One of the many things that’s become clear in this hideous Ohio case is that there are a lot of “pro-life” folks out there who have really not thought through or DO NOT UNDERSTAND what the laws THEY WANTED PASSED *do.* /1 Some forced-birth advocates do understand their laws and are ghoulishly ok with them. But I think a lot of conservatives just assume, “Oh, exception for rape and incest, that means I will never have to hear a story that makes me uncomfortable!” /2

What IS the pregnancy rate for those under 18? 16? 14? I’ve been searching for data but a lot of it is 8y or more old, and youth pregnancy rates have been falling for years now. I’ve found some recent data at the state level but nothing national. /1 In what I have found, we could get horror stories like the one out of Ohio almost every week. For instance, in Mississippi in 2019, 53 girls 10-14 were raped and *reported* pregnant. (Miss. age of consent is 16.) 42 gave birth. 11 were permitted abortions. 1 one of them died. /2

Mental health PSA: You can tell yourself “I’m fine” all you want, and you can maybe even *feel* “fine” but your body has a way of telling you when you are not. Today, I cried at the Home Depot bc I couldn’t find my credit card. Yesterday, I cried bc I think my dog is lonely. /1 Sometimes I feel a tight band around my chest, and I tell myself it’s asthma. I do not think it is. Sometimes my heart races. I tell myself maybe I’m out of shape. Probably not. I forget things (credit card), work stuff. I want to be fine. But my body knows better. /2

I mention my time in psych wards occasionally, I’m not ashamed of it and it’s definitely something changed my life and ways of thinking in extremely positive ways. But I have never thought of it as relevant to my punditry. Until this cycle. /1 Mostly, I’ve been reminding people to not reflexively call racists and conspiracy theorists “crazy,” because a) they probably aren’t b) most of the people I know with mental illnesses not racist and c) people with mental illnesses are usually the *target* of bigotry. /2

Pennsylvania, you’re home to no shortage of American heroes, most importantly Gritty, everyone’s favorite anti-fascist. In November, you could all be heroes, because according to the talking heads, you are THE *tipping point* in this election. American democracy might hinge on you. So, fittingly, your state has some dumb rules about voting. One especially dumb rule is about “naked ballots,” or ballots that aren’t returned in the secrecy envelope, which is labeled "official election ballot" here.

Michigan, you peach of the Midwest, you just might decide the whole thing. And guess what? You can start voting early, in-person at your county clerk’s office today! Find everything you need to know with the @votesaveamerica guide here. votesaveamerica.com/state/michigan/ In 2016, Trump won here by just over 10,000 votes. Yes, you read that right. That’s less than 10% of the Big House. Your 16 electoral votes are well and truly up for grabs, so please, pretty please do everything you can to be sure your vote gets counted.

We all need the holiday season a little more this year. What better way to kick it off than with the most important holiday until Halloween, National Voter Registration Day? The incredible team @votesaveamerica has got you covered. Votesaveamerica.com/register As the last few days have underlined, this is the most important election of our lives. The first step in making sure your vote counts in November is by checking your registration! Every year, some ghoulish GOP legislature purges people from voting rolls on bullshit grounds.

Hello, Minnesota! Early voting starts today for you! Fun facts: Minnesota is home to the best state fair in the world AND the nation’s first Indigenous woman elected to Lt. Gov. (the awesome @peggyflanagan). Here’s how and when you can vote! Early voting starts TODAY, 9/18, and runs until Election Eve, 11/2. You can vote early, in-person at your county election office during normal business hours. Not sure where that is? Go find out: sos.state.mn.us/elections-voti…

Please don’t use the word “crazy” to describe someone spouting hateful conspiracy theories. Signed, someone with a mental health disorder who does not try to incite political violence. I probably more “crazy” people than your average political journalist, and scant few of them are racist trashmouths trying to get people killed.

Folks we return from hiatus with a couple of bonus episodes from our Converts Edition starting Friday, and then we’re back with a NEW THEME, looking at another aspect of the complicated relationship between Friends Like These. Catch up on what you missed in this thread... In this edition of WFLT, we’ve tried to answer that trickiest question: what makes someone change their mind? I spoke to a cop-turned-activist, psychologists, science writers, and former elected officials about times they did and didn’t start thinking differently.

