Jacob Hoopes surrenders to begin serving 900 days in prison

For the record:

1. RantWoman is a judgmental WITCH about any event where a law enforcement officer gets hit in or near the eye because a protestor throws a rock. Doesn't matter the protest. Doesn't matter if the protest is about odious and despicable official behavior. RantWoman as a legally blind / blind / low vision (choose a label) person is just a judgmental WITCH.

2. RantWoman is also a judgmental witch about everything to do with ICE. RantWoman is happy to pray that all will immediately repent, re-evaluate their lives, and work for real justice.

3. RantWoman has gone to jail more than once for actions related to protesting. Every single time, RantWoman winds up reflecting on her own privilege, By privilege, RantWoman means not only big differences between her life and the lives of others around her but also the number of potentially awkward moments when RantWoman hears "Good for you."  See also the history of early Quakers going to prison for practicing their faith and turning into giant prison reformers. What will that bode, for Jacob and for everyone following his case.

With that as intro:

Hoopes Begins 30-Month Prison Sentence at Minimum-Security Camp in Oregon [Updated] - Friends Journal

from the Daily Bulletin at Annual Session

Dear NPYM Friends,

We dropped our son Jacob Hoopes off at prison in Sheridan, Oregon, this afternoon. Our hearts are heavy, but our spirits are buoyed up by the tremendous love and Light that has been pouring in from all corners of the Earth. Thank you, more than words can say.

We have updated the https://www.900daysoflight.com/ webpage (copy and paste the url) with a brief video of Jacob, which he filmed before surrendering himself. As we said our farewells, Jacob showed his extraordinary courage, present-mindedness, and mettle. I believe in him. And thanks to so much love from so many supporters, he believes in himself, too.

Onward, with love overflowing,

Tom Hoopes

Robert Jacob Hoopes

#98782-511

P.O. Box 6000 – Camp

Sheridan, OR 97378

RantWoman quite likes the "Adopt-a-Day" concept mentioned on the website. RantWoman notes that the earliest available free day is in October. RantWoman would love a way to know what activities will come with every adopted day. RantWoman will continue to spend some part of every day fighting the horrible attitudes among many in the US who have gotten the country and ICE to the outrageous mess where the US currently finds ourselves.

And one venue for this fight: plenty of people in RantWoman's circles who think the country is already full and there are not enough resources that blind people need now so we can't afford to let anyone else in. NO sense at all that defending people's civil rights means defending everyone's civil rights.

Where in the world is Conflict Is A Gift of God Friend?

Spoiler alert: apparently many Friends were wondering whether a certain Friend had perhaps fallen ill. Conflict is a Gift of God Friend was attending a family wedding and did show up in the closing Zoom.

But wait, there's MORE.

Bless your heart to the Friend whose message of hope and reminiscence of events 20+ years ago also, probably unintentionally, summoned Conflict is a Gift of God Friend to RantWoman's mind. The memory: very lumpy ground. Conflict is a Gift Of God Friend dragging RantWoman and newly adopted white cane across lumpy ground instead of respecting RantWoman's preference for reasonable concrete on the sidewalk. 

This was only the first of several Grab the Blind Person and Bless Them moments before RantWoman decided just not ever to try to go walking with Conflict is a Gift of God Friend.

The original abwun prayer :

 #LordsPrayer

Provocative, to say the least

#AbolishICE and STAY OUT OF JAIL.

 #Protest #ICE #Injury

Hoopes Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Assaulting an ICE Agent - Friends Journal

Article contains clear acceptance of responsibility as well as statements from the government and the judge.

Previously

Hoopes Pleads Guilty to Assaulting an ICE Agent, Faces Up to 20-Year Sentence - Friends Journal

RantWoman's judgmental and possibly unhelpful comments:

DO NOT DO ANYTHING that might be construed as assault at a protest!

Anyone not confident that they can stay centered in a given situation should definitely consider sitting out a protest. There are MANY ways to stand for justice. Know yourself. Know the situation. Know the people you are with. Avoid actions that you might be embarrassed about later.

Even though information suggests the officer's injury was comparatively minor, RantWoman is SEVERELY humor-impaired about any and all injuries around someone's eyes or face.

