

· Sep 21 Kassa walks his own path

· Sep 21 So were children immune somehow?

· Sep 21 So they called this an imperial mining facility but not sure if it’s actually the Empire yet?

· Sep 21 I am willing to wait for answers, I just like asking questions

· Sep 21 Talkative Public Transport guy is cute

· Sep 21 LOVE the sound of ships exiting hyperspace holy shit

· Sep 21 Maarva’s partner is the best

· Sep 21 “Republic frigate approaching” okay yeah. I guess the Empire is retconning the Republic 😂

· Sep 21 Lawful Cute looks SO out of place rofl

· Sep 21 Well that’s one way to adopt a kid

· Sep 21 Does this mean Maarva’s last name is Andor?

· Sep 21 Cassian you’re kind of stupid

· Sep 21 “Hanged”

· Sep 21 He said “hung”. It’s “hanged”

· Sep 21 “Don’t you want to fight these bastards for real?”

· Sep 21 “GIVE IT”

· Sep 21 “Never carry anything you don’t control.”

· Sep 21 This is a really good depiction of the shit that happens when you send cops

· Sep 21 Maarva’s house is cute, it even has a flowering vine

· Sep 21 omg Lawful Cute 😂😂😂

· Sep 21 lol he chained the shuttle to a weight

· Sep 21 THEY TIED UP LAWFUL PRETTY yes I changed his name anyway THEY KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING

· Sep 21 Here is a man who is going to vow to hunt down Cassian Andor

· Sep 21 He told you to turn the heat on, Maarva

· Sep 21 I like how they mirrored those two moments that changed his life

· Sep 21 My husband doesn’t just want, he NEEDS to see Lawful Pretty’s boss lose his shit

· Sep 21 I only care about the woman characters’ names apparently

· Sep 21 This is REALLY good so far, super excited for more!

· Sep 22 It occurred to me this morning that we still don’t know if Cassian has a sister or if he is just looking for ANYONE from home. I’m guessing the latter. It seems like there is a taboo surrounding Kenari and either people don’t talk about it or don’t know it existed.

· Sep 22 The “mining disaster” seems to have been the release of some sort of toxin that killed all the miners, and apparently the Republic was coming to “clean up” which Maarva’s partner seemed to think meant killing anyone who was left.

· Sep 22 So of course they wouldn’t want to talk about THAT.

I am still wondering how there were child survivors. Were they just living far enough away from the mine? Bee’s sensors indicated the air in the ship was safe; had the toxin dispersed everywhere?

· Sep 22 I’ve been assuming the children’s parents were miners, and the kids created their own society after they died. But they seemed to have longstanding traditions, not to mention their own language. So maybe their parents were indigenous peoples forced into slave labor.

· Sep 22 I’m not sure of the timeline, but I don’t remember the strip mine being full of bodies, so the kids maybe had time to bury people. Or the toxin spread slowly enough that the adults were burying each other until there were none left.

· Sep 22 The crashed ship they found seemed to have been a new development. They were surveying it for stuff they could use I assume, just like Maarva. Or maybe looking for their lost parents. Regardless, the disaster seemed to have happened a good time before that crash.

· Sep 22 The planet was already off-limits due to the toxin after all. Which makes me wonder what that ship was doing there. Also, one of the people on the ship was still alive, which makes me wonder how fast the toxin works. And again why it didn’t affect the kids!

· Sep 22 I love how many questions I have. This is so fun.

· Sep 22 Does the face paint the kids use protect from the toxin? I’m grasping at straws here

· Sep 22 Okay I’m watching breakdowns now. He DOES have a sister, she doesn’t go on the mission to the crashed ship. So he probably was looking for her.

Also apparently the bell-ringer’s in-universe title is “Time Grappler” which is amazing

· Sep 22 HMMM so the crashed ship was apparently Separatist

· Sep 22 The guy who plays Lawful Pretty looks TOTALLY DIFFERENT out of costume etc, he has CURLY HAIR and a BEARD

· Sep 22 So this breakdown guy thinks Maarva and her partner CAUSED THE SHIP TO CRASH…this had not occurred to me but they did get there fast. Did I miss some dialogue?

