#justify is the wrong word more like

[electric-friend]

wait hang on 😭😭 are people seriously debating “he’s a complicated man” right now??

i agree that izzy’s an unreliable narrator, and i think that some of the things he’s said about ed aren’t necessarily true, much as many other things he’s said are also not necessarily true. he’s not really aware of the full picture the whole time, poor duck, as much as i adore him.

but like… besides the fact it really doesn’t have anything to do with wether or not you think izzy’s doing complex evil shit to ed on purpose, and people seem to be making it about that…

ed is VERY MUCH a complicated man. as someone who relates to ed probably more than stede or izzy… he’s absolutely a complicated man. ed can be violent, and suicidal, and he clearly experiences some form of emotional dysregulation, and he’s done things to people that weren’t justified. the crew was traumatised by ed’s behaviour and how much violence he placed them in a position to commit.

the way ed responds to rejection is so violent and out of proportion, his consecutive raids, his suicidal antagonism towards the crew… and for me and my personal issues, that’s extremely relatable… but it is NOT mentally well behaviour.

ed also exhibits patterns of disordered alcohol use, and his anger often causes him to lash out (yes, often at izzy who pushes his buttons, and yes, izzy’s behaviour is a factor in this. but it’s also worth noting ed has agency as a character and his violence is still violence, provoked or not) and one of his most integral traumas is how an act of violence saved him from the violent alcoholic who was his father.

there’s nothing about ed that’s not a complicated man. he’s done bad things that weren’t justified. that doesn’t make him a bad man. it makes him a complicated one. it’s very clear he knows how to be a better person. and that he can be. that the show left out a lot of that journey is really disappointing, but ed feels like he’s a monster and he does bad things to become the villain he thinks he deserves to be treated as, you know?

he is SUCH a complicated man. that doesn’t mean he’s irredeemable or bad, it doesn’t mean there’s a moral obligation to dislike him either. none of that’s the case. but izzy got it right when he called ed complicated. i think in some ways izzy had finally realised that he wasn’t always going to understand ed because ed wasn’t always going to think the way he did, but he was coming to accept that he didn’t need ed to be someone he could understand as long as ed was happy? does that make sense? i know that’s a sappy outlook on a canonically toxic relationship but i just cannot believe that there’s a genuinely widely accepted take going around which boils down to people thinking it’s wrong to call ed a complicated man. like, huh???? girl….

#izzy hands #ofmd critical #i mean the thing is that often when people point out how ed has moral complexities he’s done bad stuff #that he wasn’t necessarily justified for but he’s ultimately a sympathetic character #who can be a much better man than his father made him feel like he could #they’re often criticised for that #and particularly for the use of the word “violent” given ed is a man of colour #even though ed does do violent things onscreen #but the people who believe racism is holding ed accountable for his own actions #and suggesting he has agency outside of responding to izzy or being infatuated with stede #start to say it’s wrong to call ed a complicated man… dude. #WRONG TO CALL HIM C O M P L I C A T E D #i’m just saying 💀💀 #how are more people not deciding that THAT is racism actually #why are we dehumanising ed by insisting he doesn’t have complexity and hasn’t done bad things ever #like guys. why the fuck are we doing that???

[lesbianralzarek]

why does every article reporting on idf war crimes go "hamas, who started the war on october 7th with their brutal terrorist attack slaughtering innocent israeli civilians, has condemned the idf's use of-"? like, nearly verbatim every single time. we know about october 7th. we know by now. half the time, hamas isnt even relevant but they gotta find some way to sow doubt and numb any potential compassion responses. will you get fired if you show sympathy for murdered palestinian civilians without first adding a disclaimer saying its all their fault for being born in gaza? if you call "palestinians under 18" children? if you use the words "murdered" or "brutal" or "massacre" for acts that didnt occur on october 7th? if you call a spade a spade? why are israeli reports front page news without proper fact-checking but palestinian reporting is always "allegedly" even when theres video evidence? why does the idf not get the hamas treatment of reminding everyone that theyre biased before treating their words as law, like they havent been caught bold-faced lying again and again?

#soooooo fucking infuriating #'palestinians are allegedly starving but thats what hamas (who are savage terrorists in case you forgot) said as well so who knows?' #'idf soldiers are allegedly bragging about and showing pictures and videos of their war crimes on social media but #its not in english so we may never know what theyre saying. palestinian ''civilians'' are translating so whatever they say must be wrong' #'in other news. heres what ''doctors'' are referring to as a ''calendar'' but is written in arabic (terrorist language) so the idf must be #telling the truth when they say its proof they are all evil and must in some nebulous way suddenly stop living' #to be fair. the 'secret hamas names list disguised as calendar but REALLY about oct 7' shit was the target of skepticism quite early on #but it really does show how often the idf lies to justify obvious war crimes #maybe they should provide verified evidence or even just be given a bias disclaimer before printing their claims as fact??? #every single fucking death toll is phrased as 'hamas-run ministry of health reports death toll of x' like? #yeah? thats their fucking government? what else do you expect? #you do understand that the healthcare portion of their government is probably more reputable #than what the phrasing of those headlines are obviously trying to imply? #i understand that bias is still possible there but its not armed combatants making shit up #its doctors who receive govt paychecks doing their best to identify the disfigured bodies not buried under rubble #youre not slick with that wording

[malhare]

Transitioning is fun because you get to experience all of the shitty ways people treat women when you're young then all of the shitty ways people treat men when you're older!

