Another Spirited No Kings Day in Philadelphia

 

This is reported to have been nationally the biggest demonstration ever. The banner centered above says, "Go Birds! F*ck ICE. Free Palestine." I arrived too late to take part in canvassing with If Not Now and other groups in the pro-Palestine/anti-genocide contingent, but I carried this sign in solidarity:

  

A couple others that got my attention:

 

(My childhood hero.)

 

In case you have trouble making it out, this one says, "Veterans against ICE."

Omegakitten Turns 15 Today!

 

 

Omegakitten Hydra, who now records music with her little cousin as Omega Idol and Medusa Idol, turns fifteen today. You can listen to their latest album here. You can follow the progress of her movie, Omegakitten and the Mythicals, here.

A Major Study on Gender Dysphoria Outcomes Has Been Launched

It's called AYAGDOS and its stated objective is "closing the research gap on adolescents and young adults living with gender dysphoria." The home page says, The Adolescent and Young Adult Gender Dysphoria Outcomes Study (AYAGDOS) is a research study of gender dysphoria that occurs during adolescence or young adulthood. Currently, we are enrolling gender dysphoric youth ages 13-25, as well as the parents of gender dysphoric youth of those ages, for the initial research phase."

Although it appears to have been launched in 2024, I just learned about this study today from an article by trans blogger s. baum posted to Erin Reed's Substack. From the tone of the article, I get the impression that the reason he may have waited so long to write about it was that he was afraid of giving it publicity. And the reason for this may be that he seems to adhere to the ideological dogma holding that mental health professionals whose patients present with gender dysphoria -- unlike any other physical or mental health condition -- are obligated to simply rubber-stamp their self-diagnosis rather than perform an independent, comprehensive evaluation.

baum tries to cast doubt on the bona fides of investigators J. Michael Bailey, Lisa Littman, and Kenneth Zucker, but the sources he uses to do so are themselves highly suspect. For instance, he repeatedly seeks to discredit people and organizations on the basis of their being designated as "hate groups" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a group that Media Bias/Fact Check says has "mischaracterized some groups and individuals," giving them a "left bias" rating of -5.8 (and which has been begging for funds from supporters by claiming an "emergency" despite apparently sitting on mountains of cash already). He also seeks to discredit the researchers by saying that some of the ideas they've given consideration to have been condemned by professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has itself been shown by sexologist James Cantor to have based its gender-affirming care guidelines on a thoroughly fraudulent scientific paper.

If you're interested in participating in AYAGDOS you can contact them at https://www.ayagdos.org/. 

Tony Dastra is the Green Party Candidate for Pennsylvania Governor

 

 

If you're a PA voter and have been thinking you'd have no better option in the governor's race than Josh Shapiro, take heart. There's now a Green Party nominee. And if you were thinking you have to vote Democratic to keep someone even worse from getting in, Break the Duopoly's website is now up and running, making it easy to get matched with a right-leaning PA voter to withdraw your votes from both capitalist parties at the same time, leaving the margin unaltered. Here's the announcement of Tony Dastra's candidacy: 

Tony Dastra of Lancaster is the Green Party Candidate for Pennsylvania Governor of Pennsylvania. On March 8, the 35 elected delegates to the GPPA State Committee endorsed Dastra’s campaign.

 

In requesting the endorsement, Tony Dastra told the delegates from 12 counties, “Today, with your support, I am planting myself. I am committing to be on this ride, to help get the blood flowing and to grow unorganized areas of our Commonwealth into organized ones. I will seed new Green Party organized counties by recruiting more delegates to fill our rolls.”

 

Dastra now says, “I am committed to growing my local Green Party of Lancaster County. I am committing to the Green Party’s Four Pillars and Ten Key Values. In fact, as it relates to our values, I am particularly upset recently because Scouting America is flat out REMOVING their Citizenship in Society Merit Badge. The more I think about my upbringing being an Eagle Scout, I had a lot of American history poured into me. The Green Party often reminds me of the newly formed Republican Party of 1858. Back then, abolitionists, like U.S. Representative Thaddeus Stevens (Republican of Lancaster County) who drafted the 14th Amendment, were called radical. I have hope in the Green Party in this moment of history for that reason. Though I do not have a crystal ball, I am putting all my chips on Green.”

