One of the few monthly newsletters I subscribe to ✅

Promotional graphic for National Black Bookstore Day on April 7, 2026. The top features the event title in bold gold text alongside the National Association of Black Bookstores logo. The central photo shows the interior of Third Eye Books and Gifts in Portland, OR, with shelves showcasing books by Black authors and portraits of figures like Tupac Shakur and Angela Davis. A "Third Eye Books" tapestry hangs in the background. Text Details: Location: Third Eye Books and Gifts, 2518 SE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97202 | 503.688.7008 | thirdeyebag.com. Call to Action: "Find your nearest Black bookstore at www.nab2.org/directory." Footer: Links to Western States Center (@wstatescenter, @westernstatescenter.org, and www.westernstatescenter.org).

Happy National Black Bookstore Day! Black-owned bookstores are vital hubs for organizing and defending inclusive democracy.

If you're in PDX, visit Third Eye Books 📚 thirdeyebag.com 📚 They carry 1/6: The Graphic Novel, a WSC-supported project.

Find your nearest bookstore: buff.ly/fFDOCyn

I’m actually not sure we can come back from “prediction markets for war crimes”, as a society. I think this might be it for us.

Typographic design that says: “There is nothing preemptive or preventative about bombing a country that had zero plans to attack you.” –Rania Khalek

“There is nothing preemptive or preventative about bombing a country that had zero plans to attack you.”
–Rania Khalek (@raniaakhalek.bsky.social)

Lots of people seem to forget: It is Ramadan, which would affect the pattern of life of everyone in Iran.

War is massacre of people who don't know each other for the profit of people who do know each other but don't massacre each other.

What’s always been so absurd about discourses surrounding political violence in America is that it’s accepted, understood, agreed upon, bipartisan, mainstream that our military gets to vaporize little kids half a world away without consequence

Newsletter # 3 | Hoodrat Scholarship™ The Front Porch Get more from Hoodrat Scholarship™ The Front Porch on Patreon

Newsletter up and baby, I will never try editing a video again in my Black ass life.
www.patreon.com/posts/newsle...

This should ring a bell with UK voters who had the Tories pull something similar and then restrict what could be used as ID.
bsky.app/profile/meri...

The president should have NO power over elections. It's a blatant conflict of interest. Perhaps that's why it's in Article ONE!

White background with black text. Header reads: “SOURCES” Four APA-style citations are listed: Arnsdorf, I. (2026, February 26). Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency. The Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/26/trump-elections-executive-order-activists/ Chidi, G. (2026, February 27). Will Trump try to seize voting machines to disrupt the midterm elections? The Guardian. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/27/trump-voting-machines-midterm-election Democracy Docket. (2026, February 26). Anti-voting activists coordinating with White House on blatantly illegal draft emergency order to take control of elections. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/white-house-circulating-blatantly-illegal-draft-emergency-order-to-take-control-of-elections/ Dobkin, R. (2026, February 26). Pro-Trump lawyers push president to declare emergency for expansion of powers ahead of midterm elections: reports. The Independent. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-voting-executive-order-china-election-interference-midterms-b2928513.html All slide progress icons at bottom are filled in black.

Sources:
@washingtonpost.com
@theguardian.com
@democracydocket.com
@the-independent.com

Share this post.
Stay informed.
Watch the courts.

White background with black text. Header reads: “PAY ATTENTION TO THE PROCESS” Body text reads: “Emergency powers can be challenged. Executive orders can be blocked. Overreach can be stopped. But only if people are paying attention. Share this post. Stay informed. Watch the courts. And when someone says ‘emergency,’ look at what rules they’re trying to bypass.” Ten slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

Emergency powers can be challenged.
Executive orders can be blocked.
Overreach can be stopped.

But only if people are paying attention.

When someone says “emergency,” look at what rules they’re trying to bypass.

White background with black text. Header reads: “THE CHECKS & BALANCES LINE” Body text reads: “If a president can declare elections an emergency and override state authority, then the election is no longer independent. That’s not election security. That’s the dismantling of checks and balances — rebranded as ‘protection.’” Nine slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

If a president can declare elections an emergency and override state authority, the election is no longer independent.

That’s not election security.

That’s checks and balances being dismantled, rebranded as “protection.”

White background with black text. Header reads: “THIS IS ESCALATION” Body text reads: “The SAVE America Act stalled in the Senate. The courts blocked earlier executive orders. When the legal path closes, that’s when the ‘emergency’ path opens. That’s escalation.” Eight slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

The SAVE America Act stalled.

Courts blocked earlier executive orders.

When the legal path closes, the “emergency” path opens.

That’s not innovation, it’s escalation.

White background with black text. Header reads: “WHAT COULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN” Body text reads: “If voting machines were declared ‘off limits’ during an investigation:” Bullet points: - Early voting could collapse - Election Day access could shrink - Results could be delayed for weeks Closing sentence reads: “Chaos wouldn’t have to win in court to change turnout.” Seven slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

If voting machines were declared “off limits” during an investigation:

➡️ Early voting could collapse
➡️ Election Day access could shrink
➡️ Results could be delayed for weeks

Chaos doesn’t have to win in court to change turnout.

