There are people – some in my own Party – who think that if you just give Donald Trump everything he wants, he’ll make an exception and spare you some of the harm. I’ll ignore the moral abdication of that position for just a second to say — almost none of those people have the experience with this President that I do. I once swallowed my pride to offer him what he values most — public praise on the Sunday news shows — in return for ventilators and N95 masks during the worst of the pandemic. We made a deal. And it turns out his promises were as broken as the BIPAP machines he sent us instead of ventilators. Going along to get along does not work – just ask the Trump-fearing red state Governors who are dealing with the same cuts that we are. I won’t be fooled twice.
I’ve been reflecting, these past four weeks, on two important parts of my life: my work helping to build the Illinois Holocaust Museum and the two times I’ve had the privilege of reciting the oath of office for Illinois Governor.
As some of you know, Skokie, Illinois once had one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors anywhere in the world. In 1978, Nazis decided they wanted to march there.
The leaders of that march knew that the images of Swastika clad young men goose stepping down a peaceful suburban street would terrorize the local Jewish population – so many of whom had never recovered from their time in German concentration camps.
The prospect of that march sparked a legal fight that went all the way to the Supreme Court. It was a Jewish lawyer from the ACLU who argued the case for the Nazis – contending that even the most hateful of speech was protected under the first amendment.
As an American and a Jew, I find it difficult to resolve my feelings around that Supreme Court case – but I am grateful that the prospect of Nazis marching in their streets spurred the survivors and other Skokie residents to act. They joined together to form the Holocaust Memorial Foundation and built the first Illinois Holocaust Museum in a storefront in 1981 – a small but important forerunner to the one I helped build thirty years later.
I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly. But I know the history intimately — and have spent more time than probably anyone in this room with people who survived the Holocaust. Here’s what I’ve learned – the root that tears apart your house’s foundation begins as a seed – a seed of distrust and hate and blame.
The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.
I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now. A president who watches a plane go down in the Potomac – and suggests — without facts or findings — that a diversity hire is responsible for the crash. Or the Missouri Attorney General who just sued Starbucks – arguing that consumers pay higher prices for their coffee because the baristas are too “female” and “nonwhite.” The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.
I just have one question: What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next.
All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.
I swore the following oath on Abraham Lincoln’s Bible: “I do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Governor .... according to the best of my ability.
My oath is to the Constitution of our state and of our country. We don’t have kings in America – and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one. I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions — but in deference to my obligations.
If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this:
It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic. All I’m saying is when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control.
Those Illinois Nazis did end up holding their march in 1978 – just not in Skokie. After all the blowback from the case, they decided to march in Chicago instead. Only twenty of them showed up. But 2000 people came to counter protest. The Chicago Tribune reported that day that the “rally sputtered to an unspectacular end after ten minutes.” It was Illinoisans who smothered those embers before they could burn into a flame.
Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance. Democracy requires your courage. So gather your justice and humanity, Illinois, and do not let the “tragic spirit of despair” overcome us when our country needs us the most.
Sources:
• NBC Chicago & J.B. Pritzker, Democratic governor of Illinois, State of the State address 2025: Watch speech here | Full text
Fuck I’m at a fencing tournament and literally a minute after I reblogged this my dad told me that he talked to the point people and I’m probably going to win a medal.
I need to follow up to say I reblogged this last night, and this morning I got some of the best news of my life, like, a life dream come true news thing.
FUCK, I though it was just another lucky meme but LISTEN. Since a week ago I was waiting a phone call to confirm me if I got a job or not in my university. I reblogged this yesterday’s night “just for fun and because I don’t want any bagel to be mad with me”, and today’s afternoon, while I was losing my time as always, the professor I was supposed to work with called me and asked me for my personal information to start working with her.
Fuck I’m at a fencing tournament and literally a minute after I reblogged this my dad told me that he talked to the point people and I’m probably going to win a medal.
I need to follow up to say I reblogged this last night, and this morning I got some of the best news of my life, like, a life dream come true news thing.
FUCK, I though it was just another lucky meme but LISTEN. Since a week ago I was waiting a phone call to confirm me if I got a job or not in my university. I reblogged this yesterday’s night “just for fun and because I don’t want any bagel to be mad with me”, and today’s afternoon, while I was losing my time as always, the professor I was supposed to work with called me and asked me for my personal information to start working with her.
Fun fact: You are part of keeping a fandom alive. Every interaction, every person in a fandom has their own part to play. If that’s reblogging art, fanfics or making cursed edits, that’s good enough.
