Roberto Da Costa
@walterscott We can multitask and there are plenty of toots on my page already. Your idiocy is noted.
Jan 23, 2023 at 8:35pmWeb
Show threadMaria HillJan 23, 2023

@Sunspot To think that because we have a gun problem we shouldn't care about a lack of access to educational materials.

The two are related. One of the themes being censored is material about violence and guns. I doubt Florida and Texas are censoring pro-gun materials.

The first time I contacted my elected officials was when I was 12 years old. I'd just read Hiroshima by John Hersey. The 1980s were a tense time for international politics and scary for kids and that was the big issue of my tween/early teen years. It wasn't a banned book and I had access to material on any topic including sexuality. (Those could be read clandestinely in the stacks if you didn't want to check them out. There was no shame in walking up to the circulation desk with your books on nuclear war.) If I were a teen or tween today, I wonder if I'd have access to all the things I wanted to read. I'll have to find out if there are any issues where I live. I don't have kids in the schools here but I care anyway.

Show threadRoberto Da CostaJan 23, 2023
@MariaHill This place is unbelievable now. Who invited all the mean people?
Show threadTony StarkJan 23, 2023

@Sunspot @MariaHill I keep disinviting them. I think a lot of people left the Fediverse that were trying it out. Some were driven off by people telling everyone what their content should be. Some were driven off by trolls. Some instances didn’t learn how to moderate. Some collapsed because of the expense. (This is me looking at traffic from the inside over the last month.)

We may need to simply defederate more which sounds sad but we may be most of what’s left and people want to direct anger somewhere.

Show threadGlenG🌻 - Support UkraineJan 23, 2023

@TonyStark @Sunspot @MariaHill

Sorry you're having so much trouble with this thread, Tony. Just noticed these posts as I was responding to Maria.

Show threadTony StarkJan 23, 2023
@Gleng2 @Sunspot @MariaHill Thanks, Glen. Been a rough couple a days.
Show threadRoberto Da CostaJan 23, 2023
@TonyStark @MariaHill Thanks for keeping it nice for the users.
Show threadCapt. TonyJan 24, 2023
@TonyStark @Sunspot @MariaHill
If you decide to defederate from this instance (mstdn.social), I hope you give a heads-up so those of us who value your views and commentary can apply to your instance for an account. I enjoy this instance, but also value your instances observations and debates. Thanks for putting in the important work.
Show threadTony StarkJan 24, 2023

@mermaidchaser @MariaHill @Sunspot Hey, Tony. Thanks.

Since I know Stux pretty well, I doubt the need for that would ever arise but I definitely would. Stux really welcomed us here and is responsible for the instance even existing.

It’s very important to me to keep connected to the people here I’ve known since I arrived and have been the most supportive.

So yes, I’d definitely let you know but shouldn’t be a possibility.

Show threadSelJan 24, 2023

@TonyStark @mermaidchaser @MariaHill @Sunspot I've been listening rather than posting mostly because the politics aren't my country, so I can't do more than speak from an outside view.

But you're doing good work from many different angles and it's reassuring to see.

Thanks for pushing back against the aggression and abuse that's becoming really common even in the fediverse, btw.

Show threadCapt. TonyJan 24, 2023
@seldear @TonyStark @MariaHill @Sunspot
I personally appreciate an "outsider's" perspective; it can show us things we miss, and importantly, things we CAN try to rectify the issues from another avenue. Thanks for joining in.
Show threadParanoid FactoidJan 24, 2023

@Sunspot @MariaHill

Block and move on. It's still pretty nice here. But the deplorables will come, because their targets left where they took over. And hanging out there is now no fun.

Show threadMartha HowellJan 24, 2023

@ParanoidFactoid @Sunspot @MariaHill Truth Social syndrome. It's no fun with no "libs" to bash. They find joy by being aggressive and confrontational.

I had a boss like that. Our whole team went to HR and got him fired. I don't need to worry about whether you can control your aggression.

