Louise Glück, From "Persephone The Wanderer" In Poems 1962-2012

Rebecca Solnit 

onrSpseodt5f8511fcll002h9itlfafm0758hf1tif3i882u585hagg2881u  ·

They're spitting in his eye. Latin American presidents are not cowed and not cooperative.

The Trump people assume that power and bullying are the same thing, and they don't understand that real power often lies in the ability to persuade, ally, convince people that they might want to do something rather than attempt to force them to do it against their will. Sometimes yes they can force, often they find they can't and they've shrunk the amount of cooperation and support they'll get (but they don't understand cooperation, because bullies). Which makes enemies and often backfires, as with much of their bullying around the hemisphere. It's crisis of masculinity tactics, I guess. And how you act when you know your policies are unpopular.

[Gustavo Petro is the president of Colombia and when Trump slapped tariffs on their exports, he did the same to ours. Brazil used the arrival of handcuffed detainees to make a big propaganda point against Trump and the US. Mexico turned the first deportee planes around.]

Here's Petro's full tweet in Spanish and then translated (badly):

Trump, a mi no me gusta mucho viajar a los EEUU, es un poco aburridor, pero confieso que hay cosas meritorias, me gusta ir a los barrios negros de Washington, allí ví una lucha entera en la capital de los EEUU entre negros y latinos con barricadas, que me pareció una pendejada, porque deberían unirse.

Confieso que me gusta Walt Withman y Paul Simon y Noam Chomsky y Miller

Confieso que Sacco y Vanzetti, que tienen mi sangre, en la historia de los EEUU, son memorables y les sigo. Los asesinaron por lideres obreros con la silla eléctrica, los fascistas qué están dentro de EEUU como dentro de mi país

No me gusta su petroleo, Trump, va a acabar con la especie humana por la codicia. Quizás algún día, junto a un trago de Whisky qué acepto, a pesar de mi gastritis, podamos hablar francamente de esto, pero es difícil porque usted me considera una raza inferior y no lo soy, ni ningún colombiano.

Así que si conoce alguien terco, ese soy yo, punto. Puede con su fuerza económica y su soberbia intentar dar un golpe de estado como hicieron con Allende. Pero yo muero en mi ley, resistí la tortura y lo resisto a usted. No quiero esclavistas al lado de Colombia, ya tuvimos muchos y nos liberamos. Lo que quiero al lado de Colombia, son amantes de la libertad. Si usted no puede acompañarme yo voy a otros lados. Colombía es el corazón del mundo y usted no lo entendió, esta es la tierra de las mariposas amarillas, de la belleza de Remedios, pero tambien de los coroneles Aurelianos Buendía, de los cuales soy uno de ellos, quizás el último

Me matarás, pero sobreviviré en mi pueblo que es antes del tuyo, en las Américas. Somos pueblos de los vientos, las montañas, del mar Caribe y de la libertad

A usted no le gusta nuestra libertad, vale. Yo no estrecho mi mano con esclavistas blancos. Estrecho las manos de los blancos libertarios herederos de Lincoln y de los muchachos campesinos negros y blancos de los EEUU, ante cuyas tumbas llore y recé en un campo de batalla, al que llegue, después de caminar montañas de la toscana italiana y después de salvarme del covid.

Ellos son EEUU y ante ellos me arrodillo, ante más nadie.

Túmbeme presidente y le responderán las Américas y la humanidad.

Colombia ahora deja de mirar el norte, mira al mundo, nuestra sangre viene de la sangre del califato de Córdoba, la civilización en ese entonces, de los latinos romanos del mediterraneo, la civilización de ese entonces, que fundaron la república, la democracia en Atenas; nuestra sangre tiene los resistentes negros convertidos en esclavos por ustedes. En Colombia está el primer territorio libre de América, antes de Washington, de toda la América, allí me cobijo en sus cantos africanos.

Mi tierra es de orfebrería existente en época de los faraones egipcios, y de los primeros artistas del mundo en Chiribiquete.