#Before anyone twists my words Im not saying that misandry is real or misogynists are justified or whatever the fuck #But holy shit the way that some women treat men they view as inferior/unattractive is so fucking dehumanizing. Like you're lower than dirt #I much prefer existing as a perceived man don't get me wrong (people leave me alone more and condescend me less) but every once in a while #Im like 'holy shit this is just how you people treat men by default? good lord' #malhare.txt

[moe-broey]

HEARTBREAKING

Worst Dad You Know Has an Extremely Endearing (Now) Reoccurring Character Trait

For further context: this whole FB involved Sharena and Henriette seeking out lockpickers in the Order of Heroes to open this VERY SECURELY locked box from Gustav's room that took Tina's special staff to finally crack open (or rather -- "steal" the contents out of. No one could actually break the lock!)

And the first instance of this!

It makes me wonder if he saved anything related to Sharena..........

#fire emblem #feh #man. henriette's sad portrait w 'yes. he must have' carries so much bittersweet grief. augh #when it comes to sharena idk if i would be more angry if he did save something or if he didn't. i'm almost leaning towards the first though #like. idk if i can even word it but it fucking sucks when you have family that 'loves' you and they do actually genuinely love you #but they just. do it wrong. and fail you severely in the process. you think to yourself it would have been easier actually #if they had simply never loved you at all. or if they were upfront and told you they don't love you anymore. #at least then you can be as vindictive as you want and hold a grudge forever and be completely justified #but extremely begrudgingly this DOES make gustav a compelling character. in so many ways #you can see where it all went wrong. you can see henriette sees something in him that no one else can. and she's not crazy for it #she was probably there. she probably saw it all happen. she knows him w a level of intimacy no one else does. #and now you see these little humanizing traits. he loved his son. he loved his partner and wife. #juries still out on his daughter. #but you get what i'm saying right? it's terribly tragic. it's painful. #man. #i'm still gustav's number one hater though. just so we're clear. #AUGH IT'S JUST. THE PLAYFULNESS OF IT. IS ACTUALLY SO PAINFUL. LOOKING AT EVERYTHING WE KNOW #they had a rock competition........ to find the roundest rock.......... and she won....... and he saved the rock she found...... #THAT'S. AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH #you cannot fucking IMAGINE gustav doing that. and yet. in another time. he did. and that's who henriette fell in love with #and that's who herniette still sees. and she's not fucking wrong for it. not entirely. he still has that fucking rock. #dude i'm gonna be sick. #fe gustav #fe henriette #sharena #fe tina #fe alfonse #he's. mentioned. might as well tag him LMFAO

[spicedfink]

It seems like every other month the clone high fandom goes on a whole "Ew I can't believe people like Topher/tophabe" thing And like it's okay not to like it or not understand but man do I hate when it goes into the whole "(other ship) should have more content then tophabe"

If you want more content for the ship you like then make some, even if it's just a post going on about why you like the ship or posting screenshots. 'Cause you could end up inspiring others to make their own content for it

My main point is being negative about what someone else likes is kind of dumb. Just ignore it man (block people or tags if you need to)

#clone high #I'm also kind of annoyed because people are saying they don't understand and making assumptions #even though some people who like topher have offered explanations for why they personally like him #not that justifying an opinion is required or even needed #idk I just don't like people putting words in my mouth #or telling me what I should or shouldn't like #especially when I already like the other ship in question #There's nothing wrong with wanting more content for a ship or character you like but don't be a jerk about it? #If you UwU him you're wrong and if you make him toxic you're perverse - and there's apparently no in-between

[philsmeatylegss]

The hardest lesson you will learn if you are interested in learning about Nazi Germany: so may people posting content about it are actual Nazis

No seriously if anyone is starting to get into WWII/Third Reich history, it is so easy to be indoctrinated because the main message a lot of Nazis spit now is that Hitler was bad and the SS were bad, but everyone else was chill.

And it’s hard to realize the narrative they’re spitting is wrong unless you know a lot going into it.

I have been watching a dude called “TIKhistory” the last few days on youtube and something felt off about his takes, but a lot of them had at least some plausible deniability and enough factual information that I thought it was still worthwhile.

I just start watching another video from this dude with the title “The REAL Reason why Hitler HAD to start WW2” which is an insane title and caught my attention. And then my answer was given by the first five mins of his video when I realized this dude was, at the least, a wehraboo, and at most, an actual Nazi.