And at the same time, plenty of undertrained #ICE agents perpetrating the current barbarities, in RantWoman's eyes, also bloody well deserve prison sentences for the many assaults and injuries that come with their nearly lawless operational rules.

#AbolishICE

End the barbaric mass deportation efforts and get our collective legislative and national acts together to do serious immigration reform.

Canada offers the US legal guardianship

#Canada  

Canada takes legal guardianship of the United States

"When you find a competent adult to finally take over, we will gladly step aside."

Registration now for spring Pacific NW Quarterly Meeting, April 24-26 2026

For registration process, go to pnqm.org

Text of the plenary description because RantWoman has not even responded to a question about physical accessibility, let alone flown into sufficient rage about WHY TEXT IN GRAPHICS ARE AN ACCESSIBILITY PROBLEM

(The Good news: the registration form gives LOTS of ways to make needs known)

Panelists

Sarah June Welker, Center for Development in Central America

Joe Snyder, Guatemala Friends Scholarship Program

Even Welkin, Friends World Committee on Consultation Section of the Americas

DDay Remembrances?

RantWoman wants to offer the following #DDayRemembrance and #HappyBirthday greeting for #Secdef Pete Hegseth.

RantWoman means absolutely no disrespect to the #DDayAnniversary. RantWoman is even interested to learn that you did PT with US troops on one of the #DDay beaches. RantWoman absolutely considers that a more respectful gesture than past performances by the current #CommandInThief. 

That said, RantWoman is calling you, Secretary Hegseth, for only some of the reasons you deserve both prayers and severe eldering. Pardon the Quakerese. Eldering is Quakerese for stern admonishment.

RantWoman posted something like the following on X / Twitter / Elon's sandbox.

Dear Mr. #SecDef.

Warm #DDay2025 greetings and #HappyBirthday.

Could you please help me out, sir? 

When you get done deciding that heroes like Harriet Tubman, harvey Milk, all the highly rated transgender troops, and all the people you are trying to purge from US Military Academy libraries, DOD websites, and dozens of other resources, I am a little stuck about a question.

Your Wikipedia page, Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia says you were admitted to West Point, the US military academy but that you chose Princeton, also as it happens RantWoman's alma mater, over West Point because you wanted to play basketball. But look. Wikipedia says that West Point also has an NCAA division 1basketball team.  What exactly was wrong with the Black Knights? Army Black Knights men's basketball - Wikipedia

Please understand, considering all of your media pronouncements, a story major media has not really picked up from the Daily Princetonian about what can be charitably described as some poorly referenced citations from your senior thesis, RantWoman has a pretty strong "inquiring minds want to know" reflex? Were you really admitted to the US Military academy or was that an effort to puff up your resume?

I understand you are quite busy what with wanting to send Marines to Los Angeles and helping prepare for #CadetBoneSpurs efforts to hog the limelight on the 250th anniversary of the US Army, so no need to rush.

Sincerely,

RantWoman, Princeton Class of 1985

Stand And Deliver and Please say your name?

Stand and Deliver but Please Say your name first.

"Please join us today ... for singing and worship.

When delivering a message please state your name first."

RantWoman understands hesitation about applying one's own name to ministry which is supposed to come directly from God. In RantWoman's experience messages from God sometimes arrive imperfectly depending on the personalities they arrive to. Recognizing this is part of the task of worshipping together, but there is a further fellowship reason for this practice in the age of Zoom. 

For various reasons, Friends need desperately to know who they are worshipping with. This is difficult if one can't see across the room or is prone to misidentifying blobs sitting far away. For RantWoman, merely seeing a beloved Friend's name in the Zoom participants list is often enough to fill her heart with joy. Rantwoman can also play around with magnification enough to see faces in detail she cannot see in person. 

In a hybrid meeting, though, RantWoman, especially for newcomers, RantWoman sometimes has no clue who is speaking and deeply appreciates Friends offering their names just to help RantWoman better retain connection between the message and the person it has been given to.

Stand and Deliver: taming the Owl

Many Friends Meetings now use an Owl 360 degree camera. Once again, issues which vex RantWoman also tend to vex other people. The Owl is supposed to track voices and point toward whoever is speaking. RantWoman is unclear about why this does not always work and about what Friends can do to attract the owl's attention before delivering a message. 