White background with black text. Header reads: “THE ‘FOREIGN INTERFERENCE’ JUSTIFICATION” Body text reads: “The draft hinges on claims that China interfered in 2020. A 2021 intelligence review found China considered influence efforts but did not deploy them to change the outcome. A real emergency requires real evidence, not just recycled allegations.” Six slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

The draft hinges on claims that China interfered in 2020.

A 2021 intelligence review found China considered influence efforts but did not deploy them to change the outcome.

But real emergencies require real evidence, not recycled allegations.

White background with black text. Header reads: “WHAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS” Body text reads: “Article I, Section 4 says that States and Congress regulate elections. Not the president. So they can call it an emergency, but the Constitution still says what it says.” Five slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

The Constitution is clear.

Article I, Section 4 gives election authority to states and Congress. Not the president.

You can label something an emergency, but The Constitution still says what it says.

White background with black text. Header reads: “THE LEGAL THEORY” Body text reads: “The draft leans on emergency powers under:” Bullet points: - National Emergencies Act - International Emergency Economic Powers Act Additional text reads: “The pitch: If there’s foreign interference, the president can act. The problem: Election authority doesn’t transfer just because someone says ‘emergency.’” Four slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

The legal theory leans on emergency powers under the National Emergencies Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

The pitch: If there’s foreign interference, the president can act.

The problem: Election authority doesn’t transfer just because someone says it's an “emergency.”

White background with black text. Header reads: “WAIT… DIDN’T WE JUST TALK ABOUT THIS?” Body text reads: “Yup. We sure did. The House passed the SAVE America Act, requiring proof of citizenship to register and voter ID for federal elections. It stalled in the Senate. When legislation slows down, the emergency route speeds up.” Three slide progress icons filled in black at bottom.

WAIT… didn’t we just talk about this?

Yup. 💁🏽‍♀️

The House passed the SAVE America Act, requiring proof of citizenship and voter ID for federal elections. It stalled in the Senate.

When legislation slows down, the emergency route speeds up.

White background with black text. Header at top: “WHAT’S BEING PUSHED” Body text reads: “A 17-page draft executive order is circulating urging Trump to:” Bullet points: - Declare a national emergency - Claim foreign interference - Ban mail ballots - Ban or seize voting machines - Impose voter ID rules unilaterally Closing sentence reads: “But when something gets labeled an ‘emergency,’ normal limits start to blur.” Two circular slide progress icons at bottom are filled in black.

A 17-page draft executive order urges Trump to:

➡️ Declare a national emergency
➡️ Claim foreign interference
➡️ Ban mail ballots
➡️ Ban or seize voting machines
➡️ Impose voter ID rules unilaterally

When something gets labeled an “emergency,” normal limits start to blur.

White background with black sans-serif text in a clean, minimalist layout. Small text at top reads: “Another @Merirei-made Carousel” Large bold headline centered across multiple lines: “WHEN YOU CAN’T PASS THE LAW, TRY DECLARING AN EMERGENCY” Below it, a neon yellow highlight box contains the text: “Midterms Edition” Lower portion of slide reads: “After the SAVE Act stalled and courts blocked earlier efforts, a draft order proposes using emergency powers to reshape election rules.” A row of small circular icons with exclamation marks appears along the bottom; the first is filled in black to indicate slide position.

🧵 WHEN YOU CAN’T PASS THE LAW, TRY DECLARING AN EMERGENCY: Midterms edition.

After the SAVE Act stalled and courts blocked earlier efforts, a draft order proposes using emergency powers to reshape election rules. This isn’t a new policy idea. It’s an escalation.

Kansas Orders Trans Drivers to Surrender Licenses With One Day’s Notice Trans people affected are required to replace their state identification at their own expense.

Kansas is giving trans residents 24 hours to surrender their IDs.
By stripping IDs and risking voting access, they're criminalizing daily life.
This is anti-democracy in action: target, isolate, erase.
Inclusive democracy = Everyone has the right to exist, move, and vote safely.

again, so so stoked to be discussing my book with the incredible @leahsottile.bsky.social THIS Thursday in PORTLAND, OREGON at the @cstpdx.bsky.social!

Sponsored by the amazing folks at @ojrcenter.bsky.social , @westernstatescenter.org , and @107ist.org! Get your tixxxxx cstpdx.com/event/to-cat...

It's my pleasure.😊

By sharing our respective posts, "WE, the People," demand that #DEM Senators VOTE "NO" on the #SAVEAct

202-224-3121 or 5calls.org

And for that, I ❤️appreciate you.

"We, the People of the #UnitedStates," are #StrongerTogether #UNITEDWeStand

#BlueCrew #democracy #resistance

Bluesky has suspended @themanfromchaos.bsky.social for reporting on a far-right agitator in Coos Bay, Oregon. Identifying and warning about threats is in the public interest for the safety of our communities.

Likely mass reported, please unsuspend.

@bsky.app @safety.bsky.app @support.bsky.team

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

CNN doing PR for Johnson here by claiming "the general practice is for presidents, select military officials & select government officials to lie in honor" without noting exceptions. Like Billy Graham. So White preacher gets to lie in state but not Black one?

In many cases, the Flock destruction was clearly intended as a public message, as in Eugene, OR, where the saboteurs left note at the scene that read "Hahaha get wrecked ya surveilling fucks."

The message was carried on the local news. At the end of the year, Eugene terminated its Flock contract.

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Update: I did, indeed, show restraint this year!