 

Tony Dastra was the Green Party candidate for Mayor of Lancaster City in 2025. He is a vigorous campaigner and plans to visit the 10 largest cities in PA and a rural community in all 11 PennDOT Districts. Dastra says that his campaign will not accept donations from corporations or corporate PACs. Interested individuals should get involved with the Green Party of Pennsylvania and follow listed social media for campaign updates.

 

For more information, please contact:
Email,  dastraforpa@gmail.com

Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/dastraforpa/

Facebook, facebook.com/DastraforPA
Website, https://www.dastraforpa.org/ 

 

 

To register at Break the duopoly go to https://www.breaktheduopoly.com/. To learn more about the Vote Pact concept go to https://votepact.org/.

TDIH: Rachel Corrie

 

I, too, volunteered with the International Solidarity Movement eight months earlier, being part of the first affinity group to go into Gaza rather than the West Bank. Corrie was the first ISMer to be killed, but not the last.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DV9Ck2FgZaJ/ 

Leftism vs. Liberalism. Also Liberalism vs. Liberalism.

 

There's an important difference between political liberalism on the one hand, and what Helen Pluckrose calls "liberalism as a higher-order value," which doesn't necessarily entail capitalism even if she thinks it does. It really just means the humanist values of the bourgeois revolution, which are negated by the contradiction of capitalism and necessitate going beyond it. Also, working within the system can mean different things. Working exclusively within institutions won't bring about social revolution. But such work can be a useful, even essential complement to disruptive tactics, as Rosa Luxemburg argued in Reform or Revolution.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVnIPkBjAYd/ 

The Insidious Censorship of Valence Issues

 

 

Yesterday UpTrust posted the Open Question "Free Speech, but who draws the lines?" preparatory to a conversation today with FIRE's Greg Lukianoff. I offered these comments:

The most insidious threat to free speech comes from cultic processes operating in society at large, obscuring people's ability to perceive threats to freedom of thought with pseudoscientific phantasms of existential threat. In much the same way that fundamentalists may see themselves not as imposing cultic milieu control on their children but instead protecting them from "slavery to Satan," we see major publishers and platforms suppressing people's opinions, lived experiences, and scientific findings in the name of preventing "harm to children" that has never been shown to be real by methodologically sound research. The best known example is Congress' shameful censure of the Psychological Bulletin for publishing the 1998 Rind et al. meta-analysis even though it was -- in the words of Emil Kirkegaard, a Research Associate at Ulster Institute for Social Research -- "Politically Incorrect, Scientifically Correct."

I experienced the same kind of thing a couple years ago when my Meetup account was deleted for having simply suggested, for a discussion of "When can we trust the experts?" for which preparatory readings hadn't yet been selected, Paul Okami's (psychologist with Ph.D. from UCLA) paper "Sociopolitical Biases in the Contemporary Scientific Literature on Adult Human Sexual Behavior with Children and Adolescents." That was published in 1990, but as Rind observed in his contribution to the 2023 volume Ideological and Political Bias in Psychology, there's been hardly any improvement in this field, which Okami described as being marked by "seriously flawed research methods and discursive practices similar to those found in works of political propaganda."

It should be noted that this kind of censorship around a "valence issue" transcends the usual political divisions, resulting in what Rind terms "left/right bias."

Research Study: Understanding Religious Transitions and Growth

The Freethought Society sent me an invitation to take part in this study:

 

Dear Friend,

I am writing to invite you to participate in an important research study examining the experiences of individuals who have left or reduced their involvement in religious traditions. This study is being conducted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as part of the development of a Religious Transition and Growth Scale (RTGS).