Some Friends try vigorously flapping their arms. Standing and offering one's name is one easy way to ensure that the Owl points toward a person offering ministry. It turns out that many people who join worship on Zoom really appreciate being able to see the Friend who is speaking.

Stand and don't deliver: Running out of someone's Light

While digesting Stand and Deliver considerations, RantWoman has been reminded of a different supposedly nonviolent practice: "stand and don't deliver." This refers to a practice when people in the room have grown tired of a message, of one or more Friend and sometimes everyone else standing to "hold silence." 

This of course works brilliantly--NOT--when someone can't see across the room to tell people are standing. RantWoman has also come to realize that  when the whole room is standing, it may be nothing wrong with the speaker but simply Friends uncomfortable with imperfections in delivery, bafflement about the tone or content of a message. In other words, perhaps it is not the speaker but the room that has gone beyond their Light!

Merely standing until silence returns, at least for RantWoman, feels stifling and completely unhelpful in terms of getting to places where messages may be more clear or Friends may figure out where messages might fall on less rocky ground. At a BARE minimum, is there room for Friends to speak to the Friend one is trying to silence one on one? OR is there work for the whole Meeting to do?

Here RantWoman is going to stop for now lest she succumb to a temptation to go off at GREAT length about perpetual need for CLERKS to be open to CONTINUING REVELATION about working with the voices Friends bring.

Popcorn in response to Plaintive requests

The Christmas cactuses

 I will not trivialize other people's spiritual undertakings!  I will not trivialize other people's spiritual undertakings!  I will not trivialize other people's spiritual undertakings!  I will not trivialize other people's spiritual undertakings!  I will not trivialize other people's spiritual undertakings!

For several months, RantWoman has been scribbling the exhortation to herself above on her mental chalkboard in response to a Friend's quest in a monthly newsletter for sharing about plastics, ardent veganism, and now air travel. The please for feedback have grown so plaintive that RantWoman is going to go all Santa Claus on the situation and offer gifts or at least popcorn kernels on each topic. Considering the season think of it as holiday decorations stringing together popcorn and cranbeeries.

Plastics:

RantWoman has been carrying water bottles for years because she hates the idea of leaving behind a planet littered with indestructible plastic bottles.

RantWoman prefers food she makes at home and transports in an assortment of reusable containers over food encased in commercial plastic. RantWoman could probably achieve more consistency about this, but...

RantWoman specifically buys products made of recycled plastic if they are available aind meet RantWoman's needs.

RantWoman has a number of neighbors whose lives would be way more miserable without many kinds of plastic healthcare products.

At the same time, after a number of forays into disaster preparedness projects, RantWoman has come to see that in a disaster with water in short supply and possibly LOTS of people in eed of water, that small bottles of water have value both in terms of sanitation and in terms of stretching, sharing resources.

RantWoman wishes to call out a massive instance of internationally losing perspective over plastic drinking straws. RantWoman recalls a few years ago with news was filled with accounts of a giant churning gyre of plastic in the Pacific ocean. Barely a word has been said about the thousands of tons of old fishing gear dumped all over the world's oceans. RantWoman has not heard of anything done to actually clean up the gyre. Instead, RantWoman's life has been filled with vehemence in several directions about plastic drinking straws.

Plastic drinking straws are now very hard to come by. Many people with various disabilities rely on plastic straws to eat. The market has now delivered various biodegradable straws, some of which start to degrade as soon as they are inserted into liquid. The market has also delivered metal straws which are hard to clean. And still no word about the trash gyre or the wasted trawling gear.

Is anyone led to track down updates on the garbage gyre and maybe to draw others into efforts to CLEAN UP THE MESS? 

RantWoman's thoughts: go easy on the plastics whenever possible, but further agitation is beyoned RantWoman's ken.

Veganism: 

RantWoman admits that going straight to vegan from buying a quarter of a cow every year to cut up and freeze is a HUGE change. RantWoman also understands water, grain, lack of biodiversity in poultry flocks, the market insanity of Big Meat, cow methane, health reasons to go light on meat. 

