This kid should not have needed to make a sign like this. These protests shouldn't need to happen... but here we are. America, we're at a crossroads. I want a future where this kid doesn't need to make a sign like this.

Two things are true at the same time: The regime is encountering a lot more resistance than they know how to handle, they are vulnerable. Yet they are also dangerous, controlling the coercive powers of the state, fueled by a paranoid, conspiratorial siege mentality that pushes them to escalate.

An incredibly useful spreadsheet on yesterday's No Kings turnout. Conservatively, 2.7 million people turned up to protest. BARE MINIMUM. This is taken from 747 cities and towns in America.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/158rlsPk0jxXwh3GIKl2YP1W84dPLC_2RXZnMjaG5bVw/htmlview?usp=drivesdk

#nokings #numbers #protest #antifascist

Only late in the development cycle did NASA realize they could use giant cats to transport the shuttle instead of a 747

What if you spent massive amounts of other people’s money on a parade and almost no one came?

A couple people responded to my earlier post about the shoddy WSJ article (https://hachyderm.io/@molly0xfff/114683662588184161) to say “well it’s true that Democrats aren’t supporting the protests!”

At my best count, 75 elected Democrats (Congresspeople, governors) attended protests today. Another 27 encouraged people to go.

That’s just looking at today’s protests, not Democrats talking about or attending protests more generally. It also doesn’t count the many more state or local officials who showed up, candidates, etc.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQW7wz5q1ypDwxaJCYBewnMqkUngfmjwYp1w4nPjZZZAefNfJd5ceL12jF-PiXfnLv_9JYu2Kb5iy_N/pubhtml

#USpolitics #USpol

I watched the parade in all its glory so you don’t have to.
(abc coverage on YouTube)

How bizarre.

It started with what appeared to be a military museum presentation of historical military uniforms.

The fashion show commentary over the loudspeakers was definitely a thing.

If Trump was going for something similar to one of those parades in Moscow or Pyongyang, I’m not sure he hit the mark. For one thing, no flag-waving crowds lining the parade. It looked like a double barricade and a line of police blocking what crowds did show up.

Most participants marching or driving down the street look… ashamed, or disappointed, to be there. It has more of an ancient world feel of a defeated army being paraded before the victor.

The tank parade was a bit more ominous, accompanied by some instrumental guitar rock music.

It didn’t look like many people showed up, with a lot of the shots showing empty space on both sides of the street. When they showed the people who did turn up, they looked bored. The officials looked bored too. Whatever was on their phones was often more important. Trump looked utterly disappointed. Most of the soldiers looked like they just wanted it all to be over.

I noted the Australian AC/DC song played patriotically by the live band.

I’m sure the phone calls to Kim Jong Un and Putin is going to go badly when they ask about the lack of ICBMs on display.

They didn’t even acknowledge The Cold War! (Which makes sense, I suppose. It was “cold”.)

Drones were paraded along with the other vehicles. I’m sure there weren’t any DJI drones. Surely not.

Robots made an appearance in the parade. Robot dogs, unmanned tanks, marching bands… no Atlas units yet. Don’t worry, Boston Dynamics will sell them a Terminator one day.

The fashion show commentary recommenced for a final display of dress uniforms.

Trump had West Point graduates swear their allegiance to him. Prepared propaganda promoting West Point, and an upcoming movie about the Rangers was played.

Some live country music rounded out the end of the two hour display of military patriotism. The singer said “good night” in the middle of the day.

Oh.

And it started raining.

Literally, it rained on his parade.

lol

70-100k in Seattle.

#nokings

Incredible.

@randahl

Video: In Which Donald Trump Nods Off During His Pathetic Military Birthday Parade https://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/54687_Video-_In_Which_Donald_Trump_Nods_Off_During_His_Pathetic_Military_Birthday_Parade

As Starmer assembles his war cabinet and prepares to dash to the aid of psychopaths, the big question on everybody’s lips

…What could possibly go wrong?

Lost my public protesting virginity today. Was a great experience.

#nokings #nokingsday #seattle

We have a friend that’s an #immigration attorney in #LA and she’s losing her shit. Her work with clients is being used to kidnap them. They’re grabbed if they appear for a hearing, regardless of the judge’s ruling. And even if with her help they were adjudicated to live and work in the US decades ago, the record of that fact is used by ICE to kidnap them. So her phone is ringing off the hook *and* all the tear-gassing and gunplay and kidnapping is occurring at her place of work.

Throwback to one of my favourite older sketchbook spreads where I experimented with using gouache like watercolour~

#MastoArt #Gouache #SketchBook #TraditionalArt #FantasyArt #NatureArt #LandscapeArt #Forest #OriginalArt

If there's anything that illustrated the hollowness of the Democratic Party as an effective opposition for me, it's this.

Yesterday, I watched a video of a sitting US Senator being thrown to the ground and cuffed by fed goons for asking questions of the fed official he has direct oversight authority over.

Within minutes, I'd gotten DOZENS of texts from Dems and Dem orgs asking for $5-$50 to "fight fascism."

That's it. "Are you terrified that your country is slipping into fascism? Pay me."

All good stuff happening in our little hillside sanctuary.
Summer and her pal are feeling down right perky. My husband has a new lease on attitude with medications that seem to be helping him function more comfortably. Summer is happy that he is happy. I'm not sure if rolling around on the floor is a good idea, but expressing themselves with joy and love for each other has to be healthy. Right?
Our family drove from Anaheim to Eureka yesterday and arrived safely.
I am thankful.
We will be together, three generations, to exercise our rights. and join our neighbors to peacefully protest the hate fueled actions, of the US government, this Saturday.
I hope all of our Mastodon friends find some joy this day.
Good morning, Mastodon.
#Summer #DogsOfMastodon

This is sickening

#Trump's Military Audience While in Uniform Were Checked for Allegiance

“Internal 82nd Airborne Division communications reviewed by Military.com reveal a tightly orchestrated effort to #curate the #optics of Trump's recent visit, including HANDPICKING SOLDIERS for the audience based on #political leanings & physical appearance.

One unit-level message bluntly saying: "No fat soldiers."

#propaganda #disrespect #DearLeader #authoritarianism
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/11/bragg-soldiers-who-cheered-trumps-political-attacks-while-uniform-were-checked-allegiance-appearance.html

Often, when reading about the worsening situation in the US, we miss the toll it’s taking on ordinary folk.
Exhibit A, (from a Reddit post):