Pretty much any non-Nazi historian agrees that Hitler started WWII because 1) he wanted to conquer Europe 2) he wanted “Lebensraum,” aka living space for “Aryans.” Where German people, with no Jewish or Roma people present, can have ample space to live.

You know why most non-Nazi historians agree on this? Because Hitler fucking said this. In his literal book. That everyone read.

WWII was declared by the Allies when Germany invaded Poland for LeBeNsRaUm. Yes, Germany never wanted to fight Britain. You know why? 1) they were white enough 2) a fucking ocean kept them apart. They wanted all of Europe + Soviet Union. That is why WWII started.

See how quick it was to get to that point? Fucking TIKhistory’s video is forty five minutes long. That’ll happen when your point is horeshit and also not true.

Hitler started WWII. All of the generals and higher ups at least knew of the Holocaust and most perpetrated their own massacres for shits and giggles. The Nazi army wasn’t really that great, they just knew how to play the cards in the circumstances they were in (they used horses a fuck ton. You don’t see it because a lot of documentaries use footage from Nazi propaganda in which they weren’t recorded). These are all basic facts for non-Nazis. So warning that if anyone you meet challenges those three facts, they probably are a Nazi

#I know no one cares but I was just gobsmacked when I watched the video #there’s a substantial amount of dislikes but a lot more likes #and it’s because those who aren’t familiar with Nazi history #which I know I got a lot of my own education from higher education #and to those who know only basic facts about WWII #a white balding guy speaking confidently in a polo seems quite trustworthy #nazism nowadays is less obvious than it used to be #lying or downplaying nazi history is such a big red flag #a lot of western education #specifically american #has been tainted because the USA hired a lot of Nazis after WWII to help fight the Soviets so a lot of #white lies #to put it lightly #were made up #that’s where popular beliefs like that it was just Hitler’s fault they lost or that generals were just following orders come from #so claims like that are more justifiable as it’s usually the education system that taught them wrong #but to claim that Hitler and his comrades started WWII for anything other than hatred and a need to kill Jews and Roma especially and also #disabled people gay trans people and so on #and modern Nazis justify this because it sounds bad #which you know #it is #so they need to justify it to themselves #all Nazis are liars it’s in the description #that’s the nicest word I can use to describe them btw #I feel like this shouldn’t be new news but fuck off if you’re a Nazi or a Nazi apologist #rae’s rambles #tw Nazism

[dimiclaudeblaigan]

mfw finding out that the localization of hopes literally cut an entire frame out of a scene

like can we not

can we not try to make felix seem more angry and edgy than he actually is by removing him smiling/not being aggressive for the explicit purpose of making him seem significantly angrier as a person/purposely not portraying him in a good light

like no seriously tell me why they literally went out of their way to remove an entire frame of him when it didn't improve the scene to remove it and instead paints him in a worse light

#DCB Comments #they do everything they can and bend backwards to make edelgard so uwu so good and justified #but when it comes to other characters who don't fawn over her they actively go out of their way to #remove scenes and change sentences completely to make those characters look worse #or just totally remove lines that might do her verbal harm. I recall a Sylvain line that got #totally removed from the loc too. in the Felix case it just serves to make him look more mean #and I'm noticing this trend of removing things that make characters seem good/better/nicer unless it's Edelgard #in which they bend backwards to do right by her and add in words to make her seem better #Felix's situation is just like with Rhea where they changed her tone/behavior to match Edelgard's view of her #rather than just translating her lines properly and keeping her tone the same in the loc #for some reason the loc is hellbent on making Rhea and Felix seem like terrible people and removing #most if not all instances of them being good people. it's even more glaring of an issue in Hopes in this case #bc Felix has a dramatically less amount of reasoning to be as aggressive as he in Houses #his banter with Dimitri could've just been friendly and reminiscent of them being childhood friends as it is in JP #but in the loc they just went nah this one single frame makes Felix seem like a better person with better relationships #better cut that out so ppl don't get the ~wrong idea~ about him and think he's actually more mellowed out in this game #-.- #DCB Three Hopes Stuff

[dawningfairytale]

yo so i reblogged something with a tag and i wanted to make it a full post. it’s my own opinion, but very much informed by what i’ve seen on here for more specific situations:

we should focus more on loving the discriminated than hating the oppressors

i understand anger against the oppressors, especially if you are a victim of their actions, and i by no means am telling you to quash that anger. it is fair and justified. however, if you are an ally to a marginalised community, uplift the afflicted rather than just hating the people who cause pain.

#this is literally spread love not war huh #it’s like those ‘why hate jkr when you should put more effort into helping trans people (and other communities affected by her hatred) #it’s not a ‘being mad makes you just as bad as them’ bc. no. the anger is justified #ESPECIALLY when coming from the people harmed by the actions of oppressors #however. the people who are being harmed are experiencing hatred. give them some love instead. it won’t compensate but it will help #contrast this with bullying someone who will never see your words #sometimes aiding the marginalised means violence. sometimes (basically all the time) it means listening and learning to be better yourself #but keep in mind i am a teenager. literally what do i know. please corrrct me if i haven’t made anything clear enough #or am wrong #bc i’m wrong a lot

[archiephd]

trying to explain that gender essentialist thinking is harmful just on principal of upholding the concept in society while also acknowledging how like. trans men have noticed more confidence and physicality once they went on testosterone without undermining the point.