So far, RantWoman is happy to plan shared food with vegans in mind. RantWoman has cut back on egg consumption. RantWoman only occasionally cooks with beef and presently is EXTREMELY grateful for a really nice do on a pot of mushroom barley soup. RantWoman has other meat facts in her life but definitely decided that a food plan promising to deliver pounds of various meets at least every 2 months was going to be WAY too much for RantWoman to eat. RantWoman also goes a little nuts without a certain level of dairy consumption. 

Oops, and here we come to an intersection between plastics issues and RantWoman's disinclination to go entirely vegan: yogurt containers. RantWoman does not have it in her to cut out the plastic containers and make her own yogurt. RantWoman does ruthlessly reuse containers as many ways as possible. Vessels for taking out compost are a big one. RantWoman would consider using yogurt containers to help sprout seeds for the herb garden she plans to make. RantWoman also TRIES to route things like yogurt containers to the correct recycling stream. Okay that is more aspirational than realized, but here we are.

For better or worse as far as the future of the planet and the need to be vigilant against market controlling multinationals, RantWoman had to admit that going further on the vegan path is low on her list of considerations for paths to spiritual improvement.

Airplane travel

Just buy some carbon offsets already?

Actually, buy some carbon offsets and support reforestation regardless of whether there is air travel involved. Bonus climate badass points for also investing in indigenous communities' efforts to fight the deforestation that Big Meat brings.

Does RantWoman oversimplify?

Look, fascinating and aw-inspiring as air travel is, the free market in overcrowded airports, overstressed flight crews, schedule hiccups, and multiple other strands of logistical nightmares is more than enough to deter RantWoman from all but the most necessary trips!

RantWoman also realizes A LOT of air travel happens in the name of diplomacy and everything to do with wars. So promoting peacebuilding is ONE way to cut back on GHG. Another way to cut back on carbon emissions: don't focus only on air travel: RantWoman and probably other Friends can help anyone who is not already in the bus and bike and walk fan club think about how to reduce carbon emissions in daily life.

If the goal is to support the lives of Quakers in the global south, is it better to fly people from rich countries to listen to Friends from the very large Yearly Meetings in the global south OR do Friends in the global north need educating so badly that care should be taken to invite Friends from the global south to travel in the ministry, brave visa hassles, and do the emotional work of educating and educating?

Epilog:

There. RantWoman is responding to an invitation that apparently no one else responded to. Is anyone feeling challenged? Preached at? Not listened to? LIke maybe inspired with a nugget to grab onto and run with?  

Yep. That happens sometimes.

Like "Oh, RantWoman, noting is ever good enough for you or you are too much of a martian or..."

Yep. That happens sometimes too..

Can we talk about, oh I dunno, grace and being open to continuing revelation???

Ladies and Germs

RantWoman wants to thank everyone who interacted with her invitation to come to an online graduation event for the Third Cohort of the AFB Blind Leadership Development Program. RantWoman asked for a formal agenda and got a Word document with the "run of show." 

RantWoman's initial reaction: "ugh. I thought the participants were going to be a bigger part of the presentation." Some of the presentation even made RantWoman grumpy. So RantWoman is really glad to know some of the entourage she invited found all that other talking very meaningful.

RantWoman is deeply amused: she herself got interrupted during both segments of the program where participants graduation videos played and literally no one RantWoman knows can tell RantWoman whether her own video was included. (Ugh. RantWoman should have checked before submitting. There are good technical reasons RantWoman expects better of herself.)

In any case, RantWoman thinks there will be a link to a video soon. Many other participants spoke eloquently to what the program meant to themselves and also RantWoman. RantWoman is either going to re-record her graduation video or just post the text as part of a series of reflections. 

In the meantime, RantWoman needs to talk about Ladies and Germs Guy, pronoun wars and what to say when RantWoman's brain does not need any help wandering down all sorts of mental rabbit holes from the outset of an event.

This BLDP cohort all gathered in person in Louisville KY in August. We got started working our way through a program called The Leadership Challenge. We got to know one another. RantWoman was the only one who mentioned pronouns and "non-binary" would have been a completely alien concept. RantWoman does not remember precisely where Ladies and Germs Guy is from. This is probably just as well. Over the program he proved himself insightful, outspoken and willing to take initiative. And in Louisville, almost every time he spoke he addressed the room as "Ladies and Germs."