No nos dominarás nunca. Se opone el guerrero que cabalgaba nuestras tierras, gritando libertad y que se llama Bolívar

Nuestros pueblos son algo temerosos, algo tímidos, son ingenuos y amables, amantes, pero sabrán ganar el canal de Panamá, que ustedes nos quitaron con violencia. Doscientos héroes de toda latinoamerica yacen en Bocas del Toro, actual Panamá, antes Colombia, que ustedes asesinaron.

Yo levanto una bandera y como dijera Gaitán, así quede solo, seguirá enarbolada con la dignidad latinoamericana que es la dignidad de América, que su bisabuelo no conoció, y el mio sí, señor presidente inmigrante en los EEUU,

Su bloqueo no me asusta; porque Colombia además de ser el país de la belleza, es el corazón del mundo. Se que ama la belleza como yo, no la irrespete y le brindará su dulzura.

COLOMBIA A PARTiR DE HOY SE ABRE A TODO EL MUNDO, CON LOS BRAZOS ABIERTOS, SOMOS CONSTRUCTORES DE LIBERTAD, VIDA Y HUMANIDAD.

Me informan que usted pone a nuestro fruto del trabajo humano 50% de arancel para entrar a EEUU, yo hago lo mismo.

Que nuestra gente siembre maíz que se descubrió en Colombia y alimente al mundo

Trump, I don't really like travelling to the US, it's a bit boring, but I confess that there are some commendable things. I like going to the black neighbourhoods of Washington, where I saw an entire fight in the US capital between blacks and Latinos with barricades, which seemed like nonsense to me, because they should join together.

I confess that I like Walt Whitman and Paul Simon and Noam Chomsky and Miller

I confess that Sacco and Vanzetti, who have my blood, are memorable in the history of the USA and I follow them. They were murdered by labor leaders with the electric chair, the fascists who are within the USA as well as within my country

I don't like your oil, Trump, you're going to wipe out the human species because of greed. Maybe one day, over a glass of whiskey, which I accept, despite my gastritis, we can talk frankly about this, but it's difficult because you consider me an inferior race and I'm not, nor is any Colombian.

So if you know someone who is stubborn, that's me, period. You can try to carry out a coup with your economic strength and your arrogance, like they did with Allende. But I will die in my law, I resisted torture and I resist you. I don't want slavers next to Colombia, we already had many and we freed ourselves. What I want next to Colombia are lovers of freedom. If you can't accompany me, I'll go elsewhere. Colombia is the heart of the world and you didn't understand that, this is the land of the yellow butterflies, of the beauty of Remedios, but also of the colonels Aureliano Buendía, of which I am one, perhaps the last.

You will kill me, but I will survive in my people, which is before yours, in the Americas. We are peoples of the winds, the mountains, the Caribbean Sea and of freedom.

You don't like our freedom, okay. I don't shake hands with white slavers. I shake hands with the white libertarian heirs of Lincoln and the black and white farm boys of the USA, at whose graves I cried and prayed on a battlefield, which I reached after walking the mountains of Italian Tuscany and after being saved from Covid.

They are the United States and before them I kneel, before no one else.

Overthrow me, President, and the Americas and humanity will respond.

Colombia now stops looking north, looks at the world, our blood comes from the blood of the Caliphate of Cordoba, the civilization of that time, of the Roman Latins of the Mediterranean, the civilization of that time, who founded the republic, democracy in Athens; our blood has the black resistance fighters turned into slaves by you. In Colombia is the first free territory of America, before Washington, of all America, there I take refuge in its African songs.

My land is made up of goldsmiths who worked in the time of the Egyptian pharaohs and of the first artists in the world in Chiribiquete.

You will never rule us. The warrior who rode our lands, shouting freedom, who is called Bolívar, opposes us.