#trying to talk to my siblings abt it has been one of the most frustrating experiences of my whole life #like am i in the wrong?? if i squint at my sister using words like masculine energy and feminine energy in her spirituality #to describe a different between forward / penetrative / hardworking energy versus a receiving / being energy in her spirituality? #like to me. wanting to describe those ideas is fine. but why are you using gendered words to do it #it is partly because in english we haven't thought of many replacement words that Aren't gendered #but like. is the reluctance to change that vocabulary a matter of convenience or some room to clear out gender essentialism? #is gender not real but hormones and traits associated with them real? is making a distinction between the two worth it then? #EYE think so. because you can have women with low estrogen who feel masculine but are still content as female #and you can also have women with high testosterone who don't want hormone therapy yet still identify as female #so to link the two feels? unnecessary? even IF there is a likelihood to more easily acquire certain traits with each individual hormone #I DON'T KNOWWW enough about all this i unironically wanna get into gender studies just bc of this conversation hsdfkjsl #which was prompted by me subjecting myself to j*rdan p*terson bc my brother listened to him in the past btw lol #my brother has many disagreements with him and both he AND my sister are trans allies by i feel like... #they still have some concept of gender essentialism and i don't know how to properly confront it when i haven't even done that much researc #and honestly feel like i can't given my schedule #god. if you read all that thank you. also pls share ur thoughts if u have any #i've been thinking abt this for days #and would love any and all extra input especially from trans voices but not exclusively i am desperate #*edit my sister also like acknowledged how my squinting was justified but also saw me acknowledging peoples' responses to hormone therapy #and the difference they've felt in behavior as like. contradictory lol #and how like. if there was a trans woman who didn't want hormone therapy like. Were they tested to see if their natural testosterone levels #+ were low??? #and i was like????? Does it matter #as long as there is one trans woman with high testosterone and one trans man with high estrogen doesn't that mean linking hormoes + #+*HORMONES with gendered traits is faulty? #but i guess like. if there's a generalized likelihood it Would make sense to link them #but IS there a generalized likelihood or is it mostly all circumstantial and socialized?? #also is gender essentialism associating gendered traits with genetalia and Not hormones or are they the same?? #does it MATTER?? i dunnooooooo god

[tylerthirst]

so do y’all feel weird when you prioritize your feelings and take initiative or are you normal

#sooo i decided to text my ex roommate to tell her not to visit me (which she planned on doing) because she’s annoying and a bitch #<- i worded it in a mature way to make more palletable to her #cause like. she was always really rude to me and would constantly be extremely condescending to me and that went on for a while but for like #a solid 2 months or so i actually somewhat enjoyed her presence #but when she announced she was transferring it guess she just thought it was ok to be a bitch to me again which honestly really confused me #she was always trying to pick fights with me over stupid shit and would always invalidate my feelings and tell me i’m wrong for having them #but at the same time she was extremely clingy and controlling when i didn’t want to be around her which is 🤨 #anyway she responded to my message with a bunch of audio messages and honestly i haven’t opened any of th because i genuinely do not care #what she has to say. in fact i can predict what she probably said in them. i feel like she initially apologized but then tried to justify #acting like that. and honestly i don’t fucking care. lol! i don’t think i’m ever gonna open those messages tbh #i probably would’ve if she just sent a text like a normal person but now i gotta hear her voice for like 5 minutes #and that’s already hard enough because she talks like a stephan university character 😐 #thirst.txt #meh #i don’t feel guilty about it or anything i just feel weird. it’ll probably pass in like a week tho

[arolesbianism]

It is my new life purpose to add the most questionable song choices to the Jackie section of my oni playlist. Hey at least one of them is a rabbit universe Jackie song so I have sort of an excuse, but spoilers it's not keep your head up so uhhhhh lol