I am a graduate student who studies religious identity deconstruction, deconversion and disaffiliation, and growth after religious transition and/or trauma. If this study feels relevant to your experience, I would greatly appreciate your participation.

Research Study
Understanding Religious Transitions and Growth
Click the link below to access the survey

Take the Survey

Who Can Participate

• Adults (18 years or older)
• Individuals who have left or significantly reduced participation in a religious tradition in which they were previously actively involved
• Able to complete an online survey in English

What's Involved

• Complete a one-time, anonymous online survey
• Takes approximately 15-20 minutes
• Can be completed from the comfort and privacy of your own home
• No personal identifying information required

Why Participate? Your experiences matter. This research aims to better understand both the challenges and growth that can occur when people transition away from religious traditions. The results will help develop better resources and support for others who have had similar experiences.

Your participation could contribute to:

• Improved understanding of religious transitions and growth
• Better mental health resources for those experiencing religious transitions/deconstruction
• Reduced stigma around religious questioning and change

Your Privacy is Protected

• All responses are completely anonymous
• No names, email addresses, or IP addresses are collected
• Your responses cannot be traced back to you
• Participation is entirely voluntary - you can skip questions or stop at any time

Sincerely,

Sara Hall
PhD Student
Evaluation, Statistics, and Research Methodology
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Dr. Jennifer Morrow
Principal Investigator
Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Take the Survey

This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Tennessee Institutional Review Board. UTK IRB-25-08873-XP

Break the Duopoly Is Up and Running

 

 

Break the Duopoly is up and running for 2026! I just registered for a Vote Pact in the PA governor's race.

If you want to feel free to vote your conscience without worrying that you're helping a "greater evil," the solution is to find someone on "the other side" who's voting in the same election and feels the same way. This website can help you find a match. The margin between the Duopoly parties won't change, but they'll get two fewer votes, and you'll get to vote without holding your nose! Visit Sam Husseini's Vote Pact site to learn more about this concept.

Speaking of matched Reds and Blues, Braver Angels is holding its convention in Philadelphia this year! BA helps people learn how to dialogue constructively with people on "the other side" instead of demonizing and stereotyping them. All events are co-led by Reds and Blues, and for the convention it's important to have equal delegates of both kinds. I've applied to be one as a Blue, but since there's a surplus of those currently, being accepted may depend on enough Reds' signing up. If you're a Republican-leaning person who's interested in attending, I invite you to message me and we can apply to attend together.

Organizing Tools for a General Strike to Shut Down ICE

At the Workers Strike Back public event that just concluded, a petition and resolution were shared for a general strike to shut down ICE. You can contact them for assistance with adapting these documents and organizing support for them within your own union.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11BqMwKfh_US5rgYMFlqVJDujWoYZLfF1IcHzanarfeY/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TT2VzznvvqiP0GzbqQ26smCJSy128SfkhY-yUMt8l00/edit?usp=sharing

ICE Out! National Shutdown 1/30

 

https://nationalshutdown.org/

Endorsed by

Somali Student Association at University of Minnesota

Ethiopian Student Association at University of Minnesota

Black Student Union at University of Minnesota

Liberian Student Association at University of Minnesota

Graduate Labor Union at University of Minnesota

Union De Vecinos

Minnesota Immigrant Movement

PUÑO 

IFCO Pastors for Peace

Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR)

50501

Community Movement Builders

ANSWER Coalition

Immigrant Rights Alliance GA

Mecha de U of U

DARE Direct Action for Rights and Equality

Engaged Defenders for Democracy

Defend Immigrant Families Campaign

LA Tenants Union

Palestinian Youth Movement

North Texas Area Labor Federation

Black Lives Matter Grassroots - Detroit

Vecinos Unidos DFW

Boston South Asian Coalition

Cleveland Sudan Network

NC Poor People's Campaign

UE Local 1466 - United Graduate Workers of UNM

Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance (AMOR RI)

• 
  
  
  

Working with Cult Survivors: A Basic Certification Course for Mental Health Clinicians

 From the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion:

 Psychologists and mental health clinicians: Sign up for our CE class on working with survivors of cultic abuse.
This is an 8-hour, fully self-paced, online asynchronous training designed to help therapists build the knowledge, awareness, and skills needed to effectively support cult survivors. You can start at any time.

