Let’s pause and process and contemplate the tip of the iceberg of garbage that was last week’s news, and then gird our souls with some nice things that we can actually have.
Americans all over the country mourned and protested again last week after a grand jury failed to indict any of the three policeman responsible for the murder of Breonna Taylor. The NYPD attacked Manhattan protestors after they were dispersed, while protestors in Buffalo, NY and Denver, CO were hit (but fortunately not killed) by people driving vehicles directly into marches, a tactic that has seemingly become common.
After the failure to indict, Breonna Taylor’s family is demanding release of all the evidence related to the case. Because of the secret nature of grand juries, it is not known exactly what evidence was brought to the jury, nor even what charges the prosecution recommended. AP explains the workings of the grand jury process, which is so heavily skewed in favor of prosecutors and law enforcement, that it more often than not protects police officers from criminal charges, with very few exceptions. Not incidentally, Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron is lying about what he can and cannot reveal about the grand jury proceedings, including whether or not the prosecution even recommended any charges against all three officers.
While no one has to be a “perfect” or even “good” victim to deserve justice, Breonna Taylor had big plans for a joyful life, which deepens the tragedy of her murder. For the Nation, Dave Zirin talks about the legacy that this injustice will leave on Louisville, most beloved by its residents as the birthplace of Muhammad Ali.
Elsewhere in national news, Rebecca Traister wrote for The Cut on the problems with blaming Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the current power vacuum in the Supreme Court. For the New Yorker, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor questions its place and function in American democracy in “The Case for Ending The Supreme Court As We Know It.” Both essays makes their points succinctly, and are well worth the few minutes of reading time!
The insistence that the Supreme Court is not a political body is a principle of high folly in American politics.
Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
Mutual aid strategies and organizations have grown tremendously during the COVID-19 crisis, particularly on Native reservations. In the Navajo Nation, organizing and activism are rooted in traditional principles of reciprocity.
Growing up, Benallie said he learned about organizing from family and community members protesting the Black Mesa coal mines and uranium mining on Navajo land. …He added that at the time, “we didn’t know it as mutual aid, that was just k’é.”
Throw your money at this charity zine benefitting The Okra Project! Physical pre-orders are sold out, but digital pre-orders are still open!
Today’s Throw Money at This Kickstarter is It Took Luke, a horror graphic novella launched today about the demonic work culture of our age. Just… so bleakly relatable…
IT TOOK LUKE is an existential take on monster-driven hack & slash horror comics that explores crunch culture (overwork, emotional exhaustion, etc) and its casualties: individual well-being and interpersonal relationships. Tonally, IT TOOK LUKE takes inspiration from THE THING and HELLBOY— sowing a deep distrust of one’s surroundings, allies, and senses amidst slow-burn pacing peppered with kinetic action sequences to drive the following points home: 1. In this world, it is easy to feel like you are alone. 2. The things that the world takes from you are the hardest to get back.
In games, we’re interested in exploring how similar anti-Jobs themes come up in play. For the tabletop role-players, we’re eyeing Under Hill, By Water, which explores cozy, underhill halfling life with no adventures, please. The computer-games-for-crones genre has slowly expanded with the addition of Hero Hours Contract, a tactics game about unionizing magical girls!!
Stay strong and safe, dear POMEs!