#rat rambles #oni posting #baby days is the rabbit universe one to be clear #oh and the other two are indeed abt canon jackie but in my typical 5d chess sorta way where it's from an incredibly biased pov #smth smth jackie constantly self sabotaging and being oh so shocked when it causes her mental health to spiral and trying to justify it to #herself while also trying to burry it under even more work and isolation that just makes everything even worse #also shes divorced and sad abt it even though shes the one who has been pushing olivia away even pre divorce #and she has absolutely no plans on stopping she is both holding onto hopes of olivia turning around while also actively pushing her away #also kinda unrelated but I keep thinking back to scrapped jackie and olivia #and how fascinating it is that good ol jodi was honestly kind of shitty #well ok olivia is also shitty in many ways but the original divorce™ scene was soooo much worse of a look than the current one #long story short the two started a business immediately after jodi graduated that jackie especially was super excited abt #jackie was also anxious abt it though since she was struggling to get her phd and felt she had to rely on jodi to be taken seriously #but they quickly ran into money issues which eventually lead to jodi leaving after she was given an offer to join a large project #which youd think its like ah I see a conflict between friendship and dreams #which isnt wrong per say but oh my god did jodi fuck up her wording so bad like holy shit #she was all like I think this project would be a better use of my phd than continuing to do this #which Im not saying that feeling that way is bad per say but when your like best friend who you know has issues with personal worth and has #been putting a lot of effort and presumably money into this business that you suggested founding its maybe not the best idea to say #straight to her face that you think this is a waste of your time and abilities even if you probably think youre putting it nicely #thats whats so fascinating to me abt old jackie is that to me shes borderline genuinely sympathetic #which is why I love the idea of her having similar character traits still but in a less justified environment #like I am still in shock that so many of my jackie headcanons actually held water like even my ppl didn't take jackie's ideas seriously #and that being a bonding factor for olivia and jackie was smth that actually existed in the original concepts for the two #again Im glad they were scrapped for a multitude of reasons but its so vindicating that I was actually onto smth #Ive talked abt how I think its good they got scrapped because of the importance of oni's narrative being patchy and vague #but also I am so glad they scrapped pretty much all of jackie's actively sympathetic elements even if I still like sympathising with her #I know I complain abt us not seeing enough of jackie's perspective of things outside of her immediate research but thats mostly on the #grounds that it makes olivia and jackie's old friendship feel too trapped in the implied realm #I want jackie to feel like theres more to her life but I dont want said things to feel like a part of the plot if that makes sense

[snekdood]

leftism without introspection, recognizing what ideas you've picked up and how they're harmful and then changing, isn't leftism, its just aesthetics.

#you can shout as many slogans as you want until your words align w your actions i dont trust you. #until your actions show you actually have an understanding of the shits i dont trust you. #if you've never thought to yourself 'wow its really fucked up i believed that' and instead devolve into giving a million excuses #or trying to do some weird gymnastics to justify why you still believe it- i dont think you're actually a leftist then. #hell this is just a way to detect abusive ppl in general- if you NEVER EVER think of yourself as being the perpetrator of abuse of #some form in the past and only ever try to paint yourself as a victim in every situation i dont trust you FOR SHIT #NO WAY IN HELL you've never done shit wrong. dont pretend you're some inhuman godly being who never does wrong uwu fuck you #thats impossible and you fucking know it so knock it the fuck off and grow the fuck up and own up to your shit already asshole. #at the very least plenty a yall were bullies. but as we've seen yall only try to make excuses for why you were rather than actually #grieving the loss of the 'good perfect innocent never-does-wrong kid' you thought you were. no one is like that. not a single person. #the only way some of yall can keep going on acting all high and mighty and holier than thou is bc you've not only convinced others #but more importantly convinced yourself that you've never actually hurt anyone ever. thats the ONLY reason some of yall #act like you're so above it all and the perfect leftist. THE ONLY fuckin reason. self reflect bc ik for a damn fact you are not the perfect #person you feel the need to tell yourself you are my good lil bitch. #if i ask you 'how many times have you apologized to someone directly or mentally' and you say 'never' i dont believe you're a good person. #i will remain unconvinced forever. good people recognize their faults and try to be better. not pretend like theyve never done wrong. #pretending you're a good person will never make you a good person you fucker.

[labyrinthofcrystals]

💎. ┊    thinkin abt when I was into [fandom] & I had a mutual who very openly didn't like it so I asked them if it was okay that I still followed them & they said yes so long as I tagged my shit (which I always did, of course). but then when I asked them to tag their crit posts they said no n started attacking me 🙃 like why did u say it was ok for me to still follow if u clearly had a Problem with it then??? and then they sent other people to harass me too like wtf.

#* mine / txt #they were SO fucking judgemental when they initially asked why i liked [fandom] too #should've trusted my Instincts & blocked when they made that post tbh #''i dont like seeing [fandom] positivity'' then unfollow this blog dumbass?? block the tag hello???? idot. absolute asshat. #WAIT i remember. they did have the tag blacklisted. bc they hated it so damn much. then WHY THE ABSOLUTE FUCK— #''wish you all the best'' then repeatedly tried to harass me after i blocked them 🙄🙄🙄🙄 #shit like that is why i hate sharing my interests/fandoms/making ''friends'' in fandom #bc the moment someome finds out you like smth ''controversial'' they forget cirtical thinking skills & nuance exist #like shocker! making fun of the ''controversial'' thing that i like wont make me stop liking it. it WILL however make me stop liking YOU. #this was back in 2021 btw im just. venting ig. #i dont even like [fandom] anymore lol i only watched 2 people involved in it anyway #yet that ex mutual acted like i was commiting warcrimes or smth geeze #anyway. reminder that i dont owe u shit! i do not nor will i ''justify'' my interests to you. if you dont like something here then fuck off #sometimes i think im too mean on here & then i remember this happened n im like ''no i should be meaner'' #controversial was probably the wrong word to use it was more considered ''problematic''. not that i ever cared but. yknow #what is it w me & having terrible friendship experiences oh my god. no wonder i dont trust anyone lol. #this is y i dont talk to ppl anymore pft

[spacelazarwolf]

apparently a bunch of ppl on social media are trying to call for a boycott of rick riordan because of this statement in a blog post:

Becky and I are just back from a busy weekend with events at the Boston Book Festival and New York Comic-Con.