· Sep 22 …OH

· Sep 22 That oh was about Maarva’s partner, I missed that he was probably the one who was hanged. (I was too distracted by Luthen saying “hung” lol)

· Sep 22 So anyway, the people on that crashed ship had Separatist patches on their outfits but Maarva called them Republic. Breakdown guy surmised they were undercover and she knew. Still so many questions.

· Sep 22 I can imagine now that the people on the ship turned yellow and died from their ship being sabotaged rather than from being exposed to the planet, which would mean something ELSE happened to all the miners and the “toxic” thing might be a rumor/cover story…I JUST DON’T KNOW

#star wars #andor series #heather's andor livetweets

[hewholivesinhisname]

Secular Hell

People have this idea that it's god who sends you to hell. a place of eternal suffering. You know, god is this big bad emperor figure and if you don't do what he says he is going to punish you.

I doubt it, that's the secular way of doing things.

In the secular world, there is no particular center in authority. There's lots of people who all want to be more powerful and because they all want to be more powerful they all come up with the same idea:

"obey or I torture you"

I mean, there's also money of course. you can bribe people too, but money is really a measure of how much social power you have accumulated based on participation in the devil's system of rulership. Rome was this way and the church which uses Jesus' word is like this.

-forever wars

-social services that never fix problems

-everything running on money with huge concentrations of money at the top

-lack of responsibility for anything anywhere

-reversal of the

-breakup of families

-images instead of reality

-poisoning the food

-destroying the environment

-addictive products and drugs

-technical progress leading to bigger and bigger weapons of mass destruction.

-prisons and concentration camps everywhere

-land ownership based on slaughter of indigenous populations and charging people high rents just to have a place to live.

-building ridiculous and enormous vanity projects for the rich.

-Usury and government bailouts for the most corrupt biggest usurers.

-child sacrifice, secret societies which abuse children

-violent gangs everywhere

-celebration of "althernative lifestyles" where people don't have children.

-pornography and weaponized sexuality meant to make people so sex crazy they can't think.

-official looking bureaucracies that make life miserable for the poor.

-MKUltra and other tactics meant to try to create invisible slaves out of everyone.

-so many laws that no one can pay attention to them all.

Therhavee are churches out there who have endeavored to try to help the homeless for example, but the secular authorities. The secular authorities destroyed all my stuff. The local police and authorities shut down the house that

In the past, well you know, you can imagine that each ethnic group might carve out it's own little space and live in peace. However, as John Carter points out "on each planet it is the same, the population increases, disagreements break out and war tears things apart" In particular all the wars lead to the advancement of bigger and bigger weapons and worse and worse tactics.

In order to try to avoid being taken over and invaded by larger powers, many smaller nations are turning to nukes such as NOrth Korea which became the ultra-dictatorship it is today thanks to the twice being invaded by Japan and America.

No one pays attention to the UN. they actually have really good ideas such as everyone working in brotherhood and ending poverty. However, thanks to overpopulation and the unwillingness to police the money system or the rich, that doesn't happen.

Ever since I've been alive, there has been nothing but conflict, chaos and the promotion of things that should not be promoted. The police who are supposedly there to protect the people are some of the worst offenders and teachers are basically there to brainwash children into being obedient to the system.

However, there's a lot of effort put into making things look nice, at least on the surface and to make things feel good as well. "if it feels good do it", in the thomas covenant chronicles, Lord Foul has 3 "ravers" who go possessing people. There's maybe a connection, honestly between excess partying all the time and evil because of course that's what evil wants you to think life is all about. Partying hard and not thinking about the consequences.

Evil rules this world, but even if it didn't quite honestly there would just a chaos underneath which evil could easily spring as people don't really seem all that interested in forming cohesive moral communities that make sense.

What's worse is that people always seem to be finding ways of shifting responsibility over to something non-human and you get the sense that all this "singularity" stuff is going to be a shield for cerateing some robot or other which the authorities will establish for ruling over everyone while the ultrarich escape to some elysium like place where they can live in "heaven" while the rest of us suffer down here.

The truth is that everything about the secular world stinks. There are endless secrets, endless complications, endless cons, endless people trying to get the better of each other. Endless fighting.

