#shit happens. I'm Iraqi

[reigningmax]

Have you seen this website? https://redbullgivesputinwings.com

I simply don't understand how you are not tired of copy and pasting the SAME MESSAGE so many times now to any blog that shows positivity towards Max.

Max is not responsible for where Redbull the fizzy drink is sold. Nor does he have the power to stop it from getting sold anywhere. Redbull athletes are EVERYWHERE, and not a single one is going to slam the company that's giving them a chance at achieving their goals. This is sports, not the UN, it's not happening.

If you're gonna go full tumblr girlie social justice warrior about Formula 1, then bud I have news for you about every single sponsor of these teams. Monster energy drink is still sold in Russia. Petronas had a hand in literal civil wars and multiple international crimes, Aramco is owned by Saudi princes who are literal murderers, and the list continues.

This is a shitty sport built on shitty politics and not a single person involved is a good person. No one. I know all of you Westerners love to only care about human rights in the west, but instead of being SO mad about an energy drink sold in Russia, maybe look at the big bads in the middle east and north Africa too! What do you think you sending us all the same fucking link over and over is gonna do huh????

#This is life #this is war #shit happens. I'm Iraqi #the first person who can tell you about living life with sanctions #and you're being dense and annoying for no reason lmao #first the kellly article then the max article now this #max is meant to do what???????? #asks #anonymous #this is so ridiculous #you are literally being ridiculed by EVERYONE #how are you not embarrassed

[peanutseagle]

just finished reading the hunger games trilogy and when i tell you it changed me

#screaming my head off #it destroyed me emotionally SO MUCH #but the writing is soooo good oh my god. #absolute blast #yet. i hate suzanne collins for supporting israel #honestly - SPOILER #the scene in book 3 where the capitol blew up a fucking hospital reminded me so much about the horrible crimes happening in gaza #and knowing collins got her inspo from the iraqi war (which i know quite a lot of #being born in iraq with iraqi parents) #i really hoped shed be aware of the shit going on and a supporter of palestine #because GOD the parallels are so?? strong?? #mind you one of them is a bestselling dystopian trilogy and the other IS A GENOCIDE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. #i'm still enjoying the hunger games as a media - but i definetly am not a supporter of collins #uhhh yeah sorry for the politics rant #hamocrap

[writtenjewels]

See No Evil part 7

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six

The shit Eric used for Jason's eyes was starting to work. Instead of staring out into dark nothingness, he could now detect light and blobby shapes. It wasn't good enough for Jason to make out any details of said blobs, but it was a hell of a lot better than before.

Jason hated leaving Salim's side, but he also wanted to know what happened during his absence and didn't think Nick would indulge in front of an “enemy”. So when Eric ordered Nick to go check the perimeter, Jason tagged along. Nick talked of trying to save Merwin and ultimately failing, seeing Clarice being pulled into the dark, and coming to Eric's rescue only to discover Rachel was already gone.

“Shit, Nicky,” Jason sighed with a shake of his head. “Sorry I wasn't there, man.”

“Doesn't sound like you could've done much. No offense.” Nick was quiet for a moment. “I found an old radio. I could tinker with it, see if I can get a signal to the surface.”

“Go for it,” Jason encouraged. He kept his ears open for trouble while Nick worked.

“So,” Nick spoke up. “What's going on with that Iraqi?”

“Salim? What do you mean?”

“I don't know. The way you two are with each other, it's like—”

“Nicky, I can't see,” Jason interrupted him. “I had to rely on him to guide me around.” Nick said nothing. A moment later there was a crackle from the radio. “You got it!” Jason celebrated.

There was a snarling sound and the rush of boots pounding the ground. Before Jason knew it, he was tackled and forced onto his back. Whatever attacked him was trying to claw at him. Instinctively he lifted his hands to fend off the thing. Was it one of the demons?

“What the fuck?” Nick gaped. “Joey?”

“Joey?” Jason repeated, squinting his eyes as if that would help his vision focus. He thought he could make out the outline of a face, but it couldn't be Joey's: the thing had something protruding from the head. He scrambled for any kind of weapon and latched onto one of his knives.

He started stabbing wildly, not caring what he hit as long as it connected. Finally Jason got enough room to kick the creature off of him. There was more scrambling of feet from behind and the creature suddenly lit up. Still shrieking, it tumbled over the side and vanished.

“What the fuck just happened?” Jason demanded.

“Those creatures don't react well to sunlight,” Eric answered. “The corpse you brought back burst into flame when exposed to the UV lamp. Did it get you, lieutenant?”

“I'm good.” Jason pushed up on his feet, glancing around. “Salim?” he called out uncertainly.

“I left him with the corpse,” Eric admitted. “Did you manage to fix the radio?”

“I think so.” Nick let out a sigh. “But I'm no mechanic. If Merwin was still here, he'd know what to do.”

“We work with what we have, sergeant,” Eric reminded him. “See if you can radio our people; I'll go back and check on the prisoner.” Jason wanted to protest that Salim wasn't a prisoner, but Eric was already moving away.

“This would be a lot easier if he had agreed to air support in the first place,” Nick complained. The radio started popping with static but Nick dismissed it as a ghost signal. He messed around a little more and there was suddenly a loud feedback noise.

“Turn it off!” Jason shouted. “You'll make those fuckers come down on us!” He could hear more shrieking from below and knew it was already too late. There was rapid gunfire and the radio went silent. “The fuck?”

“Get down!” Nick hissed, grabbing Jason and pulling him to the ground. “We're under attack! Must be the same guy who got Eric and Rachel earlier.”