RantWoman notes that none of the other guys in the room took offense at this out loud. RantWoman also decided to tend to matters with her fellow and others on her table team. Then everyone returned home, continued various strands of work. The first time Ladies and Germs Guy posted in our electronic classroom, he also opened with "Ladies and Germs." At this point, RantWoman posted something about not knowing whether any of the guys were offended but that RantWoman herself does not need any help about her mind wandering off all sorts of directions. 

Other people in the group emailed and thanked RantWoman. Ladies and Germs guy shifted to a less distracting greeting, for most of the program. But on graduation day he again addressed us as Ladies and Germs when posting a thank you.

At this point, RantWoman offered the following comments.

"Hi (Ladies and Germs Guy)

"You do you.

"People say that to me when they wonder about me persisting in some of my quirks. The interesting thing about 'germs,' in an age where I let one of my twitter feeds fill with pronoun wars, is that in this context it may or may not be gender specific.

"Anyway, thanks for the update about a work issue. I have so many situations where I basically get to build the next step on a ladder or across a bridge. Interesting that ChatGPT was helpful.

"(in response to another part of the comment) Lyft is definitely not the only tech co where layoffs are being done REALLY crudely with those who remain overworked and demoralized. 

"Meanwhile, I also wish I would stop hearing about Lyft drivers who try to get out of picking up passengers with guide dogs. The most recent case involved a federal appellate court judge in Washington DC. And we won't even talk about travelers with wheelchairs, walkers, strollers..

"Anyway, I hope we will all stay in touch and keep growing..." (English to Quakerese translation would perhaps mention continuing revelation."

Governor to Governor

News ahead of the gubernatorial exchange below:

The #IDLeg just enacted bills attempting to ban interstate travel for abortion and gender affirming care.

The #WALeg just defeated one anti-trans bill and enacted sanctuary state legislation designed to protect people who come to WA or assist anyone in coming to WA for reproductive health or gender affirming care.

RantWoman wishes to thank her favorite ardently Catholic eastern WA newspaper columnist and her Twitter feed for calling the following exchange of gubernatorial Perspectives.

KREM WA Gov. Inslee asks ID Gov. Little to veto "abortion trafficking" bill 

Go. Inslee's letter is in the link above.

KREM: ID Gov LIttle Responds to letter from WA Gov Inslee

For the record:

ID also bans gender affirming care, though RantWoman has not plumbed the depths of what exactly the ban covers.

In WA the state of medical consent when young people can seek medical are on their own is 14 for everyone. RantWoman is curious how other states do or don't address this issue.

RantWoman's comments:

Thank you I guess, Gov Little, for concern about the WA Tax code. Your comments seem unhelpful in terms of changing what is the most regressive tax structure in the country.

Ummm, your state is already losing OB/GYN services because of the legal environment. Why do you imagine either new doctors or new residents want to come to ID in the current environment?

Hanukkah, not quite done

Image from StockFreeImages.com

 

RantWoman promised the year 8 Hanukkah posts and there is one more in the pipeline. The RantFamily Christmas is occurring in phases and RantWoman can give credit many places for the Hanukkah posts also occurring not quite on schedule, or doing some kind of hyphenated Quaker thing where the historical Quaker practice of not recognizing any day differently from any other collides with procrastination, at least faint desire to season possibly inflammatory content.

But it's end of the year list / 12 days of Christmas time so timeliness will occur somehow.

In the meantime as a gesture of ecology, recycling Not quite done from RantWoman's other blog...

Hanukkah, night 2, on fire all the time

Image from Dreamstime

Night 2: on being a white person with a disability, the always satisfying experience of having people's eyes glaze over so badly even RantWoman can tell just because RantWoman makes a reasonable accommodations request. Add the naive expectation that such requests can be coped with no fuss, no muss, no heads exploding at mere mention of RantWoman's name, no deciding accessibility is all handled because of some survey or that disability can be turned on and off depending on location.

RantWoman! You're harshing everyone's holiday mellow! How come all this old stuff keeps clattering out with the holiday decorations like batty guests one happens to be related to?