It's always going to be this way and the reason is that there's no agreement about who should be in charge and why.

You an turn to god though.

Of course, it's hard to know whether or not I am god. I freely admit that. I have a sense that I am and Anastasia Egorova, Paul Duncan and William Ho have all said that it's true without me telling them. William later retracted after he attacked me and we had a falling out, but he said he found me by opening up his ability to sense auras somehow. Even I don't know how it works.

Even if I'm not though, you can always just find a guy like me or Kevin Annette or, really any preacher who are interested in creating some kind of political community. In video games you have old dudes who will give you quests. I'll give you quests if you want them and I already have a sense of how things actually ought to be rather than the shitty way they are. If anyone else wants to work with me on that, well bully for you. If, instead you want to follow the ultra-shitty way of the secular world that's your call but don't be surprised when you find out that it's endless hellishness.

I am god though and i know deep inside that everyone is meant to obey me. It's an inner sense that I can't quite get rid of and that this obedience is a based on a form of freedom from other forms of coercion which are endless if you stay in the current culture.

They will talk endlessly about "freedom" for instance, but then give you endless ways by which you can spiral out of control, perhaps with porn or drugs or movies or whatever it is, then offer a solution which puts you deeper into the shit.

many people probably think that they will try to get to "heaven" or maybe find their own heaven, but let me tell you, if heaven was a place, then it would be constantly at war in the same way that Israel and the holy land are constantly at war. It might be nice to occupy heaven or the holy land, but if you get it through force, it's only going to be more trouble since someone else is going to steal it from you by force. Heaven is not a place, it is a state of being that manifests around me naturally.

Your purpose is to obey god, the only question you need to ask yourself is how to figure out and find who the real god is.

#Hell #heaven #god

[gods-no-longer-tread-here]

I love people so much.

We agree that it's important to have a specific greeting for the people we love. A million different cultures decided that hugs are for love as well as warmth and protection. We sing. We tap things with sticks in rhythms that match our heartbeats. We dance.

We looked at the stars, and across all our history, we used them to lead us home, or to new places. We wrote poems to them. We wondered what they are. We wondered what else is out there; we still do. We associate flying with freedom and joy, the sky with forever.

We eat the same kinds of things. We eat each other's things because it's polite, because we're hungry, because the other person is excited to share. We cook the same ways, with the same ingredients, but it tastes different everywhere.

We like color and light. We see beauty. We appreciate forms and shapes. We sculpt, carve, weave, paint, build, measure. We talk.

We feel. All of us. We feel. Even if we don't feel the same things, we feel. To be human is to recognize emotions in other humans. What makes us different from other animals? I think it's that we can find someone completely alien to us, and feel the same things as them. I can't speak any of the Indigenous languages of Australia, but I think I can respect an elder or cuddle a baby. I don't know the holidays of Hinduism, but I can smile, and clap to the rhythm of drums, and tuck flowers in my hair. I don't know the cuisine of Peru, but I am willing to try if my hosts are Peruvian and want to share.

A wolf and a coyote can't live in peace. I and someone I don't share a language with can. Because we are human.

We're beautiful, even with our flaws. We're so, so beautiful. I love people.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Shoe The World Day

National Shoe The World Day is observed annually on March 15th.

Each day over 500 million children, teens and adults around the world do not have a pair of shoes to wear, and despite the terrain and the climate, they have to walk barefoot everywhere. It is a struggle each day that we cannot begin to imagine.  Having to live a daily life without protection on your feet can lead to a lifetime of problems including pain, injury, cuts, sores, infections, parasites, banning from schools and other places and the list goes on.

It is sad to say that we will call this lucky, but there are a few that are fortunate enough to have one pair of shoes even though they are much too big for them.  This way, their shoes will last for many years, as they grow, and they are only allowed to be worn for very special occasions.  In other cases, they may have one pair of shoes that are too small and tight for them (they will make them work) but to have a pair at all is a luxury.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Visit Soles4Souls to donate shoes. National Shoe The World Day is a day created to bring awareness, to everyone across the nation, of the incredible need to help those people around the world that do not have shoes to wear and then to take action in helping.