The course includes:
- In-depth interviews with Dr. Janja Lalich, international authority on cults, extremism, and coercion
- Cameo appearances from other leading experts in the field
- Didactic presentations
- Powerful testimonials from self-identified cult survivors

Course fee: $250

The Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Learn more and register (link in bio) 

Webinar: You Dumped Starbucks. Now What?

 From Starbucks Workers United:

Union Starbucks baristas have taken the world by storm since we began our unfair labor practice strike in November. For every barista on strike, dozens of customers and allies have struck with their wallets, committing not to buy Starbucks. Together, we’ve built serious consumer pressure on Starbucks to stop illegal union busting and finalize a fair union contract. As this historic ULP strike continues, we’re taking the next step and bringing our allies with us. Join us on Monday, February 2, at 8:30 pm ET, alongside labor and progressive leaders, to talk about what’s next in this fight and how we keep building pressure. This is a crucial moment, and we need you in it!

Register and See What’s Next!

This strike has helped the world see what Starbucks has become under Brian Niccol. While the company spent millions boosting CEO pay and executive bonuses, it continues to fail the baristas who make its profits possible. They say this is the “Best Job in Retail,” but not when we’re demanding livable wages, stable hours, and an end to hundreds of unresolved unfair labor practices. We’re fighting back, and it’s giving hope to millions. Starbucks Workers United is the fastest-growing union movement of this century, and our courage is inspiring workers everywhere to stand up and demand dignity. You’ve been standing with us by not buying Starbucks, and this call is the moment to lean in further. Hear directly from striking baristas and lock in for what comes next. No Contract, No Coffee. We’re not backing down. In solidarity, Sabina Aguirre Starbucks Workers United

Saving Liberalism As a Higher-Order Value Means Going Beyond Capitalism

I've posted a comment on Helen Pluckrose's latest Substack article, "Liberalism as a Higher-Order Value," which I'm sharing below.

https://www.hpluckrose.com/p/liberalism-as-a-higher-order-value-5e8 

While most of what she writes is quite correct, she errs when she says that "capitalism ... is a central pillar of liberalism." This conflates two quite different things: liberalism, which is foundational to bourgeois society, and capitalism, a contradiction that has arisen within that society that effectively negates the liberal values of the bourgeois revolution. As Erin Hagood of the Platypus Affiliated Society put it:

"Socialism is not opposed to liberalism but seeks to take up the desiderata of liberalism in its crisis. The proletarian revolution is not made against the bourgeois revolution, but rather works through the unfinished tasks of that revolution in its hour of need. Marxism as the highest critic of socialism sought to clarify the world historical task of human freedom." ("The American Constitution and the Left," Platypus Review # 180)

Students: Do Not Delete Evidence (Texts, Photos, Videos) of Former Relationships

 

From Title IX For All:

If you are a college or high school student and have recently gone through a breakup, whatever you do, don’t delete photos, videos, emails, or text messages from that relationship. If you are wrongly accused of any kind of sexual misconduct—sexual harassment, stalking, sexual assault, dating violence, and so forth—not having those files will place you at a grave disadvantage when it comes time to defend yourself in a school disciplinary proceeding.

Unfortunately, in such cases, innocence and character alone are not sufficient defenses. The outcome is not decided by who you are as a person, but by what can be proven about the alleged incident(s).

Read the full post at titleixforall.com.

 

Workers Strike Back Meeting to Address Venezuela and ICE Crises

Follow the link for more details and to RSVP.

 

 

mailchi.mp/workersstrikeback/november-wsb-meeting-6154172