Fig. 1. Image of the latest addition to my pinned post on Mastodon by author, June 15, 2024.
Illiberalism
Gilead
Secession movements
Fig. 2. “Greater Idaho” would include much of the proposed state of Jefferson. Screen capture by the Sacramento Bee published November 3, 2021.[1]
James Bickerton, “Texas Secessionsts Win GOP Backing for Independence Vote: ‘Major Step,’” Newsweek, June 12, 2024, https://www.newsweek.com/texas-secession-takes-major-step-gop-backs-vote-1911678
Evangelical Protestants
Fig. 3. “You shall have no other gods before me.”[2] Photograph posted to Twitter by Antonia Lee Donnelly, February 16, 2020,[3] fair use.
Michelle Boorstein and Hannah Knowles, “Here’s what the Christian right wants from a second Trump term,” Washington Post, June 13, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/13/trump-christian-right-abortion-prayer/
Abortion, reproductive freedom and health
Fig. 4. Sign at demonstration in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, May 3, 2022. Janni Rye, via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Szu Yu Chen and Adrián Blanco, “How every senator voted on the Right to IVF Act,” Washington Post, June 13, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2024/06/13/senate-vote-right-to-ivf-bill/
Ann E. Marimow, “Supreme Court upholds broad access to key abortion pill mifepristone,” Washington Post, June 13, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/13/supreme-court-abortion-pill-ruling-mifepristone/
Michelle Boorstein and Hannah Knowles, “Here’s what the Christian right wants from a second Trump term,” Washington Post, June 13, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/13/trump-christian-right-abortion-prayer/
Nonhuman animals
The idea that nonhuman animals are sentient—capable of feeling (vegans often say “feeling pain”)—while evidently radical to animal behavior experts,[4] is basic to the ethics of nonhuman animal rights. They feel, therefore they can suffer, suffering is evil, therefore we should not impose suffering, therefore we should not abuse or exploit nonhuman animals.
Those of us who have companion animals know that they are sentient. Even those of us who are cruel to animals know on some level that they are sentient—to inflict misery or suffering, that misery or suffering must be felt. It is pointless to whip a rock.
Pallab Ghosh, “Are animals conscious? How new research is changing minds,” British Broadcasting Corporation, June 16, 2024, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv223z15mpmo.amp
- [1]Maddie Capron, “Should Idaho swallow parts of Oregon? Thousands of Oregon voters want it considered,” Sacramento Bee, November 3, 2021, https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article255509141.html↩
- [2]Exod. 20:3.↩
- [3]Antonia Lee Donnelly, “Now I've seen everything,” Twitter, February 17, 2020, https://twitter.com/DonnellyAntonia/status/1229227422836559873↩
- [4]Pallab Ghosh, “Are animals conscious? How new research is changing minds,” British Broadcasting Corporation, June 16, 2024, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv223z15mpmo.amp↩