HISTORY

National Shoe The World Day was inspired by Donald Zsemonadi and the United Indigenous People in Fontana, California in March of 2014.

Source

#Las Vegas #Paradise #Pacific Ocean #California #Nevada #Utah #Colorado #Alamosa #Mesa Verde National Park #St. Helena #Napa Valley #Four Corners Monument #New Mexico #Arizona #landscape #sneakers #hiking shoes #architecture #countryside #tourist attraction #landmark #USA #summer 2022 #original photography #National Shoe The World Day #15 March #NationalShoeTheWorldDay

[jasper-pagan-witch]

Keeping It Local

In a time where all of the stuff we order online is stuck in the ocean somewhere and immediate access to magical tools is needed more than ever for many people, turning to our local areas for help and resources is becoming more and more common. It may be because some of us want to reconnect with nature, it may be because some of us are learning to identify local flora and fauna, it may be because some of us decided to eat a leaf right off of a tree without thinking about it. (No? Just me? Okay.)

So how do you practice local witchcraft?

Well, look at what you have around you! Just remember to not take things from national forests and other protected areas, because that’s illegal.

Look for your local plants, from the ones that grow in the sidewalk cracks to the towering trees. Ask them what they can do! Research them! Find out which ones are native, which ones were introduced, and which ones are invasive species!

Learn about local animals and bugs. Pretty much every animal has some kind of symbolism, but if you can’t find any, think of how these local creatures are treated or talked about to come up with symbolism yourself.

You can also pick up spices and flavorings from supermarkets to have more “common” herbs for spells. The ones sold here are also food safe in case you have a spell that you want to eat (which is very, very tempting).

Stones and rocks have their own correspondences. Yes, even rocks that aren’t put in jewelry have correspondences! You can even go “rockhounding” to find crystals in your semi-local area.

Candles can be picked up from even dollar stores. They can be made if you so desire, but this guide isn’t here to teach you about making candles. They usually come in white in their cheapest forms, but I’ve also found red seven-day candles at the dollar stores I’ve gone to.

Who and what came before you? Learn your area’s history and local folklore, visit local sacred spaces, learn about the indigenous peoples and colonizers who were on the land before, learn who owned the land, house, or apartment before you.

How about the local folklore and cryptids? Things like the crybaby bridges pop up practically everywhere in the United States. Even things like a school campus can be a place to find an intense oral history that no one wants to speak above a whisper.

Adjust how you do spells or rituals to fit your location. For instance, you shouldn’t light fires outside during a burn ban (sorry Australians). Learn about local weather patterns like average temperatures during each season or upcoming weather forecasts. Farmer’s Almanacs can be useful for these. Additionally, if you celebrate seasonal changes, consider celebrating on the day when it changes locally instead of using a static date for somewhere potentially far away from you.

You can also print out a map of your local area and write down notes on it, like places that feel “strange” or things you want to make sure you don’t lose. When you’re done, these can go in your magic book (whatever you may call it) for future reference.

Visiting local shops and sights could also help you connect with your local area. Of course, this requires you to have local shops, so maybe not the best option for rural witches. City and town witches, this one’s for you!

No matter where you are, so long as you feel safe, you can take walks to explore your local area as much as possible. Taking walks and exploring can lead to you connecting with the genius loci, the spirit of the place. These spirits are the history, folklore, personality, and so forth of the area, all condensed into one being. Stopping to soak in the atmosphere of a location can help you connect with this spirit. There is a “genius loci” (spirit of place) for a local spot by a river all the way up to an entire city itself – even one’s own house or apartment can have a genius loci. The genius loci is a Roman term, but there are other names for it in other cultures (such as the landvaettir in Norse belief systems). I’ve seen them referred to as “land wights,” among other things.

People who believe in animism believe that everything has an individual spirit, from the ponds and lakes to the trees and shrubs. If you’re an animist, consider bonding with spirits attached to local things.

This could also extend up to deities of very specific locations, deities of the people who used to live there, or deities that settlers brought with them. I warn against cultural appropriation – be respectful, know what you can’t take, and listen to the people whose cultures you’re learning about. What may seem like a fun and quirky little thing with no part in a grand scheme to you could very well be a major part of someone else’s beliefs that they weren’t allowed to practice for literally hundreds of years.

