Russia GO HOME. Get out of Crimea.

#Russia #Ukraine #BlackSea #Crimea

Okay, Friends, RantWoman knows perfectly well that many Friends might not consider the course of military campaigns standard peace testimony fare. This video is also clearly propaganda mde by someone but RantWoman is not going to track down who. The video reflects a number of points RantWoman has seen addressed in other, as yet unposted videos. RantWoman considers the video credible and reliable enough to post as partial counterpoint to the disinformation disaster in the Oval Office last week.

RantWoman has more to say about the MANY ways that Putin's "Special military operation" is going VERY badly for Russia. This is partly due to Ukrainian military genius, partly ever tightening international sanctions, partly intelligence help from Elon's Starlink satellite system, and of course US military aid.  This video for instance if anything understates the meaning of Ukraine successfully driving the Black Sea fleet back to Russian waters.

RantWoman is VERY tired of "Rah Rah America" about events in the White House. Multiple commentators have pointed out that usually diplomatic negotiations occur behind closed doors, but the Friday events were clearly designed to make a public splash with the President trying to browbeat President Zelenskyy into signing a bad giveaway deal about mineral wealth.

Pin here, from the wayback machine, the President in his first term both trying to withhold aid Congress had designated for Ukraine and getting snared in blowback from trying to get Pres. Zelenskyy to lie about Hunter Biden. In other words, the President is still big mad.

Professional diplomats would also not give away the entire Ukrainian store without demanding something from Putin. Today's proffer from the US administration: lift international sanctions on Russia. Uhhhh, suppose Russia were to just pull back. Partial lift. Pull back further and  STAY longer: more sanctions go away. In other words, Putin is scared. RantWoman is not a professional diplomat and has no reliable off-the-cuff read about all the complexities of different European and NATO countries' positions. RantWoman is also DEEPLY alarmed by other reports, but for now, RantWoman invites readers just to chew on this video.

Book Presentation: To Hear and Respond- the Quakers’ Groundbreaking Push for Gay Liberation. TODAY March 2 HYBRID

Via FLGBTQC 

This Sunday Brian Blackmore director of Quaker Engagement from AFSC will give a presentation about his book: To Hear and Respond- the Quakers’ Groundbreaking Push for Gay Liberation.  This will be a hybrid presentation from 09:30-10:30am PST.

In preprint, according to Amazon Amazon.com: To Hear and to Respond: The Quakers' Groundbreaking Push for Gay Liberation, 1946-1973 (Brill Research Perspectives in Humanities and Social Sciences): 9789004727601: T Blackmore, Brian: Books

RantWoman's plea as long as the book is in pre-publication, Please, PLEASE make sure there is an audio or e-reader version available and / or that readings can be found on an audio channel such as YouTube. RantWoman KNOWS this may be a lift for some authors and publishers, but RantWoman is NOT going to recommend the book unless she can also recommend it to other queer blind / print disabled people.

More about the book:

Despite the prevailing assumption that religious groups are antagonistic towards LGBTQIA+ people, in the mid-twentieth century Quakers established the first social service organization for gay people in the United States, wrote the first public and positive evaluation of homosexuality from a religious perspective, and composed the first public statement in support of bisexuality from a religious assembly. 

In the 1960s and 1970s, many gay rights activists were trained by Quakers in nonviolent resistance, some influential gay rights leaders were Quakers themselves, and a few important gay rights organizations operated out of Quaker-owned properties. Eye-witness reports state that Quakers were present at the Stonewall riots. They were also the only religious group to march in the first gay pride parade. 

This book tells the story of Quaker support for gay liberation between 1946-1973 as demonstrated through Quaker experiments in criminal justice reform, challenges to Christian moral codes, and advocacy for attitudinal change within the Religious Society of Friends.

If anyone wants to join, the zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2065476449.

AND from AFSC Quaker Engagement

Dear Friend,   You are invited to join an AFSC presentation hosted by University Friends Meeting on Sunday, March 2. Brian Blackmore, AFSC's Director of Quaker Engagement, will provide an overview of AFSC's work to build peace around the globe, and share opportunities for Friends to engage with our work and programs.    As the Director of Quaker Engagement, Brian's work concentrates on leading AFSC’s efforts to build nurturing, trusting, and engaged relationships with Quaker faith communities, schools, and organizations in the U.S. and around the world.   Friends from Seattle are welcome to join for meeting for worship at 11 a.m. before the presentation at 12:30 p.m. Please feel free to share this invitation with members of your community.   Sunday, March 2: University Friends Meeting 12:30 p.m. 4001 9th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105

In Peace,    AFSC Quaker Engagement

Putin in Pink Hair! Russia is more WOKE than Trump's America, if virulent rhetoric doesn't count

RantWoman has A LOT to say about this week's Oval Office meltdown featuring the US President, Vice President and Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky.

All RantWoman is going to say here: MAYBE events would have made more sense if the vibe were just Professional Wrestling and everyone were in tights and the level of trash-talking were obvious to everyone. At least professional wrestling usually does not involve a total body count of over a million counting both sides.

In any case, RantWoman directs readers' attention to a rant by one of RantWoman's favorite YouTube from exile channels and a guy named Roman. AT LEAST FOR NOW, while the US military is busy trying to rid itself of trans troops and the current administration is finding every way it can to erase transgender identities, Russia is a TINY bit ahead of the US about one small civic recognition of the existence of trans people.