Ohhh. But I thought Quakers were all about every day being holy, just like every day being a good day to fight ableism Plus what holiday mellow? Vladimir Putin is threatening to nuke Yellowstone Park. Now that the January 6 Committee is finishing up its work, we are in for waves and waves of T***pist gaslighting The Sedition Caucus is about to get voted into leadership in the US House of Representatives, Seattle is dealing with snow as badly as ever. Christmas with the fam is getting upended by #COVID. This blog may be as mellow as things get.

RantWoman since you didn't get your point written during Quaker writing time, just write what's on your mind.

Dear...

It was great to (have the tech wherewithal to) participate in the most recent Board meeting. 

For the future, I need to make a standing reasonable accommodation request to have either a link to anything to be screen-shared or a copy by email. I am happy to provide probably more than enough detail to make your eyes glaze over about why I specifically need this, but others who have different disabilities have also commented that my suggestion would be a good idea. It is great to have the agenda and previous meeting's minutes available in advance online. It would be great just to make the slides available the same way.

I would prefer to have the documents in advance so that perhaps I can formulate questions for the public comment period currently set before other agenda items. However, this time I have a question based on one of the presentations.

The (team focusing on meeting the needs of BIPOC people in need of housing) is doing a great job. Do you have any data about what percentage of the people being served identify has having a disability?  What about the people who do not make it through all the hoops to actually get housing?

RantWoman is happy to suggest some standard questions used by the census bureau and happy to talk about wrap around services and anecdotal data from another part of her life but first, let's please start with the reasonable accommodations request.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely 

(RantWoman)

Pastor Jamal Bryant Scorches Herschel Walker In Fiery Sunday Sermon

No, Quakers don't usually talk like this, and RantWoman appreciates it when people lay it on the line.

Happy (?) Suicide Prevention Month Oops Now it's the October Yucky Topics Festival

It's a new month and time for another exciting #NDEAM national Disabilities Employment Awareness Month Binge blog. Yes, the subject line mentions #SuicidePreventionMonth. RantWoman started this post in mid-September, but #SUicidePreventionMonth is another one of those observances that lasts all year and pops up in pastoral care moments such as "everyone I know who is queer or trans has considered suicide."

Before we go further

1.  Anyone who is feeling queasy about the suicide of a loved one, please know that there are people holding you in the Light. The rest of this post will be delivered in full RantWoman not know when to quit mode.

2. Anyone who is feeling suicidal or in crisis is encouraged to try calling the new 988 resource OR to grab a connection from any of the resources listed here. RantWoman would not in the least have minded being wrong about the fact that 988 is still way understaffed. Guess what. There is all labor shortage all over the behavioral health ecosystem.

The JASON Foundation resource list

Suicide Prevention Resource Center

3. RantWoman could just rerun a post from awhile ago. RantWoman did a search to see what she has said previously about suicide. The post mentioned below popped up with a comparatively large number of hits. Look, RantWoman is very glad to know her efforts are getting read. RantWoman is not necessarily the most approachable conversationalist and then there is the matter of the daily Yucky Topics Festival of modern life. The point: RantWoman would appreciate attempts at actual dialogue--even if RantWoman winds up wanting to duck the conversation.

Recycled Post: Electronic Hairballs--Email in times of crisis

4. RantWoman is aware that one should probably not joke about the line between suicidal and many occasions to want to mumble "it's a good thing I don't do firearms." Either way, RantWoman has lots of paths for self-care. Unfortunately, even with a good therapist, plenty of self-recognition / self-help videos on Youtube, assorted spiritual practices, and basics like to take a walk, sometimes one of them is giving up on sleeplessness and just tending to what hits the keyboard.

 

5. Expanding on a content warning because RantWoman's head was about to explode

RantWoman, why you gotta put all this all over your blog?

Because "Oops, ouch Whoa" doesn't quite do it around some "head about to explode" moments.

Because RantWoman is really bleeping tired of hearing either "I don wanna.." or "it won't do any good..." EVERY single time RantWoman asks anyone for a clearness committee. No one WANTS to need to deal with mid-life vision loss. Tough! Guess what! Of COURSE it won't do any good if no one tries!

Because RantWoman basically cares for everyone in the soap opera and keeps wanting to try the fogive / not forget how about we talk about how to DO BETTER NEXT TIME. Exquisitely piquant further detail available upon request.