Sources & Further Reading

Earth Magic. Dodie Graham McKay. 2021. Pg 187-199.

Tumblr user @crazycatsiren on working with one’s local area: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667941422263074816/do-you-work-with-your-local-area-in-your-craft-do

Tumblr user @ofcloudsandstars on working with one’s local area: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666694526050664448/can-you-talk-more-about-how-you-work-with-your

“5 Challenges to Get Better in Touch With Your Location” by @mintylilacs on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667060577274839040

“A Word on Plants” by @notyourmothersspellbook on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666683963920777217/a-word-on-plants

“Bonus Prompt: Local Plants” by @2019grimoirechallenge on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667597861103534081/bonus-prompt-local-plants

“Books Don't Cover Everything.” by @rootandrock on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684284416000000/books-dont-cover-everything

“Genius Loci (The Spirit of Place)” by a private blog on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666695145381609472/genius-loci-the-spirit-of-place

“Genius Loci - How to Connect” by @jbird-the-manwich on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/672138911778226176/genius-loci-how-to-connect

“How to Connect to Nature in Your Craft” by The Oak Witch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbfvdXJH9OQ

“Local Witchcraft” by a private blog on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684286458544128/local-witchcraft

“Localizing Your Practice” by @will-o-the-witch on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/672754469360058368/localizing-your-practice

“Prompt: Take a ‘Hike’!” by @spiritualjournalingprompts on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/670656488565604352

“To Be a Local Witch” by @north-of-annwn with additions from @natureandthecraft and @therestlesswitch on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684278412836864/to-be-a-local-witch

“Witch Tip:” by @imaginarywitchcraft on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667111668106641408

“Witch Tip #5” by @will-o-the-witch on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684282411139072/witch-tip-5

“Working With the Land: 5 Ways to Practice Local Witchcraft” by Willow on Flying the Hedge: https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2019/01/working-with-land-5-ways-to-practice.html

#jasper post #local witchcraft #guide #beginner

[the-art-block]

Hi, looking at your Atena:ti artwork, who is five trout? Also why does John's grandad hate him so? I hope Atena:ti not too easy to upset, he seems so nice. But also intimidating- like a bear really. Cuddly but inclined to beat you up if you f*** up.

Five Trout Is another pre-colonial Kindred! A Gangrel! He was Embraced during the time before Atena:ti went into Big Torpor, but Atena:ti is just a squeak older than him by a few centuries. He and Atena:ti have fundamentally different beliefs on how Kindred ought to live. Atena:ti believed they belonged with the people, as teachers, tribal elders, and of course warriors. Five Trout believed in a more segregated way of life. He believed it was the responsibility of Kindred to separate themselves as much as possible from humankind, which included feeding exclusively on animal blood and living in the open wilderness. Five Trout didn't dislike humans, however. This was explicitly his way of protecting them from exploitation and abuse by Kindred, who are inherently exploitative and abusive creatures - even when they love their human vessels very genuinely. Five Trout would, and regularly did, aid humans he found lost in his neck of the woods, and would only feed from sick animals in his territory to keep the rate of disease down.

Atena:ti and Five Trout weren't overt enemies, but it was very much like two bros slap-fighting in a bar about whose lacrosse team should have gone to nationals. Every few months they'd run into each other in the borderlands between their territories and they'd quite literally butt heads. (In the forms of two giant bull elks.)

Y'know, just some men socializing. Atena:ti and John Atena:ti doesn't hate John; he's just very recently woken from a several hundred year nap. It takes him many years, and several psychotic breaks, to adjust to everything- he's already not very emotionally vulnerable as a man, so this period is very hard on his ability to form emotional bonds, even though he wants to, with John.

When he went down, the indigenous Americans were going to war over familial slights and just-then figuring out how to mine decent metals for weapon-making. Now, the world is filled with modern buildings, pollution, every piece of modern technology you can think of. There's White People everywhere.

