Many abolitionists have complained to me that, as a traveling performer, I have not spoken to my audiences on the issue of slavery. I have received many angry letters attacking me based on assumptions about what my silence means.

Allow me to make my position clear: I oppose the institution of slavery. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, I believe it is a "moral depravity." I feel that way about other things as well.

After the raid on Harper's Ferry, the mood among Southern leaders was an existential panic and unstoppable lust for revenge. It reminded me of the Alamo. There was no reasoning with those leaders, nor could action be taken by congress. It would have required replacing most of congress and overturning decades of bipartisan negotiation and compromises. Even in the best case, it would have taken years.

But even worse, the abolitionist, pro-Negro movement quickly decided that their primary goal was not merely opposition to the reprisals or specifically cruel owners, but opposition to the entire institution of slavery, that is, opposition to the entire way of life of Southern plantation owners. And here they decided to draw the line between decent people and oppressive tyrants, which had the following consequences:

It shrunk the coalition. Most southerners support slavery. Anyone who supports the solution of having slave states and free states supports slavery.

It was politically infeasible. What is the pathway that takes us from the present situation to the abolition of slavery as an institution? I do not see how it could happen without a total collapse of the union. As usual, these Jacobins have championed a doomed cause.

The abolitionists have been distributing hundreds of pamphlets about the horrid conditions of slaves. The main effect of this has been to create a population of people in a constant state of bloodboiling rage with no consequential political outlet.

I fear this may be worse than useless. Yes, there are disingenuous proponents of slavery dismissing and censoring all criticism of slavery on the pretext of "states' rights." But there's also valid fear of historical government overreach and that fear gives power to pro-slavery leaders who say that only they can protect Southern culture.

Does this mean slavery should not be criticized? Absolutely not. But it's something I do not wish to contribute to unless if not outweighed by tangible benefits.

Many abolitionists have been single-mindedly focused on slavery, and the willingness of the Republicans to compromise on the issue, and that focus has had the following effects:

Not a single slave was freed by their efforts. Not one fewer lash was delivered by the owners.

It may have slightly contributed to the election of James Buchanan, ensuring that nothing can be done to stop the expansion of slavery into new states. Buchanan also does not support giving women like me the right to vote. A perfectly enlightened being would feel no bitterness about this, but I do.

None of this is the fault of slaves, of course, who are overwhelmingly the victims here.

But if women like me are ever going to get anywhere in this country, we need a broad movement that stands up for the rights of ALL women, REGARDLESS of their views on slavery.

“They can’t get stuck in a hurricane if they self-deport,” Bill Helmich, executive director of the Republican Party of Florida, said on X in response to concern that the facility is in an area of the state that is regularly affected by hurricanes.

Three and half years ago I decided it was time to escape the US south and I moved to a new city with no contacts, and just enough savings to stay at a motel as I searched for a job and an apartment. I managed to find both, although I wound up with a long commute. I really liked the walkable neighborhood my apartment was in, and the job was alright, and I managed to work it out to commute with public transit so that was tolerable.

But after about 2 years, my landlord sold the apartment and I had to move. Meanwhile, I was getting frustrated/bored with work, I'd been transferred to a more technical role with a promise of a raise if I did well at it - I did great but around that time the company got bought out and the promise was forgotten. I also wasn't out as trans and felt awkward coming out there. On the one hand it was an opportunity to relocate closer but I didn't really want to, instead it kinda forced a decision point where I felt like I was as empty-handed as when I first moved up.

My parents wanted me to come home for the holidays, my brother was offering to let me stay while I sort things out and think longer term than just paying the bills, and I was ready for a vacation, and I wanted travel around to visit some friends I hadn't seen in a while. So I decided to move in with my parents for a bit - a decision that I instantly regretted.

Suddenly dropping myself into an environment where I was closeted and also didn't know anyone or have any interest in left me confining myself to my room retreating into video games - to the point that it became difficult to do anything, including, y'know, leaving. The "for the holidays" I had originally planned on stretched out a lot longer than it had any right to, I felt trapped, and I just sort of dissociated.

Finally I got around to moving in with my brother, who I was also not out to, but I did at least have some more privacy and could connect with him a bit more. One day, I finally stopped retreating into games and realized that there was no way forward except through coming out, and I was able to do it.

It went poorly. He kicked me out. But I had steeled myself for it, I knew that was a possibility, and I had survived on my own before and could do it again, and having my back against the wall might have been what I needed to get my ass in gear, so I accepted it in quiet resignation. Then he changed his mind. I was confused and disoriented, things were super awkward between us, and I tried to avoid him. Then he changed his mind again. At that point I was just pissed, yelled at him, and was ready to storm out. He offered to help me with relocation expenses and if I wasn't broke I would've spit on it, instead I swallowed my pride and made peace - although we haven't spoken since.

Fortunately, as luck would have it, my elderly uncle had moved out of his house in the suburbs outside of the city I'd moved to, and I was able to talk my mom into letting me stay there. It's not the best location and the water isn't potable, and my mental health was not the best and I'd developed some bad habits so even back on my own I was just playing a bunch of video games for a while. But just as my savings were drying up, I managed to land a new job.

It's not the best job for a number of reasons, and it's just a temporary warehouse position, but it's connected to something worthwhile (science education). And, it's the first job that I've ever worked where I'm out! In the past I've always been hesitant about being out in the professional sphere. And it feels good to get out of the house and get some money rolling in (although my paycheck doesn't come til next week ), and to remind myself I'm capable of being more than a shut-in

Hopefully once I've made some money through this I'll find something else closer, and ideally fewer hours, and be able to find a happy medium between not having income and being extremely averse to spending money vs being tired out and not having enough time to enjoy life, because frankly 40 hours is too much time to spend working unless you really need it.

But for now, I'm back on my feet ~~(literally)~~ and that's a big step forward, I can feel my independence and self-confidence returning, and my desire to push away reality and retreat fading.

Never knew who the institute was named after

I've never actually made tofu because I don't cook often, but today it was on sale for $0.88/lb (limit 4) so now I have 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of tofu (3 firm, 1 extra firm) that I have no idea what to do with. The oven/stove at my place is broken, so I just have a microwave, but fwiw it has a convection option.

I know there's something about cutting it into cubes and pressing out the moisture, and I know it's really good at absorbing flavor but doesn't have much on its own, but that's about all I know. I guess I can look up recipes, but idk how to adapt them to a microwave and also online recipes are a pain because of SEO.

Thanks.

By giving white an extra half point, they would win games that would otherwise be tied, giving every* game a clear winner.

It's been rough. But at my weakest moment, a voice in my head reminded me, "You can't give in or internet communists will call you a cheesebreather." I would like to specifically thank @Angel@hexbear.net as well as anyone else who I might have seen throwing it around for keeping me honest.

My friends did pick up breadsticks for me which helped because it's basically the same kind of slop but without the cruelty.

I'm usually eating on my own where I never struggle with controlling my diet, but those social situations when it's free and I'm the only vegan in the room can be super challenging. But I know if I'd made an exception I'd feel guilty later and it would make it harder to assert in the future. Now I really need to reward myself and splurge on like the best vegan pizza I can find.

Pic of cow as a rememinder of what it's all about

Somebody had to do it.