“What?” Fuck, Jason wished he could see. “Where's Salim and the colonel?”

“No idea, man! We gotta live through this first!” Nick paused to return fire. Jason reached for his rifle, heart pounding. He felt so useless like this.

“Nicky, point me in the right direction and I'll cover you while you flank him.”

“Jason, you're blind.”

“You think I don't know that?” Jason snapped back. “But I can't sit around on my ass. Just point me and stay outta my line of fire.” Nick was quiet for a moment but the enemy didn't give him long to debate before opening fire again. He let out a sigh and Jason felt it as Nick positioned the rifle.

“I hope I don't regret this,” Nick muttered, and then he was running off and Jason was alone.

He gripped his rifle so the recoil wouldn't shift his position, and opened fire.

#jason/salim #jason x salim #jason kolchek x salim othman #jalim #salim othman #jason kolchek #house of ashes #nick kay

[itssideria]

Sorry to bring politics into your inbox but genuinely please do not vote red. If you don’t vote then sure!! Why not. Please do consider voting blue though because I promise you that biden’s shit, yes, and the usa’s voting system with basically only two parties is also shit but trump will be worse. Republicans will be worse. There’s been a plan for taking away queer (especially trans people) rights and Biden is supporting genocide in Palestine and the republicans will be even worse about it. Just because there’s shit things happening doesn’t mean one needs to, like, make things worse where they are.

alright, anon. i took some time after reading your ask so i wouldn't immediately respond in anger or reaction. remember that. i am actively taking the effort to be empathetic and kind and civil.

i want you to reread what you've sent me. what you, presumably an american who is not affiliated with palestine/the middle east, has sent to me, an egyptian who grew up with syrians and iraqis and palestinians and iranians who have the devastation of their homelands immortalised in their history, in their blood. whose homelands were devastated at the insistence of your nation. whose homelands are being devastated right fucking now, gleefully, skillfully, at the hands of that disgusting coloniser you insist deserves a second chance.

i want you to think about it. i want you to fucking think about it. i want you to imagine your home, decimated. your school or university, flattened. your future, crushed. your family, slaughtered. there are no trees or flowers left. there is nothing to farm. the air is thick with dust and it settles on your face and it itches so fucking bad and you don't have any water to wash it off. i want you to think, anon.

and i want to ask you, genuinely, no double-meaning: this is really all you have to say to my anger? i'm not palestinian. what if i was, though? would you have said this to the palestinians i've grown up with and known? would this really be all you have to say?

it's always the "republicans will be worse" with you lot. biden has killed thirty thousand people. that is not me being sensational. he used your taxes to send those bombs. he bypassed lawmakers to do it. he broke your sacred fucking constitution to bomb the only country doing anything to protect the dead. he flouts your laws, your congress, your people. he ignores the 70% majority that wants a ceasefire. he does nothing when reproductive rights are taken. he stands by as several states pass anti-lgbt bills. he actively signs for a project that will make global warming worse for us all.

what do you even have left to protect?

i never once advocated for trump. as far as i'm concerned, trump can choke. i don't know what the solution is with your country. i don't know how to respond to you in any way that doesn't devolve into me screaming the vilest insults i can come up with, because i am so tired of americans and i am so tired of white americans and i am so tired of white queer americans who don't even have the shame to cast their pro-genocider vote in silence. at least back home, we take the action, even if it does nothing, even if it's only symbolic.

do what you want. there are no good options, and it's not like i can stop you. just stop pretending any of it is moral. stop pretending that you're advocating for something that isn't inherently sick. if biden wins, that's the signal that genocide is a-ok with you all. if biden wins, i only hope your country takes it willingly when the rest of the global south never wants to have anything to do with it ever again.

my only faith is in Allah, now.

please think before you send your asks.

#asks #anon #palestine #israel #gaza strip #free palestine #and let it be known i have never received so many asks to do with palestine before i posted about my anger. #NEVER. #you guys only come out of the woodwork when you're threatened by a non-american living thousands of miles away.

[catierambles]

@brattymum96 , @ouroboros113 , @peaches1958 , @summersong69 , @henryownsme , @eldarwen333 , @omgkatinka and @raccoon-eyed-rebel as you liked the first bit

It was raining. Correction, it was down pouring. A rare off-season happening in the middle of the Iraqi desert, and it matched his mood.

She was dead, he was certain of it this time. There was no body for her to go back to, no vessel for her spirit to inhabit again. The suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest had taken them by surprise but she hadn't hesitated, tackling him through the doorway of an empty building, the structure erupting in flames and destruction after they vanished. She saved a lot of lives and would be hailed as a hero, given a posthumous medal for valor, her name added to some wall, but the end result was the same. She was dead and this time it stuck, there was no way it wouldn't. Whatever deity she had pissed off probably hadn't accounted for explosives when they cursed her to a strange sort of immortality.

He needed a drink.

Thunder rolled across the flat landscape, lightening cracked through the air a moment later, illuminating the night for a split second, and it continued raining.

"Captain?" His radio came to life on his desk and he looked over at it quickly. It couldn't be. "Captain, are you there? Please say you're there." He crossed the room in quick strides, grabbing the radio and holding it to his mouth. He didn't say anything. What could he possibly say? "Fuck. Next frequency it is."

"Wait!" He called out before he lost her. "I'm here. I'm here. Fuck, I'm here."

"Thank Athena." She sighed, "I need you to come get me, and only you, please. As discreetly as you can."

"I want an explanation." He said, "I watched you get blown up."