His people, who he loved with every ferocious moment of his unlife, have been reduced to dregs, his culture nearly destroyed, his language driven to the brink of extinction. His Clan- formerly considered coveted counselors, healers, warlords, now huddle together in dingy underground burrows, pressed under the heel of whatever the fuck "Princes" and "Barons" are.

The world is dying, there's so few trees, the water's poisoned, the seasons are fucked.... and, where are all the animals? The only thing anyone wants to talk about is money. What happened?

Anyone would be a little cranky if they woke up to find this mess around them. For this big monster, John is a singular lifeline to the modern world, and he does end up clinging to his Grandchilde for guidance in the modern world in the end~

#vampire: the masquerade #vtm #nosferatu #manitou #vamily

[summersartythoughts]

Truck Art of Pakistan

Unlike many other countries, Pakistan finds its popularity lying with literature, poetry, and calligraphy. Visual arts like painting and sculpture have only in recent years come to the forefront of art representation in Pakistan. Traditionally, visual arts in Pakistan have been highly influenced by the preference in Islam for geometric shapes. In Islam, there aren’t many paintings with religious undertones due to the rule that Allah and the Prophet Muhammad are beings to be felt and believed in, not seen – people that have been known to create cartoons and depictions in human form what Allah looks like have faced major backlash and even threats of violence; sometimes the threats have even been followed through.

Pakistani artists do not rely solely on canvas and paper to display their two dimensional art. They create their art on furniture, walls and even trucks. Most Pakistani paintings are modern due to the representation of urban landscapes, and country scenes in abstract styles. Handcrafts are the pinnacle of Pakistani art, they are found everywhere in buildings – on pottery, carpets and fabrics; people also wear the decorative arts on jewellery, leather and textiles. Sculptures found in Pakistan tend to be mostly ancient, from the Indus Valley civilization and are thought to be some of the first instances of sculpting in the world; sculpture ruins have been found of all sizes in stone and bronze. In the 1st and 2ndcenturies BCE, sculpting became a much more complex form of art representing Buddha’s life and teachings through techniques and styles brought by invading armies, wandering artists, and local and technical artistic advances, (Arts Edge., 2021).

Truck painting in Pakistan is a form of indigenous art and features floral patterns and poetic calligraphy – it is not limited to trucks and can be found on buses and vans, too. Truck art is more than just a piece of cultural expression; it dates back to the 1920’s making it a part of traditional Pakistani artistic expression. It can cause businesses to thrive due to their eye catching and bold designs. Their first appearances came after England invading the streets of Pakistan, the trucks were fitted with large wooden prows on top of the truck bed. The prows, also known as taj or crown, were also accompanied by decorative bumpers and wood panelling along the cabin. During the late 1940’s, trucks began long journeys delivering goods, so each business created colourful logos in order for illiterate people to be able to spot the design. The logos became increasingly more colourful and decorative – “the more flamboyant the design, the better business became,” explains Durriya Kazi, head of the visual studies department at the University of Karachi and expert in truck art, (Zahra’s Blog., 2013). In the 1950’s Karachi became the capital for truck art and when artist known for his palace murals, Hajji Hussain, moved to Karachi, he lacked subjects for his murals and so turned to decorating trucks causing his floral, ornate style to push the genre forward.

Yaari Baba is seen on many trucks on the GT road as truck drivers hold on to a belief in his protective powers.

Pakistan, although not the only home to truck art, is the most prominent and is described to be a sole industry in itself. There are 50,000 people employed in Karachi dedicated to the art form, with most truck drivers willing to pay large sums of money to have their trucks made up. The trucks are also known as jingle trucks due to the bells decorating the exterior. Truck art dates back to the Sufi tradition of painting shrines in religious favour. Durriya Kazi states that “truckers don’t even spend so much money on their own houses,” and recollects an anecdote of a driver who explained that he put his own life and livelihood into the truck, and dedicates his care to the truck because he fears being ungrateful if he didn’t honour his truck with a ‘proper paint job.’ The art is seen as much of a business investment as it is an art form.

The expression of truck art is not only a visually beautiful and expressive form of creativity, but is a representation of hobbies, interests, inspiration and is able to physically demonstrate an incredible relationship between man and vehicle - and the pride the owner will hold after sprucing up their designs.