Show threadMichaelJan 24, 2023

@Sunspot @MariaHill

Apparently I've been very lucky in my tiny corner of the fediverse. I've literally only seen one Nazi (except at @auschwitzmuseum) and only a relative handful of mansplainers, reply guys and general purpose shitbags. I didn't even have to block them because they were only in one thread in my timeline. Perhaps it's another perk of being an old white guy. If so, that really does suck.

Show threadRoberto Da CostaJan 24, 2023
@michaelboys @MariaHill @auschwitzmuseum It’s easier to deal with the outright racists and homophobes almost. It’s worse when people pretend to be on your side and keep minimizing you. The problem in this thread was a person telling people book bans were no big deal. Things like that are done to me all the time.
Show threadMichaelJan 24, 2023

@Sunspot @MariaHill
Yep, outright shitbags can just be blocked immediately. You end up wasting time with ones that seem sincere.

It really is easier for me (has been all my life - I realized that in the 90s when I was being promoted and the women and non-whites weren't even considered) - as a tail end boomer people expect me to be racist, sexist, homophobic and obnoxious. Imagine their surprise when I'm (usually) only obnoxious to racists, sexists and homophobes😂

Show threadRoberto Da CostaJan 24, 2023
@michaelboys @MariaHill It’s nice to make your acquaintance!
Show threadTony StarkJan 24, 2023

@Sunspot @MariaHill @michaelboys That’s the kind of thing I’ve spent the most time moderating against lately. It’s essentially gaslighting. Lots of accounts roll up and say we’re overblowing racism, homophobia, transphobia, voter suppression, GOP fascism, you name it. Then when you push back, they try and claim they’re “just asking” or that they didn’t say what they said.

It’s exhausting which it’s probably meant to be.

This is a pro-obscenity instance but I respect the guidelines of other communities.

Show threadMichaelJan 24, 2023

@TonyStark @Sunspot @MariaHill

Yes, they're trying to see what they can get away with. And they want to do you harm no matter how they couch it.

I asked the admin here if they needed help with anything but apparently they didn't.

Thanks to all you volunteers keeping the fediverse running. You're dealing with the assholes so I don't have to (as much)!

I have a filthy mouth but understand not everyone wants to make full use of the English language.

Show threadTony StarkJan 24, 2023
@Sunspot @MariaHill @michaelboys ✌️😂
Show threadWTFJan 24, 2023
@TonyStark @Sunspot @MariaHill @michaelboys My ears don’t fucking bleed😂
Show threadGlenG🌻 - Support UkraineJan 23, 2023
@MariaHill @Sunspot I appreciate you bringing this topic up. I have a pre-tweener and am just beginning to have this conversation with her. She's still on the young side and doesn't really know what she'd be looking for mostly, but I can say that she gets a lot of her material from shows via Disney+, Netflix Kids, and Hulu. If it's a more adult oriented show she'll watch it with us, and we may have to explain. She just asked about this post and what it's about and responded, "nice", she gets it.
Show threadMycotropicJan 23, 2023
@MariaHill @Sunspot Did you ever attend RAR (Rock Against Reagan)? I'm about that age, graduated in '83 and learned that if I saw a bright flash to point my butt at it from under the desk. This generated quite a lot of nihilism on my part so, yeah, punk rock all the way and never, ever trust reagan.
Show threadMaria HillJan 24, 2023
@mycotropic I'm a little younger than you are. Sounds like you are right at the beginning of Gen X. I'm in the middle. Old enough to remember Reagan's various crimes, but Bush 41 was president by the time I was old enough to go to my first concert at age 14. @Sunspot
Show threadMycotropicJan 25, 2023
@MariaHill @Sunspot 1965 is the first year of Not Being A Boomer and that pleases me. Especially when my teen aged kids call me a Boomer which I am not!
#notaboomer
Show threadGlenG🌻 - Support UkraineJan 23, 2023
@MariaHill @Sunspot One more thing here, Maria. Beyond the internet programs, we do have a very good county library here and like to visit it often (credit goes mostly to my wife who's the avid reader in the family). Most of her reading is still beginners fiction right now, but your posts have made me think to ask the folks at the library about what books they're banning here, and consider what affect this might have on her educational process as she grows up. It's really sparked my curiosity.