Our people are somewhat fearful, somewhat timid, they are naive and kind, loving, but they will know how to win the Panama Canal, which you took from us with violence. Two hundred heroes from all of Latin America lie in Bocas del Toro, today's Panama, formerly Colombia, which you murdered.

I raise a flag and as Gaitán said, even if it remains alone, it will continue to be raised with the Latin American dignity that is the dignity of America, which your great-grandfather did not know, and mine did, Mr. President, an immigrant in the USA,

Your blockade does not scare me, because Colombia, besides being the country of beauty, is the heart of the world. I know that you love beauty as I do, do not disrespect it and you will give it your sweetness.

FROM TODAY ON, COLOMBIA IS OPEN TO THE ENTIRE WORLD, WITH OPEN ARMS, WE ARE BUILDERS OF FREEDOM, LIFE AND HUMANITY.

I am informed that you impose a 50% tariff on the fruits of our human labor to enter the United States, and I do the same.

Let our people plant corn that was discovered in Colombia and feed the world

Falin, Oil on paper and digital

Nitro Direct Tokuten / Nitroplus Benefits Direct Drama CD / Virus & Trip's Daily Life

Please excuse that it's, like, 3 in the morning where I live...

I wasn't aware the entirety of this drama CD wasn't translated (only track 3 by user ancestralmask, right here!), so I wanted to give it a go.

The official title is quite long: ニトロプラスダイレクト特典 ドラマCD「ウイルスとトリップは碧島のヤクザだが、普段は一体何をしているのか……　その日常をちょっとだけご紹介」

Or, in English: Nitroplus Direct Bonus Drama CD — "Virus & Trip are yakuza of Midorijima, but what do they normally do...? Introducing: a glimpse of their daily lives!"

TRACK 01:

Virus: "Salutations. I'm Virus..."

Trip: "And I'm Trip!"

Virus: "As I'm sure you all know, we are the so-called yakuza of Midorijima."

Trip: "That's right~"

Virus: "That being said, a sole question remains: what exactly do we usually do on the island?"

Trip: "A question like that... I don't understand why we need to answer that at all."

Virus: "I agree, but today, I'd like to take this opportunity to share a bit about a situation that happened not long ago."

Trip: "Fine by me."

Virus: "Well then, let's begin right away. And... start!"

TRACK 02:

*Virus & Trip are casually walking down the street; the sound of cheering can be heard vaguely in the background.*

Virus: "Well then... where should we go today?"

Trip: "Let me think... hm?"

*They stop their stroll as the bantering voices from the background grow louder, indicating there is a large crowd in a nearby alley.*

Avid Rhyme Fan: "Hey! It's Usui! A Rhyme match is gonna start!"

Trip: "Over there... oh, a Rhyme match. Do you think it's in that alley today?"

Virus: "Good grief... whenever a Rhyme match starts, a flock of idiots simply cut loose and show no restraint."

Trip: "As much as it is bothersome, it IS interesting to watch."

Virus: "And it IS an excuse to skip out on work... new plan; let's go, Trip."

Trip: "Yeah, yeah."

*They walk over toward the crowd of excited Rhyme players, watching the spectacle. Usui is already on the field, preparing the match for the crowd.*

Usui: "NOW, THE FIRST ROUND IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE! EVERYONE, ARE YOU READY TO GET EXCITED?"

*The crowd of Rhyme fans cheer, while Virus and Trip silently keep watching.*

Usui: "GAAAME... START!!!"

*The Rhyme match begins as the crowd keeps the hype going.*

Virus: "Hm... for now, there aren't any problems. It's quite peaceful, actually."

Trip: "Remember the guy we caught yesterday that was acting up? What happened to him?"

Virus: "I let him go. Even though I just gave him a gentle threat, he kept apologizing, over and over. He was like a broken record; it was getting annoying... so eventually, I made him pass out."

Trip: "That's what too much Rhyme can do to someone, huh? Things get worse when Rib's involved too."

Virus: "Once someone plays Rhyme all the time, they fall into the myth of them being the strongest person alive, invincible from anything and everything..."