"I know, and you'll get one." She said, "But I am naked and covered in mud at a communications station a few miles...west? of base. Hold on, there's a map. Yeah, northwest. You know what one I'm talking about?"

"I know it." Syverson said, "I'll be there as soon as I can. Wait, did you say you were naked?"

"And covered in mud, yes. Caked in it." She said, "I'll rinse off the best I can in the rain and there's a survival kit in here with a thermal blanket that I can wrap myself in, but I'd rather not be here any longer than I have to be."

"I'm on my way. I'll take the radio with me, but stay put, you hear me?"

"I don't really have many options right now, so yeah." She said and he clipped the radio to his belt, putting on his jacket and hat to guard as best he could against the deluge before leaving the office. He ran over to the motor pool, grabbing the keys to a plain truck.

"Going somewhere, Captain?" The Sergeant on duty asked.

"I need to leave base for a little while, but it needs to stay off the logs. Got it, son?"

"Not...really, Captain." He said, "What's going on?"

"Weird shit that I can't explain, but this needs stay on the DL." Syverson said and the Sergeant hesitated. "If anyone asks you, don't lie. If someone questions it, send'em my way. You won't get in trouble."

"O-okay, Sir." He said, "Be careful out there, it's coming down pretty hard."

He left out of the back entrance rather than the main gate, the wipers going full bore against the rain, not that it made a lot of difference. Finally the communications station came into view of the headlights and he turned off the engine, getting out and running inside.

"Hey." He heard and looked over, seeing her standing there by the comm terminal, wrapped in the thermal blanket. Mud still streaked her skin slightly and her hair was slicked back, but she was there, and she was alive. Syverson immediately went to her and pulled her into his arms, taking her by surprise, holding her tightly with his eyes closed. She eventually returned his embrace and they stood there for a long moment before he pulled away, looking her over.

"I want that explanation." He said and she nodded.

"Short version is if my body is destroyed, I get a new one. Looks exactly the same as my last one, just...fresher, I guess. Scars gone, stuff like that." She said, "Long version is that the other gods, they...they can't do anything about what he did, they can't lift the curse he put on me, but they can make it so I'm not some shade wandering the earth for all eternity, not dead, but not alive, either. They give me a new body."

"How?" Syverson asked.

"The same way they created the first humans." She said, "Mold it out of mud and clay and breathe life into it. Prometheus sculpts me a new one, like a champ, and Athena shoves me into it, the absolute queen."

"Which is the reason why you're covered in it."

"Yeah, I was made out of it." She said, "At least he gave me proportionate bits this time, one time he had to make me a new one, he gave me absolutely massive breasts." He blinked at her and she shrugged. "He thought it was funny."

"And Athena?"

"I was one of her priestesses back when I was...normal." She said, "While they can't lift the curse, they do recognize it as a bitch move."

"Have they had to do this a lot?"

"Last time was...a few hundred years ago? When I was burned at the stake as a witch." She said it so casually that it took a moment to process and he stared at her, hands on his hips. "What? My guy, you need to accept that this is my normal."

"So what happens now?" Syverson asked, "You're dead. You can't pass this off as good luck, a lot of people saw you get blown up."

"I know." She said, rubbing the heels of her hands into her eyes. "Normally when this happens, I can just disappear, but like I said, it's been a few centuries. Shit's complicated now. I may need to have a conversation I really don't want to have."

"You may need to out yourself to someone higher on the food chain than I am."

"Yeah, yeah probably." She said.

"The rain your doing?"

"Not directly." She said, "But the mud needed to come from somewhere."

"Well, let's not worry about it right now." Syverson said, "Let's hunker down here until the storm passes and we'll figure out what to do next when we get back to camp. Okay?"

"Okay." She said and he took off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders.

"Even with that blanket, you must be chilly." He said and she pulled it around herself.

"Thank you."

#henry cavill #captain syverson #my writing

[yo-momsin-mybed]

Admit it (jalim)

Summary: Nick and Jason talk things over after the events that took place, it was an innocent conversation at first, simply going over what happened together. But once they started talking about Rachel, a certain question arose in nicks head.

Note: everyone survived, Nick and Rachel are together, and Salim is being questioned during this.

Jason felt a lump form in his throat, he was clenching the railing under the big one way mirror in front of him.

"Kolchek, what's good?" Nick laughed placing a hard hand on Jason back, looking into the window as well.

Salim was chained to the table, a bit of fresh blood smeared on his forehead.

"He doesn't look to good," he commented again searching for a reaction from Jason.

But there was none, "how's the love triangle?" Jason laughed before hesitantly stepping away from the window.

Nick started laughing more, slumping himself in the chair across the hallway, "Rachel officially dumped ol' Eric King, she told him "you can't always fix what's broken"" nick mimicked, smiling proudly.

"I seen you two eye balling each other up in the helicopter, man, I'm surprised Eric let you live,"

Nick laughed again in return, his eyes fixated themselves behind Jason. The gaurd was swiftly throwing a punch towards Salim.

"Holy shit," he said standing up.

"They've been doing it all day, I tried- I tried talking to them," Jason shook his head and looked away

The room around them went silent

"You like him don't you," Nick said breaking the silence

"Yeah, I mean, hes a good guy, y'know-"

"No, no, Jason, you-"

"Shut up," Jason hissed turning sharply towards Nick, "sorry, I- I just"

"You've never felt like this? You feel like a little girl with a crush?" Nick laughed

"I- I don't know, I guess,"

"Man stop guessing yourself," Nick placed his hand back on jasons shoulder, "I think you should talk to him,"

"Yeah right, fuck no"

"What? What's the worst that can happen?"

