Nothing new: Weekend weather forecasts low-key all blend together at this point. You’ve lived through today, so imagine tonight’s weather will be kinda like it was during the day, but colder and darker. On Saturday, Seattle will probably see a quarter inch of rain, so don’t leave your house without an umbrella (or a water-proof hood if you’re a Real Seattleite™). It will get much dryer by Sunday. If you don’t believe me, click here. Instagram readers will just have to trust since they don’t give us page views ;)
What’s the move: I’m staying in with the girlies this weekend, but if you want to go out and have fun, EverOut has yet another great list of cheap shit to do this weekend. I recommend the transmasculine showcase tonight at Kremwerk, the Democratic Socialists of America movie night on Saturday, and the Lunar New Year celebration at Pier 62 on Sunday. There. I planned your weekend.
Another thing: Puget Sound Mobilization for Reproductive Justice will lead a march on Sunday, the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The organizers are protesting Catholic hospital mergers that continue to limit abortion, even in states with otherwise solid protections like Washington. Fittingly, the march starts at St. James Cathedral.
Wait, the Catholics can do what? Yep. Catholic institutions sometimes merge with secular hospitals. Then, that hospital can use religious protocols to deny abortion care, gender affirming care, and the right to die. I wrote about the state legislature's effort to stop the catholic church from fucking shit up in our state here. Side note, if you have an issue with me bagging on the Catholic Church, go cry to your Father, Son, Holy Spirit because I’m baptized, confirmed, and eucharist-ed Catholic. 💅😤
Whatever you do this weekend: Don’t fucking drive to Everett. KOMO says it will be a nightmare.
Fuck fossil fuel: UW students held a peaceful sit-in at the campus career center to demand the university cut ties with the fossil fuel industry, which wrecks havoc on our precious environment. The organizers, the Institutional Climate Action coalition, believe the university should take more urgent action to protect our planet. Good for them!
Also, could you imagine?
Goodspaceguy this is your chance! https://t.co/57CmiqawRv
— Angry Seattle (@angryseattle) January 20, 2023
The mutual aid groups were on to something: Earlier this week a bunch of mutual aid groups sent an open letter demanding more oversight for the Low Income Housing Institute's (LIHI) near monopoly on Seattle’s tiny shelter stock. One of the most serious accusations that the advocates raised was that LIHI did not notice two deaths in their villages for weeks. In an email to The Stranger, LIHI claimed they discovered at least one of the deaths within 72 hours. But according to records obtained by PubliCola, whether they discovered those deaths within three days or not, the King County Regional Homeless Authority (their boss) accused them of not reporting the deaths in a timely fashion.
The people want to know: The Associated Press, the Seattle Times and many other news outlets have joined forces to fight a gag order on the case of the quadruple homicide in Idaho. The judge who issued the gag order argues the media’s silence protects the suspect's right to a fair trial. The coalition argues the media plays an important watchdog role and keeps the public in the know on a case that rattled the nation.
Let's goooooo: Arizona representative Ruben Gallego is expected to announce he will challenge Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for her seat in 2024. Sinema, who recently started identifying as "independent," does her darnedest to ruin the little good Democrats try to do for their constituents. Gallego is described as a "progressive," so hopefully he can prove it, get Arizonians to dump Sinema, and bolster the Democrat's true numbers in the Senate.
Ron DeSantis is “incomprehensible” as per usual: The White House press secretary called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s decision to block a new AP African American studies class for high schoolers “incomprehensible.” Maybe the move would be incomprehensible for someone who is not a massive bigot, but this makes sense coming from his weird “Don’t Say Gay” ass. Smh.
Can't catch a break: Gov. DeSantis suffered another great embarrassment of his own volition. Today, a judge ruled that DeSantis violated the Constitution when he suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren after he pledged not to prosecute women for violating the state's strict abortion bans. Not a great look for DeSantis, but it appears he will still get his way. The judge cannot reinstate Warren and upheld the suspension, according to Politico.
I listened to One Direction this morning and it put me in a good mood. Enjoy!