I saw your post about sashiko mending, and was wondering if you have suggestions of where to learn it?
My search yielded a lot of articles assuming a level of expertise and material accessibility that is frankly beyond me.
I've found a couple of good tutorials on YouTube:
This first one is very simple and beginner-friendly
This second one *seems* a whole lot more complicated, but all of these patterns are based on a basic dot grid.
There are a variety of sashiko stitches and embroidery pattern, but it also doesn't *have* to be neat and orderly. It can be more loose and chaotic like the first example.
Personally, I would recommend something like the second video for parts of clothes that will rub together a lot (i.e. inseam of pants) simply because the stitching acts as an additional defense against wear and tear.
PS: as you can see from the second video, sashiko is a great option for reinforcing fabric BEFORE it tears - a stitch in time saves nine!
PPS: Don't feel obligated to make the stitching or patchwork stand out with contrasting thread. You can absolutely use a matching thread instead.
a/n: no Muichiro bc baby. the reader is fem-leaning
i swear i write for other fandoms, i'm just consumed by the power of these flamboyant fucks
Kyojuro
i obviously and firmly believe this man calls you one of three things
My Love
My Darling
Dear
(y/n if he’s worried)
kyo is nothing if not a gentleman
he thinks sweeping romantic terms of endearment are obviously the only way to address his partner-divine
there’s almost no argument to be had over this
he likes for you to call him by his first name
he thinks it’s so intimate
nothing fancy just
Kyojuro
it makes his heart dance
he was such an outgoing child that he wanted to call everyone by their first names and have a bunch of really good friends
which came on a little strong for the neighborhood kids, guests at the house, his father’s pillar teammates, strangers at the market— kind of anyone he was ever introduced to
so his parents told him
“kyojuro, when two people love and trust each other very much, when they’ve known each other for a long time, they use their first names. those are your closest friends, the ones who see you like your family.”
his eyes got all wide and he stared back at them and said, “like you two.”
so
here we are
i would stake everything i have for this man’s happiness. im a wreck
Tengen
in my head
this man
kind of talks like a mob boss
not quite but i don’t know how else to describe it
his favorite things to call you are
sweetheart**
**primarily
babe
princesses (derogatory)
he’s a bit of an informal guy but he’s got his husband priorities straight
using pet names shows the rest of the world you belong to each other
you and the wives are all warming up to calling each other by your first names
which is adorable
and tengen is trying to get the three of them to stop calling him Lord, since it makes him feel a little weird in his day to day, with neighbors and whatnot around
not needing to know all his shinobi business
he was never a Lord to you so this isn’t a habit you’ve needed to break
calling him Tengen so casually kind of made everyone’s head spin
in private though
i know this man is an animal
i just KNOW
he likes you calling him all kinds of “M’ Lord”
and speaking sweetly & formally
not always, just *special* occasions
Giyuu
this one’s not spilling his secrets to me no sir no how
hmm
my best guess is
honestly
your first name
if he’s feeling frisky
maybe a y/n ✨chan✨
but never over the top with this one
he’d much rather keep it simple; openly being in a relationship seems romantic enough for him
the fact that anyone knows anything about his personal life is a miracle
i WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY
this does not mean the man isn't a f r e a k in other scenarios
that's for a later date
for himself, he much prefers romantic acts over cute pet names
even just calling him Tomioka in public seems a bit melodramatic to him
but when you lean in close to his ear
early in the morning over breakfast
in the thrum of the market
so he can hear you over the sound of a noisy corps party
or at night when you're tucked in together
and whisper
"baby~"
he sputters
Shinobu
she is a perfect
miserable
little menace
i'm in love with her
in public she'll usually either call you by your first name or call you Honey
H o n e y 🍯
my heart burns for her
also in the rotation is
Angel
pretty standard pet names
but just imagine her soothing voice saying them
not so standard anymore no sir
the menace behavior starts exactly where the sweet facade ends
when she brushes past you in the lab
or kisses you goodbye
she likes to tack on a little possession
"my sweet Y/n"
"goodbye my angel"
K.O.
she started doing this before you even got together
but even in a crowded room she always made sure you were the only one who could hear it
which made you feel like you were slowly losing your mind but that's besides the point
bc now you’re her's 🤷🏽♀️
she likes it when you're possessive right back!