Trip: "Is that so... hm? Hey, is that...?"

Virus: "Ah... it looks like trouble has come at last."

*During the match, a fairly vocal Ribsteez player approaches the area.*

Rude Ribsteez Player: "Hey!!! Quit playing Rhyme here! Don't you know it's just a bunch of nonsense, you big-headed nerds?"

Avid Rhyme Fan: "Tch, who do you think you are? You're just some loser who goes out of his way to ruin everyone else's fun."

Rude Ribsteez Player: "Really? It's not my fault that me and my fellow Rib guys can't seem to read the room, given there's NOTHING to read in the first place!"

Avid Rhyme Fan: "What did you say?!"

*The avid Rhyme fan and the rude Ribsteez player were at each others' throats at this point; calmly, Virus claps twice to get their attention.*

Virus: "Alright, alright, that's enough. This is becoming quite a nuisance, so could you please cut it out?"

Rude Ribsteez Player: "Tch, what?"

Avid Rhyme Fan: "It's the yakuza..."

Trip: "That's right, we're the local yakuza."

Virus: "We're your friendly, neighborhood yakuza. It would be very troublesome if conflicts like this ran wild on our lovely island, don't you think?"

Rude Ribsteez Player: "... Hahah, YOU'RE the yakuza? Why should I be worried; you guys are buddies with us Rib guys, aren't you? Look at you, thinking you can get everything your way just by using violence."

Virus: "You're technically right, but, hey, rules are rules. Trip?"

Trip: "Mm."

*Trip casually walks over and lifts up the rude Ribsteez player without any trouble, making him unable to leave. He struggles for a bit, clearly agitated.*

Rude Ribsteez Player: "Gh—! Let go of me!"

Trip: "Nah."

Virus: "No need for the pointless arguing. You don't want us to expose you as a pathetic little brat in front of everyone, do you? Hm?"

*Trip's grip tightens on the rude Ribsteez player, causing him to slightly groan in discomfort.*

Trip: "Tell them you're sorry, then I'll let go. Come on, spit it out."

*His grip begins choking the rude Ribsteez player, making him struggle to breathe.*

Rude Ribsteez Player: "Gh... ack... I-I'm sor...ry...!"

Virus: "I can't seem to hear you."

Trip: "Say it clearer."

Rude Ribsteez Player: "Ugh...! Haugh—! I-I'm sorry...!"

Virus: "Alright! You did such a good job~"

*Trip lets go of the rude Ribsteez player, who gasps for breath, followed by rough coughing. Some of the Rhyme fans are watching in silence, even though a Rhyme match continues in the background. Virus takes notice and addresses them without missing a beat.*

Virus: "Ah, sorry to have disturbed you! As long as you behave yourselves, you all have nothing to worry about."

Trip: "Right, right."

Virus: "Now then, don't mind us. Feel free to continue your Rhyme match."

TRACK 03:

*Virus & Trip are again walking down a road, presumably a different one from before.*

Trip: "Where should we head to next?"

Virus: "Good question... oh?"

Trip: "Eh?"

Virus: "Over there... it's Aoba-san!"

Trip: "Oooh!"

*Both walk toward Aoba's direction, who doesn't notice their presence until they call out to him.*

Virus: "Aoba-san!"

Trip: "Yoo-hoo!"

Aoba: "Oh, it's you guys."

Virus: "Today must be our lucky day, bumping into you like this."

Aoba: "What're you talking about? We see each other pretty often."

Virus: "Nonsense; any day we see you is a lucky day, Aoba-san. Anyways, are you working right now?"

Aoba: "Yeah; delivery in progress!"

Trip: "What was the name of that store? Heijitsu?" (平日 = heijitsu: meaning weekday, regular workday, non-holiday, etc.)

Aoba: "It's Hei-BON." (平凡 = heibon: meaning mediocre, humdrum, ordinary, etc.)