"He ain't gay, hell two days ago if you even brought up gay around me I wouldn't even think of it"

"I think you'll be surprised," Nick shook his head, walking away.

5 minutes passed and finally the gaurd was done questioning him, releasing him back into Jason's care.

In those 5 minutes Jason thought more then he ever did before, everything in his life was starting to make sense, he always denied it.

"I think I'm gay," Jason blurted out once it was just him and Salim in their shared quarantine room.

"Okay?" Salim answered caught off guard a bit, "I'm happy for you?"

"No, no like," Jason took a shakey breath and sat down, "I hardly know you and your all I think about you, I don't even think I remember your last name,"

Salim smiled down at Jason who was now on one of the two beds in the room, "I know it's hard," Salim said, taking a seat next to Jason, "how long have you known?"

"Like ten minutes," Jason said honestly, "I never thought of it until," Jason stopped and looked up a bit, "God this is cheesy," he groaned

"Until we met?" Salim laughed, "I have to admit we have quite the connection,"

"I'm sorry man, this is probably so weird,"

"Compaired to vampires? I'd say this is pretty normal,"

Jason laughed, pushing Salim with his shoulder a bit, "do you have this affect on people often?" Jason flirted

"Actually your the first," Salim laughed, "what I'm trying to say Jason, is that this is okay, and normal,"

"Is there something between us?" Jason asked impulsively, nearly gagging on the words in fear

Salim didn't say anything, which didn't help Jason's nerves much, the nervousness quickly turned into relaxation.

Salim closed the gap between them, his hand trailing down Jason back, and gliding up his chest.

He pulled away and looked at Jason, "does that answer your question?"

Instead of answering Jason quickly connected their lips once more.

Bonus:

Nick and Rachel sat in the cafeteria area, eating their breakfast peacefully.

"Kolcheks been acting off, you think it has to do with the iraqi?" Rachel asked alwardly

"Oh for sure, what kind of person runs into hell like that AGAIN just to save someone they just met"

"Do you think he has a crush," Rachel laughed

"More like a boyfriend," Nick nodded over to the two men in the cafeteria, both curled up again the wall sharing stories about their past.

"Okay but they are really cute," Rachel said gazing at the two.

#jalim #house of ashes #jason kolchek #salim othman #eric king #rachel king #nick kay

[darcylightninglewis]

what an privileged thing to ask for trigger warnings while palestinians are undergoing genocide and you are making YOURSELF the victim. also smearing jewish people who are in solidarity with palestinians... you're either woefully unaware or pathetic. may your complicity in genocide haunt you for the rest of your life.

I know it is going to come as a surprise to you, but this isn't about me. I'm upset yes, but there are those who actually lived through atrocities and survived that this shit will trigger. I know, it's hard to understand, other people, crazy.

If it triggers me, someone who'd family has lived it, then it did to others too you close minded antisemitic pathetic pedantic fuck. This may continue to shock you, but this isn't the first war this part of the country has seen and soldiers and their fucking families experienced.

How am I complicit? By being Jewish? By recognizing others trauma? Cause I'm a broke ass bitch with no sway in any government that is aware of the propaganda that Hamas is spinning is costing innocent Palestinian lives as well as Israeli.

But please, anon who lives on tiktok with no idea how to use your brain because of years of racial guilt that you want to make the problem of the Middle East, go on. Put your name to your bullshit you coward.

All you bitch ass anons think you're morally just because I'm upset. I'm upset by what I see happening there, by Israeli's overzealous attack but also please tell me, what's the solution you dumb cunt? Because right now, the right wing of the country are in control and they're largely racist pricks that think giving a day is enough but, I mean, you clearly know so fucking much. Tell me. You going to give in to terrorists that, btw would gladly murder you?

I'm not going to answer all your dumb anons, you hateful pieces of shit. But as someone who's partner's Dad was an Iraqi soldier and witnessed this, I know it's triggering. I'm sorry you don't care about anyone else.

Best of luck in the real world!

#israel #palestine #ptsd #it's a war war is triggering sorry not sorry

[theveteranside]

RPGs and Mortars

One of the first things you realize when you're down range is that there is a good percentage of local nationals that don't like your ass. They did not want Americans in their country. Insurgents wanted us dead. Period. Those Insurgents had no boundaries when it came to drawing American blood. Sure, some of the local nationals loved us. The rest didn't, plain and simple.

So, right off the bat, you come into enemy fire. It was everywhere. We used to get hit several times a day with Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and/or mortars. So, basically there's explosions everywhere, every day.

The first few weeks, maybe, everytime there's an explosion, you hit the ground. Doesn't matter if it's close or not, that's just a natural reaction. You make sure you hit the ground, because you want to make sure you don't get hit or get hit by shrapnel or any other shit coming off that bad boy. Because, in all reality, you don't know what that incoming mother fucker is or how bad it is. So, you hit the deck.

By the time you are six months into the deployment, you stop hitting the deck. I never thought about it until years later. It's fucked up. It's not that we don't give a fuck, it just becomes a normal, everyday occurrence. Background noise, if you will.

A soldier driving a yellow Hyster forklift down the horribly paved road in Tikrit, minding their own business, suddenly feels the wind of an RPG wiz by their face. So, they turn the damn thing around and drive right back to their starting point. They walk right back in the office, plop down on a bench, reach into their DCU cargo pocket for their ciggs, and light one up right then and there. Another nearby soldier asks "What the fuck are you doing, soldier?" The returning soldier's eyes dart right over to them and with the cigarette hanging from their lips, they say, "Welp, looks like the other unit isn't gonna borrow our forklift this minute because halfway there a fucking RPG flew by........six inches from my face and I'm still alive......So I'm gonna enjoy this cancer stick right here and now."