Before I get into that, however, some words to acknowledge the ongoing horrors in Israel and Gaza. As many of you may know, I am no longer on social media. My accounts post only updates on my books and related projects. I do not read posts, reply to posts, or share my thoughts about world events on those forums. That doesn’t mean I don’t have strong feelings and reactions. It means I am offline as completely as possible, except for the occasional blog post like this one.

I will say this: Over the last eighteen years, I have received many fan letters from young readers, both Israeli and Palestinian, who often told me that my books helped them escape the fear, grief and anxiety they were dealing with at the time. Some had lost family members to violence. Some were writing while in the distance they could hear explosions, gunfire, and the launching of rockets. They used my books as a way to escape into another world, where the monsters were fictional, and where demigods usually saved the day. While I am always glad that my books can help young readers find joy during difficult times, my heart breaks every time I hear about the things they have to deal with. I am grief-stricken by the horrific events now unfolding, especially because I know that they are part of a long historic pattern that has been robbing too many children of their childhood and perpetuating hatred for far too long.

I am also quite aware that when anyone, myself included, tries to speak about this issue, the reader is waiting to pounce, thinking, “Yes, but whose side are you on?” That is exactly the wrong question. If there are two sides to this issue, those sides are not Palestinian/Israeli or Muslim/Jewish. The two sides are humanitarian and dehumanizing. Dehumanizing has a long evil history. It is appealing and easy to buy into, because humans are tribal animals. We are hardwired to think in terms of ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ We are the real humans, the good guys, the ones with God on our side. Those other people are evil monsters who don’t deserve empathy. Hate mongers have thrived on dehumanizing for as long as there have been humans. It provides them with a purpose, a way to rally support, power, and scapegoats. It is easy to point to atrocities committed by our enemies, while justifying or minimizing the atrocities committed by ourselves or our allies.

Humanitarianism is a much harder sell. It requires us to empathize, to see other groups of people as equally deserving of dignity and quality of life. It requires not always putting ourselves and our needs first. But in the long run, humanitarianism is our only hope. If violence could end violence, if we could put an end to “those other people” once and for all, human history would read very differently than it does.

So yes, I am appalled by the Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians. I am appalled by the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Both things can be true. Both things must be true. My thoughts are with all the people who have died, who have lost loved ones, who have had their worlds and their lives shattered, especially the children. More death and violence will not break this cycle, which has been going on for generations. There is no military solution. Even since I first wrote the post, only twenty-four hours ago, the Israeli government’s brutal retaliation against the entire population of Gaza has reached genocidal proportions. This is not only an atrocity. It is folly. Answering misery with misery only creates more fertile ground for extremism, dehumanizing the “other side,” letting hate mongers thrive, stay in power, and reduce us all to our most monstrous impulses. The only real solution is treating each other like equally worthy human beings, and negotiating a peace that allows all parties a chance to live in security and dignity, with hopes for a future that does not include bombs and rockets and gunfire. This means security and support for Israel, yes. It also means a secure Palestine which is allowed to get the international aid and recognition it needs to build a viable state.

Do I think that will happen? Unfortunately, no. Humans are simply too selfish, too ready to blame “the other” for all their problems, too ready to dehumanize, though I also believe, perhaps paradoxically, that most people just want to live their lives in peace and have a chance for their children to have a brighter future. The problem is when we don’t allow other people to have those same hopes and dreams — when it becomes a false choice of us versus them.

What can I do? I will continue to write books that I hope will give young readers some joy. I will resist the urge to demonize entire groups of people. I will call for less violence, not more violence. And when asked whose side I am on, I will tell you I am on the side of humanitarianism.

So with that said, I return to the world of books . . .

honestly, if you have a problem with this statement, it’s probably because he’s talking about you. this is exactly what legitimate activists (as in not just random westerners who share social media posts but on-the-ground activists who are doing real work) have been saying for decades. and i think all this really speaks to just how disconnected a lot of westerners who claim to be pro palestinian are from those activists.

if you can’t read a statement that says “i am on the side of humanitarianism and less violence” without immediately jumping to cancel them, you are the problem being discussed in the above statement.

#ip

[daloy-politsey]

“They’re trying to discharge her constructively. Do you know what Constructive Discharge means?” She asked.