PS. RantWoman has caved to a demand from Ambassador Thwack the Badly Behaved White Cane and Anger Management Consultant to include the following additional admonition.

If you ever, ever, ever are tempted to say around RantWoman "If I were blind I would commit suicide, please [ERROR: total failure of the Excessively Plain English to Quakerese filter ]{ALERT: filter restored } get a handle on your own ableism and do not assume that any one person's emotional pooper scooper will be operational. RantWoman will also do the best she can not deliberately to oppress you on account of sight-dependence.

Interest Group Evaluation "Punishment is not Accountability."

RantWoman deeply appreciates transparency. RantWoman also likes it when data gets reviewed by more than one set of eyes. RantWoman writes of a Friend who personally has a mixed record in RantWoman's experience about the more than one set of eyes and about many questions here. RantWoman writes holding this Friend an multiple others present in an NPYM Interest Group in the Light. RantWoman also writes from a perspective of "these are RantWoman's thoughts now and are subject to further discernment.

Feedback on Mackenzie's abolition workshop "Punishment is not Accountability"

Thank you Friends, for helping me reflect on and improve this workshop! Your responses below are anonymous and no identifying details will be shared, though I might use short quotes from them to let University Friends Meeting know what Friends who attended my workshop thought, when I am asking them for a travel minute.

RantWoman is often deeply allergic to others speaking on her behalf or taking something out of context. So RantWoman is proud to speak for herself and happy to own whatever may result. Valuable discussion occurred. RantWoman offers a number of points for further discernment.

RantWoman is a language geek. She can ALWAYS start a conversation asking to define terms. Readers are asked, PLEASE do the best you can not to take this personally and to attend to RantWoman's need to be faithful to her Light.

Travel Minute? Would there be any plans for a support and accountability committee? For formal recognition of an elder to help hold space at events? Oh, wait: RantWoman in "teach a person to fish" mode is not going to comment here about existence of any shared understanding of such Quaker pastoral support concepts. RantWoman would be WAY too happy to comment about people trying to wear too many hats and cultivating such practices takes attention. Those are topics for another day.

Punishment?

Accountability?

In RantWoman's estimation there was interesting discussion of several points which could have maybe gone further. However the Interest Group never wandered very near definitions of either term.

RantWoman notes this without comment about whether that is a catastrophe. RantWoman appreciates information in the interest group description to a shortened version of a 6-hour workshop. In RantWoman's experience the arc for an interest group of 1.5 hours is very different from on for 6 hours.

There is a formatting issue for the rest of this post. RantWoman is having trouble dealing with in the rest of the survey. RantWoman interacts with Google forms all the time without accessibility issues. The difference is that RantWoman wants to share both questions and her responses. RantWoman hopes Readers can bear with jumping back and forth

Did RantWoman feel safe...dignity and humanity respected?

Mackenzie has done and continues to do MANY things that make RantWoman feel shoved aside, ignored, and like serious concepts important to RantWoman do not matter at all. None of this makes RantWoman feel like her dignity and humanity are respected. On the contrary, Mackenzie's actions like those of many others make it abundantly clear to RantWoman that she needs to continue to be faithful to her Light.

Mackenzie is not alone. RantWoman wanted to see how the interest group evolved and is clear about ongoing issues but VERY unclear about paths for better discussions. Apparently, one of RantWoman's ONGOING access needs is for time and paths to discussion events and circumstances after the fact. RantWoman would VERY much appreciate BEING ASKED--and NOT JUST BY MACKENZIE-- what "do better next time" might look to RantWoman. RantWoman also reminds one Friend who had her characteristically superficial reaction to RantWoman's inquiry that she probably has in her email multiple suggestions about how to "pick one thing" to do next.

RantWoman felt "safe enough" for several reasons:

--There were many people RantWoman considers wise Friends and / or wants to uphold in their various forms of witness.

--"abolition" was probably not the sense of the whole room.

--RantWoman managed not to blurt out everything that came to mind when an article in the Atlantic about gun violence came up. RantWoman figured she should at least read the article because her "whoa!" was not going to make it out of her mouth kindly during the interest group.