The FOB (Forward Operating Base) sat at the edge of the Tigris River and there was a bridge that crossed over. That bridge was way too close. What the insurgents used to do was drive a truck across with a guy in the bed, laid down, RPG set to fire. Just as the truck would get on the bridge, guy in the bed would sit up, position, fire, and pray that Allah would let it hit someone. And by "someone" I mean an American soldier. This happened several times a day, not just from the bridge either.

So, by month eight or nine of a twelve month deployment, you're jaded. Shit is exploding here and there and you continue doing whatever the hell it is you were already doing. You don't miss a beat. Although, there are the occasional bastards that hit a little too close for comfort and you instinctively hit the deck. After the ringing in your ears begin to subside, you start feeling on yourself (without looking, just feeling) to make sure all your body parts are there. Am I good? Okay. Now get the fuck up. Chow ain't gonna eat itself.

I forget what year it was that the Iraqi soccer team won the Olympics or something, them hadjis lost their shit. I happened to be by the water filtration plant, laying in a canoe under the stars, on the lake. Next thing I knew, I saw shooting stars. They weren't shooting stars though, they were fucking tracer rounds lighting up the night sky. The local nationals were shooting off rounds in celebration of their soccer teams victory. No exaggeration, there were hundreds of streaks in the sky at one point. I sat up and thought, "Welp, I guess I better kick rocks." Those rounds gotta land somewhere. It was kind of pretty though.

Probably the only time we hit the deck is if we are in an unfamiliar place. Something pops off in an area we aren't too familiar with, then yes, we drop. And even then, we get right back up and start thinking, "Shit, where's my weapon? Why don't I have my weapon? Where the fuck did I leave it? I'm about to be in some deep shit without my weapon!" You start to become a little flustered because you cant even remember when you had that god damned weapon last. After a few minutes of this train of thought, you finally remember that you have been back in the U.S. for ten, fifteen years or what have you, and what you just heard that made you drop probably wasn't even a mortar....or an RPG.....maybe it was just your Dad's Harley backfiring in the carport.

Fuck it, I'd rather die standing up than crouching in fear somewhere.

#shit veterans go through #experience #operation iraqi freedom #iraq #veterans #down range #deployment #9/11

[metalheadsforblacklivesmatter]

So... you're not going to post anything in support of people in Ukraine? Anything against the Russian imperialism?

I already did. Several times.

But western countries only give a fuck because it's white people. Shit like this happens in the middle east? Maybe an hour of news coverage. Happens in Africa? No news coverage.

But it's WHITE PEOPLE that are the victims? Gods forbid. Months of 24/7 news coverage.

Look. You've been a follower since I've started this blog, so I understand. You wanted me to be a constant source of info against this injustice.

But I stated day one that I couldn't watch it. I have a friend that lives in one of the Baltic states (countries that Putin would go after if he's given the opportunity to escalate) so I just just watch this all the time and see what could happen to her.

Furthermore, I don't see what this constant doomscrolling is helping. We feed and feed and feed on negative media like this until it makes us apathetic. You see so much trauma until you're numb to it. Much of the millennial generation has already dealt with this from the constant watching of the 9/11 footage every year for years.

Lastly, there's only so much I can do. Constantly ranting about what's happening in Ukraine isn't helping anything. What can I add that's not already being said? More importantly, what can I add that's not obvious? "What Russia is doing is bad. I don't agree with it." Thank you captain obvious. But pointing out the obvious isn't going to help shit.

But you know what is going to help shit? Raising awareness for what's happening at home. Parents are being charged with child abuse in Texas for supporting their trans children. Teachers are being arrested in Florida for supporting their gay students. Black men are still being killed by police.

As much as I don't like how Chelsea is handling this situation with modern warrior on tiktok because she's being shitty, it still opens up the discussion to issues like how white women can't hold men of color accountable for assaulting them without being called racist. It opens us up to discussions about how yes, it is all men. Even our loudest advocates and allies are still susceptible to assaulting women.

So I made my few posts about Russia and Ukraine. But I'm sick of everyone caring because it's white people. I'm sick of this constant news coverage taking air time away from shit that we can actually help with at home. I'm sick of how no one is talking about Black men being killed by police anymore. I'm sick of admitting how Ukraine will get more news coverage and sympathy than the BLM protests.

If people want to talk about Ukraine? That's their prerogative, but I want to focus on the minorities that everyone is forgetting about with this Ukraine news coverage.

(Also I should point out that there's a huge accountability issue with discussing Ukraine. Russia is posting anti-Ukrainian propaganda and with this constant news cycle and this constant news for new information, no one is checking sources before posting shit.

So this desire to be a constant flood of information about Ukraine is actually doing more harm than good for the Ukraine situation because it's forcing people to push Russian propaganda through.)

-fae

[emberstoriesandtales]

Return (Jason Kolchek x Fem!Reader)

(This is part 2 to lost. So in this, the reader takes Rachel's place when falling and ends up in the blood pit. And the screenshot is by @pearl-effect)

When Y/N woke up, the first thing she noticed was that she was in a cavern, from seeing the stalagmite hanging above her.

The next thing she noticed was that she was drenched in blood from falling into a giant pool of the dark liquid.

She felt like throwing up from the revolting smell, but she managed to keep it down. She had to get out of there and find the others.

Y/N moved her arms below to push herself up until a piercing pain erupted in her right arm, causing her to fall back down.