As soon as I heard the term ‘Constructive Discharge,’ I knew I’d never seen it on a vocabulary quiz.

“No. What does it mean?” I asked.

She explained.

“Constructive discharge is a fancy way of saying “being forced out.” It’s not good. And if you’re not a lawyer or in human resources, you’ll probably learn what it means when it’s happening to you.”

“Oh my God. I’ve seen this my entire career and never knew it even had a name.” I thought.

You’ve seen constructive Discharge too. You may have experienced it. We’ve all made choices to avoid it.

Constructive discharge defined

“We can’t fire you, but we’ll make you so miserable you’ll quit, and then we won’t have to pay your unemployment.”

Then there’s the textbook definition:

“A constructive discharge occurs when your employer has made working conditions unbearable, forcing you to resign.”

Or as one person put it.

“I didn’t get handed a pink slip, but when you’re not wanted, people have a way of letting you know.”

HR isn’t always the secret police.

Employees aren’t always victims of evil-doers.

However, employers push employees out all the time to maintain and protect the, “We didn’t do anything wrong, YOU did,” power structure.

Constructive Discharge looks like this:

— Meeting invitations slow to a trickle, and you’re excluded from emails and generally looped out of what’s going on.

— People stop talking to you or stop talking when you walk in.

— Your emails don’t get answers, or they arrive too late to be of value.

— Suddenly, your work is not good enough, though nothing about your work has changed.

— Reviews, once good or even glowing, are now mediocre or bad.

— Instead of a bonus, you get a Performance Improvement Plan.

— Warnings and write-ups start so they can justify your eventual termination with documentation of your “poor performance”

— Your work, clients, assignments go away, or they overwhelm you with work.

— The words “Set up to fail” were practically invented to describe this scenario.

Constructive Discharge is illegal

It isn’t easy to prove you’re a target, and it’s even more challenging if you don’t even know constructive discharge is a real thing.

If you’ve ever experienced this and don’t fully understand what’s happening to you beyond knowing you’re in the process of being excommunicated, it can be hell. It’s not uncommon for the experience to leave long-lasting scars.

Talk to anyone who’s ever been through it. They’ll tell you.

Knowing constructive discharge exists and how it’s used gives you power to predict what’s coming and to protect yourself.

Seeing the endgame helps you in two ways.

You know what to expect. Having a sense of what’s coming next is enormously empowering. You can go on the offensive and protect yourself. Constructive discharge works to crush your ego, making you feel you did something wrong and deserve this treatment.

Without strategy, you end up being a miserable pawn in your employer’s endgame.

Remember, they’re almost certainly building a case to fire you in the event the hellscape they create for you doesn’t persuade you to quit.

If you’re getting pushed out, and you know what to look for you can prove constructive discharge and you can get unemployment benefits, be released from payback obligations on a signing bonus, and protect your mental health.

You’re not crazy, incompetent, or a failure. This is real and it’s carefully executed to leave you holding the bag and feeling like you did something wrong.

If they force you out, in addition to feeling horrible, you lose your paycheck, benefits health insurance, and possibly owe them money.

#labor

[criminalamnesia]

HIIII!!! I just wanted to say that i really love ur writing! I've read ur traitor series and I can't wait for part 4! I'm a new author, and english isn't my first language, so it's sometimes very hard for me to write bcs i'm stil not that good, but ur fics have helped me improve<3💗!

thank you so much!🫶 im glad you’ve enjoyed the series! and speaking of part four, here it is :)

ALL PARTS CAN BE FOUND HERE

simon didn’t turn to watch you leave the gym.

he stood there, eyes forward, mask clenched in one fist. he could feel the blood drying on his skin. he made no move to wipe it away.

he didn’t blame you for your anger— he couldn’t. he understood the rage. had felt it himself a time or two.

but he couldn’t take everything lying down.

did he deserve your wrath, your fury? yes— and he knew that. there was no making up for what he did; he realized that, but why couldn’t you understand?

he’d never fully taken his walls down around you, and that was no fault of your own. he was a guarded man, and his past gave him every right to be.

he had been burned and broken too many times. he’d seen the people he loved murdered because of him.

he swore he would never let that happen again. he put those walls up, and you knocked some of them down.

but there were some you’d never gotten through, at least, simon told himself you hadn’t. there was always something he was holding back, a piece of himself he wouldn’t give freely. he told himself it was because he couldn’t stand to love you so deeply and then watch you leave.

but really, it was because he needed an out. he needed a way to justify his leaving if something ever happened— and that’s what got him here.

simon trusted the 141 with his life. he trusted his captain with his life. price had never led him astray; john knew his face well before any of the others. well before you.

and when someone you trust so deeply, someone you’ve followed for years, tells you that the person you love has betrayed your team?

you can’t help but believe them. and that’s what simon did.

the evidence was coincidental at first. wrong place, wrong time. but then, everything started to seem like more than a coincidence. pieces of a complicated puzzle were fitting together. things only you and the rest of the 141 would know were leaked.