Haji Habibur Rehman is amongst a group who first studied with truck artists and has been painting trucks for the past 58 years, having started when he was only 14 years old. The master of truck art has gradually became more and more concerned with the progression of truck art, or lack thereof. “Truck art is slowly vanishing with stickers and plastic and steel ornaments, replacing the tedious work of painting by hand,” he said, (Dawn., 2015.)

Haji Habibur Rehman, 72.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Daily Pakistan (2018) The Pride of Pakistan. Available at: https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/03-May-2018/truck-art-the-pride-of-pakistan (Accessed: 11th April 2021)

2. Dawn (2015) A Driver's Pride and Joy. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1199360 (Accessed: 11th April 2021)

#art #truckart #pakistan #painting #history #sculpture #collage

[realjaysumlin]

Melanin: Definition, function, benefits, and more

"Melanin: Definition, function, benefits, and more" https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/melanin#benefits

I hate it when people uses science out of context such as the way of melanin. You can't say that the human race is different because of the melanin levels that we may have mutated into.

Our skin complexion and so many other elements that melanin controls such as hair colors, eye colors and skin complexions. Humans are 99.9% identical and no great variations between us, if this was the case we could not reproduce reproductive offsprings.

Ignorant people will believe in stupid lies and impossibilities that can't ever happen in our natural world. We Black People didn't use fake science to invent race to justify slavery from indentured servitude to chattel slavery which indicates that the fake race of the white man is free and all others live under the control and influence made by their rules to adhere to.

No free society would embrace this idea of self subjugation of others without rejection. This is not how a free society work, this is absolute chaos and domination given freely to allow your enemies to control your lively hood and independence.

This is self contained slavery if you give anyone this kind of control over you and your families. I don't know of any people who would allow this in a free and independent society.

Black Indigenous People worldwide have always ruled our planet before colonization and Christianity came to our lands. Everywhere Europeans invaders came brought with them death and destruction to our Black Indigenous People worldwide and told us that we were killing each other before they even arrived on our shores.

This is really European history who had wars of killing each other before they even left their own cesspool of criminals acts of genocides. They hate dark skin humans or let me say melaninated humans with their wars with the Moorish empires, the Ottoman Empires and the Magnolian Empires.

Slave is an European word origin and no other people on earth practice slavery outside of Europe and later spread into Northern Africa where Europeans were used as slaves.

This is true recorded history on records kept by the Europeans themselves and no one else. These shit people had a chip on their shoulders that they felt they needed to pay revenge on everyone who had dark skin.

Hate is not a normal emotional problem it has to be a source for it, nothing else can explain this kind of rage against anything that reminds them of our rule.

Black solidarity is essential and knowing what melanin really means in our human family, thank you for hearing me.

#black love #black positivity #black africans #black history #science #evolution #science side of tumblr #atheism #african atheism #black women

[alatismeni-theitsa]

Basically what happened was that someone put the sarcastic lore Olympus video another anon mentioned in a server im in and when I mentioned that I dont think that Lore Olympus is the best interpretation of H/P in part due to how non-greek the whole story was, the shit started. Excuses ranged from "Greek polytheism isn't exclusive to Greece" to " im not saying you're wrong but I know a lot of Greek polytheists" (I especially got mad at this one) to "it's an American story and the myths naturally reflect what Americans see in each other" to "many colonized places had Greek and Roman fetishized culture thrust upon them" and "American culture is deeply seeped in Greek myth and Greek polytheism is a thriving culture here" (send me the fuckin thesis) and then what really boiled me was their blatant shock at the fact that Zeus could *gasp* love Hera and be good to her. And then claimed they've read all sorts of myths for decades. Gems like "half of the heroes in Greek mythology aren't Hera's kids" like Ares and Hepheastos just don't exist ig. Then blaming me for getting angry and upset for all around being disrespectful to the gods. Thank fuck someone was on my side because I was just so fucking over it. God and all heavens above forbid you tell an American they got their history wrong and they're being disrespectful and hurtful in doing so. The worst part is that I tried to be polite through the whole thing. Tried. I dont know how I was coming off, but God fucking damn it i tried. Fucking hell, claiming that the need to study Greek mythos in your AP Us History class doesn't fucking mean it's baked into your culture. It made me so frustrated and now I can't even fathom talking to the people involved when they so staunchly defended something and claimed to be educated when it's obvious they weren't. I got an apology from a few people which I appreciated, but f u cking hell. Sorry for the long ask.