Trip: "Right, right, that's it."

Virus: "We're also in progress, patrolling our turf."

Aoba: "Your turf, huh? So, how's that going? Are you guys keeping the peace in the Old Residential District today?"

Virus: "Ah, it's been good, somewhat. As usual, though, Rhyme and Rib players can't seem to get along and see eye to eye."

Aoba: "Hah? Did another fight break out?"

Virus: "They've been nonstop; now that I think about it, I can't recall a day where there HASN'T been a fight."

Aoba: "Has it gotten THAT bad?"

Trip: "Especially lately."

Aoba: "It must be tough work for you guys... Take care of yourselves, try not to get hurt, okay?"

Virus: "Thank you for worrying about us. Ah, but it's fun when we patrol sometimes."

Trip: "Like that one cake shop."

Aoba: "A cake shop?"

Virus: "There's a new one near Delivery Works, towards the end of the street. A young couple is running it."

Aoba: "Eh?"

Virus: "If you have any spare time one day, we can go there together."

Trip: "Let's go~"

Aoba: "Three guys going to a cake shop together...? Don't you think that's... a little embarrassing?"

Virus: "Not at all. Even men like us want to eat delicious things, so there's nothing to be ashamed of... don't you think?"

Trip: "Right, right. I ate a 'Pink & White Fluffy Heart♡Love Sweets!!!' cake the other day. It looked delicious."

Aoba: "The name sounds like it caters more toward women..."

*Despite Aoba's tone, Virus lightly chuckles at his response.*

Virus: "Aoba-san, it's a date, then. Let's go one day together."

Aoba: "Hahah, yeah. I got it."

Trip: "I'm looking forward to it."

Aoba: "Yeah, yeah."

Virus: "Well then, we didn't want to bother you during work for too long, so we'll take our leave."

Aoba: "See ya, then!"

Virus: "Yeah, see you."

Trip: "Bye-bye!"

TRACK 04:

Virus: "... Alright! That's all for your small glimpse of the daily work of Virus & Trip!"

Trip: "That's all~"

Virus: "Well, even with all that, we do a lot of other things as well. But for now, this is what our lives look like."

Trip: "That's right."

Virus: "That being said, let's meet again someday. This has been Virus and—"

Trip: "Trip."

Virus: "It's been fun!"

Trip: "Bye-bye!"

STOP Genocide 🛑⛔

As the bombing draws near, they are unable to flee or move due to extreme hunger that consumes them, deprived of their last energy source, bound by profound exhaustion that renders them incapable of dodging the falling shells.

Hello,🤗

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Find it in my pinned post🙏

Your assistance (donations or reblogging) would mean a lot.🙏🙏

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Hello,, I'm Abdallah Alanqar, originally from Palestine but cu… Abdallah Alanqar needs your support for Helping Ahmed's Family: Escaping

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PLEASE DONATE THEY'RE SO CLOSE.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Look buddy, i’m just trying to make it to Friday.

Bishop asks Trump to show mercy to LGBTQ people and migrants He was simply asked to show mercy toward our marginalized groups of people. Yet being asked to treat vulnerable groups of men, women and children with some small amount of basic human decency made these MAGA Republicans visibly uncomfortable. To be clear, he wasn't asked to support these groups, or even show them a little kindness. He was simply asked to please treat them like human beings — to not single them out and treat them like subhuman "animals," as Trump has called them. There is something deeply and truly wrong with someone who views acting with even just a bare minimum of human decency is asking too much of them — as if things like Honor, Integrity and Compassion are repugnant to their very soul.

“But if every single person in this world are expecting that god will save them, then what about god? Won't a god get tired as well? ”

—Hua Cheng, TGCF (Revised ver.)

✨ art: anteiku, the official artist of tgcf russian edition

well 🧍‍♀️ as a reminder this blog is NOT a safe space for trump supporters but it IS a safe place for women, queers, trans ppl, people of color, undocumented people, and any marginalized group.

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