Election Day is in less than two months. That is both an eternity and the blink of an eye. It’s time to get our shit together so all of our votes get counted. Step 1: Find your state’s voting options and deadlines via @votesaveamerica: votesaveamerica.com/states Trump and Republicans are still going after the USPS to make it harder to vote. Having a plan to vote isn’t enough! We need a Plan A, a Plan B, and a Plan C.

Don’t RT that anti-Semitic thread that the RNC speaker RT’d. Just don’t. She promoted it, that’s documented. It doesn’t help to show that you saw her do it. In general, any type of circulation of conspiracy theories, *even in a critical frame*, will give them oxygen.

People who think that Trump’s pandering to the super-wealthy is somehow alienating his base are forgetting that the truly devoted Trump voters have almost no policy preferences beyond reinforcing white supremacy. thedailybeast.com/trump-allies-f… I mean, how many profiles of these folks do you have to read to understand this?How many POLLS? HOW MANY STUDIES? researchgate.net/publication/32…

I’m watching Fox coverage of the Trump desecration and someone just said that the protests “seem to question the very legitimacy of the American experiment.” DO YOU THINK SO? More: Protesters “just want to disrupt and make things unpleasant.” THEY ARE SO CLOSE TO UNDERSTANDING.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but I do: Just because some folks pretend we’re NOT in the middle of massive social upheaval AND a global pandemic, you don’t have to start holding yourself to some non-crisis imaginary higher standard. In 2020, we are all graded on a curve. Tbh, we’re not being graded at all. You’re doing great. Take care of yourself, we couldn’t do this without you.

Perhaps now is a good time to pause and ask yourself why wearing adult diapers is so hilarious—and apparently disqualifying to the office of the presidency—and if you REALLY want to contribute to the shaming of *eveyone* who needs them. /1 @coffeespoonie wrote a killer piece this week about the particularly brutal abeism against those with “bathroom diseases” that would be a great read for anyone that’s currently chortling over the stupid hashtag that I refuse to use. /2 medium.com/@coffeespoonie…

See, this is STILL RACIST! Restricting the discussion (or even expression of “sensitivity”) to the “very different experience” that “young black men have” is code for “they are easily confused with criminals, what can you do?” /1

https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1270434560334012417

The problems with cops’ structural racism and violence *far beyond* them hassling (or, you know, murdering) young black men they think might be “thugs” — they inflict violence on all sorts of BIPOCs! And not bc they might be criminals, but for no good fucking reason at all. /2

People and Pets Together is supports anyone whose care for their pets has been disrupted—I’ll match donations to $200. Send a screenshot! If you don’t have the scratch, I’ll make a $5 donation for anyone who sends an #adorables working for justice! e0d.fb8.myftpupload.com/financial-dona… Still have $110 to give! Thanks to those who have already contributed($ or an adorable!) @ocngrl949 @JacquelinePurdy @spiffie @OldSchoolButch @KelseyVanCleef @CaseyGoldstein @LaurieBabinski @MegDesCamp @sw324 @JMullinsNC

I’m going to process and reflect this morning. At 12pm CT, I’ll set a timer for 9min and silently take in the death of #georgefloyd and others, take in the suffering I have seen, take in the part I have played in it, and find my place in the healing. Open invitation to join me. Btw some people (including me) call this “praying,” but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you are a believer in prayer or not, contemplation can still be a path to justice. Consider giving it a try.

I’ve got $1,000 to give, but I want to get some momentum out of you folks: I will match donations to any bail fund or community organization until it’s gone. Send me a screen shot, the URL for donations. These are coming in a bit fast to give individual screenshots! I’ll post my credit card debits after the money’s gone!

A lot of people have reached out to ask if I’m ok. Thank you, I’m ok. I’m trying to use my privilege as best I can; other commitments have kept me from the protests but I’ve been giving money to relevant orgs and sending love and texts and prayers to my friends on the ground. /1 My intent these next few days is to continue to shut up and listen, to amplify those voices that need to be heard rather than offer yet another well-meaning white person’s take. I am staying watchful and looking for the right action. /2