Blog Archives

hands off

Hands off a lot of things, in addition to what she mentions on her sign.

Remember the other day when I wrote about the guy in a truck who dusted us with lots of black exhaust as he drove by? This woman gave notes on his performance – she said, “Oh, aren’t you tough?”

Lubbock, Texas
photographed 5.3.2025

while you can

She’s not wrong.

She. Is. Not. Wrong.

Lubbock, Texas
photographed 5.3.2025

power to the people

…and here we are, back to my regular stuff.

I have now attended a total of three protests in my entire life, and this was the most recent one.

A guy in a giant pickup drove by, as slowly as he could, while copious amounts of thick black exhaust covered us. And a vehicle (a pickup, if you really want to know) full of white guys was stopped at the light where they took advantage of the timing to shout racist things at us.

But it was worth it to make our views and concerns seen by people who maybe didn’t realize what was – and is – happening.

Lubbock, Texas
photographed 5.3.2025

no kings #2

Trump’s proposed budget cuts will hit veterans with a lot of force. Here are some things that are at risk at the current time:

  1. Eroding the federal workforce. Veterans make up nearly 30% of federal workers (and 6.1% of the total population) so they will be disproportionately affected by federal worker cuts.
  2. Gutting VA healthcare. The Biden administration was committed to fully staffing the VA healthcare system, and now that same system is facing the loss of 83,000 jobs.
  3. Destaffing the suicide hotline. There is already an average of 17.6 veteran suicides PER DAY in the US and that’s with a hotline in operation. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among veterans who are under 45 years old. Can you imagine what will happen if that life-saving assistance is just…gone?
  4. Losing research. Current social science research about substance use, mental health, and other issues as they relate to veterans has been suspended, as has research on how poverty and race impact veterans’ health outcomes.
  5. Looming cuts to other benefits. This includes Medicaid, SNAP, housing assistance, food assistance, WIC, and so forth.

During Trump’s first term, he said he was committed to expanding veterans’ services. Now, apparently, he doesn’t give a shit.

Lubbock, Texas
photographed 4.19.2025

no kings #1

I’ve been to two protests in life. They were two weeks apart. There’s something in the air* that’s pulling me toward these groups and of course I bring my camera along with me…

Lubbock, Texas
photographed 4.19.2025

*And that sign is right: a lot people are indeed afraid to speak out.