Looking down at her right arm, that's when she realized her long sleeve ripped off, a large gash ran down her arm, blood seeping out from the wound.

"Crap..." she mumbled under her breath as she shakily got up, using her other arm as support.

When she was up fully, she looked around the dark cavern as best as she could, since she lost her light in the fall, and it could have been anywhere.

There were some areas with fire, so it didn't leave her in complete darkness.

"Jason? Rachel?" She called out, hoping that she wasn't too far from them.

But she got no response.

"Fuck..." she mumbled as she took a few steps forward, the blood slowing her movement quite a bit.

Y/N began to make her way down the tunnels, feeling more and more sick when she saw an endless amount of human bones piled up along the walls.

She just hoped that she would find the others soon.

●●●●●●●●●●

"All clear for now." Nick said as he entered the area where the others were looking out, while Eric tried to fix the radio.

"If they hit us, my best hunch is it'll be from the chasm..." Jason mumbled as he looked down into the darkness.

"If? You feeling optimistic Lieutenant?"

Jason shrugged his shoulders.

"We're facing an enemy we know zero about. Enemy of unknown size, on their home turf... sucks to be us."

Nick could tell that he was taking what happened to Y/N pretty hard.

The two have known eachother for a couple years, he was the one that got the two to start dating.

"Jason, I'm sorry for what happened to Y/N."

"I... I don't want to talk about it right now, let's just try to focus on getting out of here."

Nick looked over to Eric and Rachel, who were looking over at Jason with concerned looks.

"Jason..." Rachel started, but was interrupted by a gun shot and Eric swearing as sparks flew out of the radio.

Everything went by so fast, Eric was almost shot by the Iraqi Captain, but luckily made it to cover with Nick while Jason and Rachel kept him distracted.

It felt like forever until the Captain decided to retreat, letting the others enter the temple to block off the creatures.

"We gotta close this door so none of those things get in!" Nick shouted as Eric ran to hid side and started to close the door.

"Wait!" A familiar voice shout, causing everyone to freeze.

"Y/N?" Jason called out just as the woman ran inside.

She was covered in blood that was about dried up, she had a few small cuts and one bug gash on her right arm, which was still bleeding.

"Y/N..." Jason mumbled as he rushed to her and engulfed her into a hug.

"Good to see you again Y/N, we thought we lost you for good." Eric said with a smile as Jason  checked Y/N for any wounds.

"I'm so sorry Y/N, I shouldn't have left your side!" He rambled as he wrapped her into a ltight embrace.

"Jason, it's okay." She whispered to him as she kissed his forehead.

"I'm here now."

Nick, Eric, and Rachel smiled at the sweet reunion until the creatures started to pound at the barricaded door.

"Shit, we have to get out of here." Eric exclaimed as the wooden plank started to crack already.

Jason grabbed Y/N's hand and started to run deeper into the temple, the others following behind.

He wasn't going to lose her again, he was going to make sure of that.

#dark pictures anthology #house of ashes #dark pictures anthology house of ashes #jason kolchek x reader #jason kolchek #rachel king #eric king #nick kay #house of ashes jason #house of ashes nick #house of ashes rachel #house of ashes eric

[rays-animorphs]

Book 8 Part 9 (final): to seek new life and new raisinets

“Humans are special, because we’ll fight to the death rather than surrender our freedom” is really not my preferred sci-fi trope.

Have I mentioned this before?

How do you have an intelligent parasite of a non-intelligent host? Does that even make sense? What does the parasite do with that intelligence? How is it adaptive?

“You bring the spaceships. We’ll bring the Raisinets and cinnamon buns.” That’s…remarkably sweet. Heck yeah, humans and Andalites cruising the stars in peace and cooperation. I’ll toast to that vision.

Is this series ever going to explore what “freedom” means? Beyond, you know, not having your mind forcibly taken over by a brain slug?

Fighting for freedom. Because that totally makes sense. Because nothing makes people free like killing other people and joining extremely hierarchical organizations that have near-total control of your life. Freedom.


Nominally, bonding over shared values makes sense. I’m just not sure any of them know what freedom means. The only time so far anyone has talked about freedom in anything other than “literally not being enslaved by Yeerks” terms was when Tobias talked about being “trapped” in hawk form, and it’s not like that has any unfortunate implications.

Do...do some people literally see the world that way, like "as long as my culture is dominant where I live, I'm free and that's what matters?" Ax's being trained to sacrifice his life before he's an adult and always follow his prince's orders doesn't make him in any way less free? High schooler humans in basically the same position in JROTC are not any less free? High schoolers in school (can't leave the classroom without a hall pass, can't leave the school without permission, don't eat in class, don't cuss, your homework is your "responsibility") are not in any way less "free" even though they're again literally not allowed to physically leave without permission, the most basic and literal definition of "freedom"?

Are there actually people who believe that if they lived under a different government they would be 100% not free, but as long as they're living under "their" government they 100% are free? (and heck, wouldn't that be true for people in other places too, that they'd be more free under this government, or at least one approved of by this government?) How does that even work?

(Yes, of course I'm thinking about "Operation Iraqi Freedom", I'm always thinking about "Operation Iraqi Freedom".)

Aww, Tobias. <I know one Andalite who would have been proud of you.> awwww

That’s got to be an incredibly inefficient way to eat.

What…what happens if an Andalite steps in shit?

Ugh. But can you get Tobias back into human form you fucking Andalite? Gah.