--RantWoman had the option of attending by Zoom. This cuts way down on options for "grab the blind person and bless them" or "RantWoman is saying something we object to so let's give RantWoman a hug never mind whether it makes RantWoman feel smothered." Speaking of bodily autonomy and why, besides recent Supreme Court rulings, this remains a hot button bring it up over and over topic for RantWoman, ...

How comfortable....?

See answer above: Also, whether or not RantWoman feels comfortable may or may not have anything to do with a clear sense of call to be present! RantWoman considers it bad form to dump out everything in her bag of OUCHES in another person's interest group. RantWoman generally considers it ableist to assume that just because one has good intentions and does SOME things right that there cannot be other forms of ableism going on. Somehow, this topic probably belongs with further work around oops Ouch Whoa.

Did you feel heard and valued...?

RantWoman has NO idea how to judge that. Partly that is visual cues. Partly it is realities of Zoom including everyone staying muted so non-verbal reactions can't be heard.

RantWoman cannot remember whether there was a separate Zoom host. RantWoman STRONGLY believes that a person conducting an interest group should have a co-host. At best, this can help hold space if something comes up that flusters or upsets the presenter.

Somewhere in this Interest Group it dawned on RantWoman that it would be good to have a set of accessibility tips to send to presenters in future years.

Did you feel Spirit moving?

RantWoman can't decide whether just to leave it at "Yeah, I guess" or to have a rant about how this question seems very theologically superficial to RantWoman. Since RantWoman was asked...

Honestly, RantWoman feels like she has TRIED to have conversations about this very topic. Just because email may not be the best venue does not mean there are not conversations to have.

And just like that, RantWoman looked away from typing and two related links popped out.

From Radical Discipleship: Contagion

because frankly, the words "Discipleship" and Contagion BOTH matter.

The article referenced in the above extract

Yes Magazine :Murmurations Love looks like Accountability

Several Multiple Choice questions:

RantWoman is going to admit she has no brain cells even to interact but would VERY much appreciate some kind of compilation of how others responded. Given certain ISSUES, some kind of public compilation is what RantWoman is asking for.

Any other advice?

This whole blog post is full of advice and suggestions. RantWoman is happy to talk further about any of them. NO ONE should try to carry the weight of all of them. RantWoman hopes these comments offer points for Mackenzie and others to work with.

RantWoman generally appreciates boldness and initiative.

RantWoman can cite a long list of "Do Better Next Time." Some of the time RantWoman can relate to the advices something like " you have to tell people something seven times..." Some of the time RantWoman feels a little like Charlie Brown and the football. Why RantWoman feels like that is for another post.

Any other advice....?

 

 

How safe did you feel during this workshop? Did Mackenzie do anything to make you feel more or less safe? In this context, safety might look like having your humanity and dignity respected.

RantWoman felt "safe enough" in this interest group because of the presence of other Friends. Mackenzie remains completely unable to have conversations which should not be hers alone about some specific ableism issues

How comfortable did you feel during this workshop? Did Mackenzie do anything to make you feel more or less comfortable? Did you feel comfortable enough to speak up?

Your answer

Did you feel heard and valued during the workshop?

Your answer

Did you feel Spirit moving in this workshop?

Your answer

Since taking the workshop, do you feel like you now know more about police and prison abolition?

Yes, I learned a lot!

Yes, I learned a few things.

Maybe I learned something?

No, I didn't learn much.

Since taking the workshop, do you feel more enthusiastic to continue learning about police / prison abolition and non-penal ideas for how to engage with harm and accountability?

Yes, very!

Yes, a little.

Not really, but that's because I already was very enthusiastic and I still am!

I don't know.

No, I feel like I have learned enough for now.

Other:

Since taking the workshop, do you feel more enthusiastic to talk further about harm and accountability with people around you?

Yes, very!

Yes, a little.

Not really, but that's because I already was very enthusiastic and I still am!

I don't know.

No, I feel like I have had enough discussion for a while.

Other:

Since taking the workshop, do you feel more enthusiastic to talk further about police and prison abolition with people around you?

Yes, very!

Yes, a little.

Not really, but that's because I already was very enthusiastic and I still am!

I don't know.

No, I feel like I have had enough discussion for a while.

Other:

Do you have any ideas or advice for Mackenzie as zie tries to follow hir leading to "do more with Quakers and abolition"?

Your answer

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