and all the signs pointed to you.

and although he didn’t want to, simon couldn’t help it. the second price had confided in him that you may be the rat, simon began to distance himself. you had been confused, but he had offered no explanation.

price was the one to question you first. it was a heated conversation in his office, consisting of him showing you the evidence and you becoming furious at the accusations.

johnny came to you next, buttering you up with his flirtatious and unarming words before asking if you’d leaked information.

then there was kyle, who pleaded for the truth. he told you that a case was being built against you, and that if you came clean now, things wouldn’t be so bad.

simon never tried to talk to you about it. the other men would tell him what you’d said, but he had never gone to talk to you himself.

maybe it was pride. simon wasn’t trusting, not after his past. he had let the 141 in, had let you in. and now you were a suspected traitor, and he was angry at himself. angry he hadn’t seen it sooner; angry he’d let you in at all.

but maybe it was hurt. hurt that you’d done this to him, to the team, after knowing everything they’d been through. after stitching up wounds on the battlefield and taking bullets for one another. after sharing simon’s bed and whispering you loved him.

all he knew was that he trusted price. and as evidence built, so did the distance between the two of you, until you were tied to that chair.

and simon had taken his hurt, his anger, out on you. he wasn’t proud of it, and he knew now that he was wrong. but he was still a little angry. angry because you couldn’t see his side of things— not like he could see yours.

so, he was an ass. he didn’t apologize. he snuck flowers to your bedside but kept his distance. he told you to watch your tone because you were still part of the team, and speaking to price like that was only something an outsider would do.

and he told you that he’d spared your life because he had. anger had consumed him, and truthfully, you were lucky he hadn’t done worse.

even if he’d smothered his feelings for you with rage, he still harbored love for you, and that’s why some part of him held back.

he knew you would probably never forgive him. he had made his peace with that.

but he couldn’t stand the fact that you couldn’t understand why he’d done what he did.

the creak of the gym door opening broke simon from his thoughts. he pulled his mask back on before turning around and making his way to the door.

it took one firm knock on the door for price to answer.

the door clicked open, and price sighed when he saw simon, scrubbing a hand over his unruly beard before letting the taller man in. price turned, walking back to his desk chair, while simon closed the door behind him and locked it.

“this is a bloody mess,” the captain said, falling heavily into the chair. it squeaked at the sudden weight, old leather crinkling and crackling.

“doc came and saw me earlier, ‘fore she left for the night. told me about some new injuries, and yelled at me for letting that happen.”

simon didn’t speak. price’s eyes met his, and he sighed again.

“fuckin’ hell, simon. what the fuck did you say? doc said she had to stitch up both their hands.”

“doesn’t matter what I say,” simon spoke, eyes still on the captain “they won’t fuckin’ listen.”

price shook his head. “that’s not true, ‘nd we both know it,” he sounded tired as he spoke, dark bags under his eyes. he paused for a moment, then spoke again.

“spoke to laswell after you left earlier. she said she’ll try to speed up the transfer process. tryin’ to avoid more fuss, and im not fightin’ it any longer.”

“they’re part of our team,” simon spoke, tone rough.

price shook his head. “they are, but I can’t keep doin’ this. can’t keep pushin’ off transferin’ because of you lot. it may be better for us, but not for them.”

the room fell quiet. simon inhaled, exhaled. his fists clenched at his sides before quickly unfurling once more.

he didn’t have a right to be mad at you for leaving, but he was.

“laswell say anythin’ else about tha’ transfer?” simon asked.

price leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. “not much. no word on where or with who, but even if she knew, doubt she’d tell us. for their sake.”

simon gave a small nod and made to turn, but froze as price spoke again.

“she did say she didn’t know if it would go through. they’d have to pass another eval.”

they both knew what that meant. if laswell said that, then she didn’t believe the transfer would happen. kate wouldn’t outwardly say it, but price had known what she’d meant.

pushing the transfer through wouldn’t matter if you couldn’t pass a physical and psychological evaluation— and laswell didn’t think you could.

although he wouldn’t admit it, price was unsure, too. torture was something that took an incredibly devastating toll on the mind and body.

but torture at the hands of your team? there was no telling the damage that that would do to someone. to you.

an honorable discharge was more likely. and, if that was the case, then your rage would likely grow tenfold.

you career, your livelihood, taken from you by the hands of the men you trusted the most. your family, cutting you up and pushing you out.

damned by your team and your country, regardless of everything you’d done for both of them during your service.

you were just another cog in the machine, one that had been damaged and discarded, and a discharge couldn’t make that any clearer.

he thought back to what you had said in the gym earlier, before you’d left.

‘you should have killed me.’

maybe he should have.

thanks to everyone for your patience! also just incase you didn’t see my post about it—

im no longer doing a taglist! my side blog @troiastitans will reblog my works from now on, so if you want to know when I post, follow that account and allow notifications!

as always, thank you for the love! (also I hope you all enjoyed a little peek into simon’s head!)

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