Hmm. So, we have the main character-development arc of the story being Ax’s conflict between following the laws of his people vs being fully part of the team. And that alongside, at a more deeper level, the burden of whether he can live up to the expectations on him as the younger brother of a big damn hero. And the end neatly ties them together: Ax chooses honesty with the Animorphs over strict adherence to Andalite law, and, yeah, I think he and Zuko would have a lot to talk about on the “you make your own honor” front. There is more to honor than obedience, and ultimately you don’t get people’s respect by holding their positive regard as your highest value. (You might not get it anyways. But if you’ve actually recalibrated your goals, you don’t need it.) Good character writing.

This is the best book so far, because it was from Ax’s POV. And because we got more big-picture backstory. And because we get the vision of different species exploring space together with shared values tying them together.

#animorphs read-through #animorphs book 8 #food tw #seriously though going back through my notes to post all this #has made me happier than I can say #and while the feels get darker and heavier towards the end of the book #it's still a really good book and I am glad it exists #and I'm glad that I'm thinking about it #even if I also don't really know how to turn off the #analyze this book through the lens of #justifications used for American imperialism #thing #uh series not book the whole series yeah #also I'm guessing we aren't going to explicitly get fun alien gender stuff #but I can hope #alien gender stuff is a very long standing sci fi trope #so it's conceivable there'd be some here #making it aliens gives some plausible deniability around the whole #threat to heteronormitivity and cisnormativity and the gender binary thing #obviously you couldn't acknowledge lgbtq *humans* in a kids' book #written in the late 90's #that would be like 'inappropriate' or something #*rolls eyes* #my school had a gsa though #I wasn't in it but it had one #high school I don't think my middle school did #I was in my college's alliance #although granted mostly for political rather than personal reasons at the time #I was slow to figure things out #I think the trans guy in my dorm might have figured it out before I did

[papirouge]

Holy shit bruh tht Iraqi prison rape stories are triggering and horrifying asf to hear. And we are supposed to feel bad for US veterans? No shit I'd kill myself too if I went to war and all my fellow soldiers were a bunch of pedophile rapists. Death to America

Yeah, I'm glad more people are raising awareness about it. The Abu Ghraib scandal happened in the early 2000s so zoomers probably don't know about it, but it was really huge. The mistrust against American soldiers never recovered. These prisoners have been tortured/sexually abused/sodomized/raped/executed by US soldiers and the latter pretty much got away with it scot-free.

I'm old enough to remember the whole post 9/11 charade and all the lies that follow. I am not joking whenever I say I'm distrustful of the opinion of anyone who's under 25 years old because they're just too young to grasp how History repeats itself and how the same people managed to dehumanize entire nations & people based on lies, propaganda and manipulation. They have no idea how naive it is to root for Ukraine like that. And you don't have to be a Russian spy to acknowledge that.... Ukraine is literally a spawn of the US government and if my 30+ years of existence taught me, is to NEVER stand alongside the US when it comes to war. They're the biggest war criminals in the world.

Never forget : these people are responsible for 10 wars, and 6 millions death. Where are the sanctions?

...we won't forget.

#at this point all the ppl who went out of their way to cape for Ukraine yet never uttered any word about these criminals are clowns #i refuse to hear their insignificant opinion #america will pay for these crimes anon #that is for sure #answered

[writtenjewels]

See No Evil part 5

[The series that got the most votes by you!]

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four

The caverns felt endless; Jason had long since lost track of just how far they traveled. He slid his thumb over Salim's wrist to feel the other man's steady pulse. Salim squeezed his hand back in answer and Jason smiled. He liked how easy it was to communicate with Salim without any words. Thinking of that naturally led his mind to their kiss. Jason would have loved to dwell on it but needed his focus. Later, when they were out of here, he would kiss Salim again.

New sounds were coming from somewhere ahead of them. Jason tugged on Salim's hand so the other would stop while Jason concentrated on the noises. It wasn't the familiar clicking of those demon things. It sounded more like…

“Do you hear gunfire?” Salim asked him.

“Yep.” That meant other soldiers had fallen down here. His own team, or the Iraqis? The only way to find out would be to keep going. Jason gave Salim a nudge to encourage the other forward. As they got closer Jason could pick up on the gunfire a little better. Definitely a firefight. Then there was an explosion, the crumbling of rock, and silence. “What the fuck?” he frowned out loud.

“They're just going to attract the demons,” Salim lamented.

“Maybe they ain't seen 'em.”

“Perhaps,” Salim allowed. “Let's keep going.” Jason agreed and together they continued onward. They had only gone a few paces when Salim halted them again. “I see a soldier up ahead,” he reported.

“What's he look like?” Jason asked.

“I can only see him from the back. He's wearing a hat with a wide brim and is carrying a backpack. His weapon looks like yours.”

“Nicky,” Jason realized, relief flooding through him. At least one of his squad members had survived. “It's okay, he's one of mine. Let's go.”

“Jason, I'm not sure…”

“Trust me,” Jason assured him, and felt Salim's hand grip his in response. They approached but Jason stopped short as he caught another familiar sound. Salim's squeeze assured him the other picked up on it, too. “Where's Nick?” he hissed to Salim.

“What the fuck?” Nick's voice lifted Jason's spirit immediately. “Jason?” He felt a strong hand clap down on his shoulder. “Holy shit, man, you're okay!”

“Shh,” Jason scolded. “You wanna alert that demon?”

“The what?” Nick's hand left his shoulder and Jason realized he had also lost Salim's touch. He felt around but when his fingers bumped against a body, he sensed it was Nick's. Where was Salim? “What is that thing?” Nick gaped.

“It's a demon,” Jason answered. “Don't open fire; you'll only piss it off. Listen, we can get past it, but you gotta be quiet.”

