06/18/25
Good morning! It’s Wednesday, June 18th.
International Day for Countering Hate Speech.
Great! Try. Give it your best. Please.
And now, the news.
Israel/Iran
Starting with Israel and Iran.
First, a quick update. Late Monday night, Trump did a 180 and ended up signing the call for peace that the rest of the G7 signed. It’s not clear what in the original document was changed that made Trump sign it, but I will note that the call for peace that came out calls Iran “the principal source of regional instability and terror.”
When asked if he would go to the Middle East to negotiate peace, Trump said, “We’re talking. We have a thing called the telephone, so we’re talking. It’s always better to talk in person.”
Man – can you please just answer a question normal for once? We know about telephones! Are you going or not?
Speaking of… he also said that the United States knows exactly where Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah is. But he’s just not telling.
Be normal!
You know what he is? He’s the kid in high school he knows the two guys fighting and he knows that knowing them makes him part of it and being part of it makes him popular. When in reality all he’s doing is making it worse except in high school, the worst thing that could happen is that friends wouldn’t know where to sit for lunch. And here it’s, you know… a world war.
And let’s talk about the language Trump is using here.
Because for someone who wants to stay out of it, he sure is using the word we a lot.
“We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.”
Well, the United States doesn’t have control over those skies. But if you’re saying Israel does, and you’re using the word we… are you aligning us with them? That feels like something I’d like to have an official, perhaps Congressional, conversation, about.
Trump also posted on Monday that, as he was saying he knows where Iran’s leader is, that he’s not going to “take him out (kill!) at least for now.”
Yeah man, we know what “take him out” means. It’s also illegal for the United States to kill a foreign leader. Small hiccup, I know, but just thought I’d mention it.
He also said he wants an all caps “unconditional surrender” from Iran as his patience, something he’s not exactly famous for, grows thin. Saying that he wants “an end, a real end, not a ceasefire,” or he was considering “giving up entirely.”
On Twitter, that same supreme leader of Iran said, “the battle begins.”
So that’s where things stand right now. Israel and Iran are still trading missiles back and forth, while the world waits to see if Trump decides he wants to formally get involved and launch his own missile against Iran. This is an extremely scary situation. And I’m just talking about us, here in America.
Imagine living in Israel. In Iran. There is a human cost. These are human beings. Just trying to live their lives.
Trump Block on Passport Law
-via Reuters
A little bit of good news for Pride month – a rare bit of good news, frankly. On Tuesday, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from being able to force transgender and nonbinary Americans to mark the sex they were assigned at birth on their passport.
It was as likely unconstitutional.
We love to see it.
Lawmakers Arrested in New York
-via AP News
In New York on Monday, while linking arms with a man who authorities were attempting to detain, the New York City Comptroller, Brad Lander, who happens to also one of the mayoral candidates, was arrested!
He was there observing immigration court hearings and told a reporter for the Associated Press that he was there to accompany some of the immigrants out of the building.
Who was he arrested by? I don’t totally know. Because they were in plain clothes. Plain clothes, hats, and some were in KN95 masks.
He was violently grabbed by unidentified men in masks.
The charge was later dropped, but still… arrested!
Just add it to the list of lawmakers being arrested or detained for simply trying to get a clear picture of what, exactly, is happening at these hearings and detention facilities which, by the by, they have a right to do.
Update: Los Angeles
Here in Los Angeles… we’re good! You know – as good as we can be whilst in the middle of a hostile government takeover.
Mayor Karen Bass has lifted the city curfew because we have been on our best behavior!
So when… what’s up with the National Guard? Great question, I’m so glad you asked. The court would also like to know. On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard the California challenge to Trump’s federalization of said troops.
No decision was handed down on Tuesday, and the judges didn’t give any indication on when they would give a decision.
I hope soon!
While that was happening, on the other side of the country, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had to be rushed to the hospital after having an allergic reaction. To what, we don’t know. She was alert and talking. Probably ordering more deportation from the hospital.
She was probably asking the doctor but where are you REALLY from? as they were checking her temperature.
She’s fine! Jokes are okay.
I wonder what she’s allergic to. Not in a mean way. I’m just a curious person. I’m allergic to wasabi.
And that’s it. That’s the news.
It’s also International Sushi Day. A real danger day for me.
I’m proud of… food. Food of all kinds, really.
But more than that. Because you are also the best… I’m proud of you.