"g'morning my sweet baby"
and you can really get her flustered if you say it in public
pull up to a Pillar party at HQ with a:
"Kocho! my darling, where should i put the snacks i brought?"
there's so few ways to get this girl off her game for a second
this is one
Sanemi
okay okay okay
not big on outward affection
but sanemi is a loving guy!
spends every day working hard so his brother can have a normal life
even if he commits manslaughter along the way
when it come to you though
loving ≠ sweet
he loves you, but he also quite likes you
which means trouble
joining tengen's quasi mafia club
when he's feeling soft enough he likes to be wickedly sarcastic
"c'mere dreamboat"
"oi sweet cheeks you're hoggin the bath scoot over"
he only calls you y/n when he really wants to fluster you
or if you're in trouble
or if you get lost at the market
and he always says it real calm
he likes one name the most though
Peach Girl
loves peaches
he's an ass man
he's also a whore
so when you call him by his first name
(which does not happen often)
he short circuits for a second
and he loves
L O V E S
it when you call him 'sir'
you technically work for him, so this a professional curtesy
until it is very unprofessional
but no matter the context it makes him feral
you have him wrapped around your little finger
you're playing cat's cradle w his limbs
Mitsuri
i Know it seems obvious
she LOVES pet names
duh
but you're not ready
for the absolutely outta pocket shit she comes up with
"sweet-chariot-who-pulls-back-the-curtain-of-night, where are you?"
girl
"my-heavenly-little-bug! i missed you"
"you look so cute ender-of all-sadness-on-this-the-sacred-earth"
GIRL
if someone's around when she's calling to you they always feel the urge to say a m e n
a simple "baby" will not suffice
although anything you call her, even Mitsuri, knocks her out for an entire afternoon
unconscious
sweating
on the floor
you had to talk to her about her over the top terms of endearment
it was a little distracting to hear a whole hymn in the breeze and try to figure out if it was a passing procession of monks or your girlfriend calling you downstairs for dinner
she she settled on a few unusual, but effective names
ladybug
dove
baby doll
and every now and then she's allowed a my-sun-and-my-stars
Obanai
everyone's favorite hardass
i'm gonna have to make a soft dom <--> hard dom list for the hashira, don't let me forget
bc this gentleman
this one
uses your name as a punishment
he's soft and sweet with his Love don't get me wrong, but much like Shinobu and Sanemi, he likes to use his words to get to you
he likes to work you up with low whispers while you're making breakfast or finishing up work late at night
he'll get your attention by calling your first name, then brush your arm and murmur something fully uncalled for
he's a very private individual tho
so never in public, even if you're alone
anywhere other than your property, he's pretty formal
but get him sleepy enough
he's all "sweetie" this "sweetie" that
he can even be a little whiney about it if he's exhausted
because he's strict about his demeanor in public and because you know how worked up he can be in private
you like to tease him where you can
maybe you'll "accidentally" call him cupcake when wishing him luck on a mission with his teammates
"accidentally" ask for Iguro when checking in on him at work
all to get him to say your name angrily a little later
otherwise
pretty vanilla when it comes to terms of endearment
he's also a huge self-loathing softie
so he LOVES it when you when you call him something sweet and a little silly
"Plum, do you need anything from the market?"
"good morning Sunshine!"
this extends to Kaburamaru
call that sweet snake "lovebug" one time and Obanai's whipping out the ring
pls love this gremlin softly
Gyomei
hmmm
i honestly don't see this man in a deeply sexual relationship like some of the other hashira
but in an otherwise romantic or personal relationship! this man's the goat
always asks what you prefer to be called and then never ever messes it up
he thinks names are powerful
gyomei does not trust easily, but once he's let you into his life he is deeply committed to your happiness
so we've got another first name lover over here
there's only a handful of people he's close enough to to call by their first names, so that in and of itself is special
he likes the same treatment
respect = respect
but that doesn't mean his heart doesn't catch in his throat ever so slightly when you say "hime..jima" for the first time
he doesn't even cry
life is mostly a righteous reminder of suffering to him
but when you slowly make sure you're saying his name right that first time
(angry video game nerd voice) two genders? that's it? and you just get given one at random, you don't even get to decide which one you want? what a shitload of fuck
AND IF YOU WANNA CHANGE, YOU CAN'T JUST SWITCH?? YOU GOTTA DO A WHOLE QUESTLINE JUST TO TRANSITION? WHY DIDN'T THE DEVS TRANSITION TO A BETTER FUCKIN' GAME??
gummygunk
origamiaround