“They can be killed,” Salim spoke up, and Jason immediately turned and reached toward the sound. He heard some shuffling as Salim moved away from his touch. Jason retracted his hand, feeling an unexpected pain in his heart. “If you distract it,” Salim went on, “I can finish it off.”

“You can't be serious,” Nick scoffed. “You expect me to trust you?”

“Just do it, sergeant,” Jason snapped. “I'll guard the rear.”

“Well, okay,” Nick agreed reluctantly.

Jason couldn't help feeling a little resentful and jealous having to sit this out. He kept his ears open but all he could make out was the clicking noises of the demon-- Nick and Salim were moving too quietly. The sound of gunfire startled him, and then he heard a roar from Salim. The demon shrieked, there was some scrambling, and silence.

“What happened?” Jason called.

“Stake through the heart,” Salim explained. “I killed one earlier the same way.”

“I gotta say, I'm impressed,” Nick admitted.

“Nicky, who else made it?” Jason asked him. There was silence for a long time before Nick answered.

“Just me and the colonel.” There was a strain in his voice. A beat of silence followed before Nick spoke again. “What about you, man? The fuck are you doing with this guy?”

“Long story,” Jason sighed. “Can you take us to the colonel? I'll explain on the way.”

“Shouldn't I at least tie him up?”

“Why?” Jason frowned. Another question met with a long silence.

“Jason,” Nick said slowly, “are you feeling okay? This guy is an Iraqi soldier. He's one of the enemy.”

#jason/salim #jason x salim #jason kolchek x salim othman #jalim #salim othman #jason kolchek #house of ashes

[whimsically-ominously-auspice]

Well Malcolm (Cali Jesse) uses drones to kill parents of Iraqi children then kidnnapps the children using US contractors into human trafficking.

But now he has been arrested since my formal identification last night.

He kept saying it was another Jesse. And I didn't know until ... Now myself.

He used "good man" codes like "homeless shelter" and always told Jack who is an orphan "your dad would want you to..."

Basically that rapist priest or boy scout leader no one noticed with his pants down.

Well When I open my mouth I'm biting that fucking dick. So

He did confess to Jack a long list of shit in a text 8n the telephone that he did do that is good enough to hold him without bail. And you know... If the Taliban happens to break into a jail and confiscate a prisoner the USA won't extradite... It is WWIII... So.

But I also say this. He knows where the bunkers are so May be we should take him to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and those other names Idk how to spell and let him show us just exactly where.

Lets be a democracy of a country and vote!

World wide! List your country and/or state.

And if you believe in the death penalty.

Also we do need to decode his lingo... Which my dad knows 90% so he just needs a.. Well he got an American to assist him to decode to send to the Taliban.

For those that don't know, the Taliban is just the Military for the middle East. For all middle eastern countries they actually work together.

[neuropathicgypsy]

When your soulmate tells at you cause you tell your dead ass mom she just called you worthless for the 9,000th time and you tell her to fuck off

Then she does more fucked up shit and tells you "That's your punishment for telling me to fuck off"

And you say "God come get this fucking bitch and Denise, too" and they shut the fuck up and finally get the fuck out my face.

Cause Abu figured out that what happens is that Julie, my mom, whenever someone is impressed by me and finds out that I have something to be approved about then Julie gets all mad and hates on me.

And Julie says its cause she had shit for ke to do

Like she did something fucking stupid and so i wae supposed to go get in Denise's face but she wouldn't ever tell me what, just go see Denise so i would all like an innocent child that I actually was and then Denise would already be prepped and she would beat the shit out of me

So i didn't go play puppet to mother.

So they all treated me like i was worthless and I soi stayed where i was valued and treated at least like a human being and not a piece of shit

"Always running away from your responsibilities" REALLY? WHEN IT IS IT THE JOB OF A 7 YEAR OLD TO MAKE A GROWN ASS GIRL LEAVE MY DAD WHEN MY DEAD ASS MOM IS STANDING OVER THERE SAYING HEY ITS OKAY DENISE YOU CAN STAY. REALLY. NO BITCH. TELL THE TRUTH.

I'd punch her in the fucking face but shes dead. I fucking hate her more than i don't.

The only time I love her is when i think about her when she was alive... Now: She's worthless. Shes a bully. She's stupid. And shes a fucking bitch. For 30 years.

And I hate her.

And i don't care.

I'm not gonna sit here and lie about it and be Julie type stupid.

I'll beat her fucking ass every Goddam day if she wants to continue her bull shit she's more than welcome. But one day God is gonna yank her ass straight to Hell.

MOST of the time I'm not pleased with my father But I can forgive him easier than either mother. And if i tell him how i feel he does actually listen. But I don't. Because I think it's pointless.

Much like my life A lot of times...

....

Cause last night ... Abu's parents were killed by drones in Iraq in 1992 and 1994 and they're both really nice to me and his mom is really motherly although I only met her once at the Queen's. And so she offered last night to Help Julie to go to Heaven and stay with her and bring her back to get acquainted with accessing it.

And so Julie was all "i ain't going anywhere with that Hindu woman!!"

Because she has an accent but she isn't Hindu ... They were Islam while alive and Iraqi.

So they figured out its jealousy.

And abu didn't want me to know that I was treated worthless... So he got bugged...

Well then don't treat me worthless and i probably won't even know... But Abu isn't doing so great at that either...

But he does try and his parents are here to attempt to help him. They stay very briefly... Because humans tend to have a very adverse affect on souls from Heaven... For them Earth is as close to Hell as they go.