1) "Greek polytheism isn't exclusive to Greece" - Yeah SO? Does this make LO better? Does it negate the fact the planet knows only inaccurate/whatever Americanized movies about Greek mythology?

2) " im not saying you're wrong but I know a lot of Greek polytheists" SO??? You are allowed to have your own opinion! Plus, Greek polytheists can still be uneducated and follow practices they read in Percy Jackson and are used only to pop culture Americanized versions of how the gods are

3) "it's an American story and the myths naturally reflect what Americans see in each other" Nobody said those stories aren’t allowed to exist! The f-ing point is the Greco-Roman deities are treated like American property!“American story and the myths naturally reflect what Americans see in each other” it’s ALL THAT THE WORLD WATCHES. INCLUDING GREEKS.

Don’t they realize the US is an imperialist country or what? Those stories are everywhere and we are bored. If all you have to show is “Greek gods in US and Canada” x 1000 times and “The Greek gods used to show American social issues”x 1000 times just throw me into a bottomless pit already.

And then they have the nerve to say “but this is representation for you!” No, it isn't if you make Hera into a Karen and Zeus into Bill living in their mansion in Manhattan, showing no hint of my culture (OR Greek American culture) apart from some names and some basic powers! You might as well make them Egyptian gods and the script won’t change.

4) "many colonized places had Greek and Roman fetishized culture thrust upon them" How does that excuse the stupid stuff in LO?? What does a white woman in Australia have to do with how culture was forced to change in colonized cultures??

Why should Greeks see the disrespect of their figures because other countries promoting a *fetishized* image of their ancient culture to other countries they colonized? Why is the US continue to glorify that *fetishized* (as this person said) standard?

Plus, it’s not like Indigenous Americans or Africans from formerly colonized countries consider Zeus part of their culture. Yes, the philosophy of West European nations and certain standards were unfortunately forced upon them but they know the gods are not theirs! (As opposed to many formerly not colonized people in the US)

And if you speak with people from countries on this side of Atlantic which were colonized by France or England you will see they don't deem this mythology theirs! In most of these countries, the citizens merely know the basic stuff about Greek mythology. All they know comes from - you guessed it - American shows about Greek mythology!    

5) "American culture is deeply seeped in Greek myth and Greek polytheism is a thriving culture here" Okay just... what? 😂😂😂😂😂 I swear this fetishized version they accuse colonizers of spreading, they have it themselves and don't recognize it. It’s apparent, as they often see Greek mythology as “a thing of the White man” and want to “subvert” it to send a message. Meanwhile have they thought about how Greeks feel about this? Naaaah fuck dem Greeks. Who cares, it’s not like their culture is Greek any more, right? Who knows what language they speak nowadays these exotic people...

And “Greek polytheism is a thriving culture here”?? North America has hundreds of millions of people. The 500 internet friends you have who are in Greek polytheism is not even a fraction of that. 

“The need to study Greek mythos in your AP Us History class doesn't fucking mean it's baked into your culture.” I agree with your statement. Moreover, guess who fought to keep the heritage alive for thousands of years? Greeks. Copying manuscripts, analyzing ancient philosophy, protecting heritage monuments, songs, religious customs, etc. Do they think Greeks sat on their asses for a blank 2000 yrs??

Final thoughts:

Greek mythology aside, people who claim to know something when they are ignorant and they don’t offer to search for things they don't know, are immature and cause harm to whoever tries to argue with them. It’s good you got an apology from some, I am happy when people want to research something they don't know! 

But that server in general... doesn't seem very inclusive (ironically). And if you weren't a Greek (aka not perceived as oppressed in N. America xD) they would take you more seriously and they wouldn’t say “but I have other Mixed Brazilian friends who don't complain about the cultural misrepresentation!” I find it natural if you don't want to engage with them any more :/ See what is best for you 💙