Laurence Berland

Just over a year ago, Google fired me, falsely claiming I violated data access policies, even though the documents and calendars in question were accessible by any employee. My coworkers and friends knew it was bullshit, and that’s what matters most. 1/

@rtwlz @_mattwelter It's back now... Are you planning to revive the site?

@_mattwelter the city has taken down the entire ticket site for "maintenance" for last few hours, so i can't refresh data and no one can pay their tickets... if it's because of me, what a reaction

CORRECTION: THE SITE'S BACK UP! GUESS WHO'S BACK, BACK AGAIN

@Miixms_ @signalapp The OP on mastodon isn't an official account for Signal. @signalapp is just sharing someone else's post.

@aboutsignal/115014293962341597" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">mastodon.social/@aboutsignal/1…

@mlysimonsen @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee Glad you're enjoying, then!

@laurenceb @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee No reason to be unhappy. Not a thing you could say would make me care about your opinion of me. 🤷‍♀️

I debated whether to share my story on here, but I guess I will. I think there's an idea out there that millions of violent criminals are pouring across the border, carrying machetes and drugs, looking to harm Americans. Certainly, while some people fall into that category, the vast majority of undocumented immigrants don't. My family escaped Vietnam after the Tet Offensive and went through an arduous journey that eventually landed them in the Canada. My father worked there for a time as a janitor; my mother, a secretary. When work fell through, my dad was offered to work with his sister in the United States, so he went, as our family needed money. He ended up staying in the US longer than he was supposed to — not knowing immigration laws — and asked my mom to come be with him. Of course, she went and carried me over the border while I was still a baby. I'm still unsure whether we technically broke an immigration law. The border between Canada and the United States was pretty porous (as it is today, for the most part). But either way, since I came here without legal documentation, I eventually fell into the category of being an undocumented immigrant. Yet, I've been in the United States since I was a baby. My identity and roots are very much based in this country, no different from anyone else. The lack of legal immigration has totally shaped my life. It has made every interaction with the law much scarier. It has shaped which opportunities I could or could not get. It has taken an emotional toll, as this legal issue hangs over your head like a black cloud. There are millions of people in my situation — people who were brought here as children, some babies, and were unable to raise their hand during this process and say "maybe we should hire a lawyer." Parents may have crossed the border not knowing about the law, as the law can be pretty confusing and lawyers are expensive. Perhaps, in the end, they should have hired a lawyer; but sometimes life is messy. In the end, they crossed for the same reason many people rise every day: to support their families. I think it's unreasonable to deport millions of people who have contributed positively to society. It's simply not true that the majority of these people are violent criminals carrying drugs. Many own small businesses; many work as skilled laborers (including garment workers!). The vast majority are good, honest people. For those of us who grew up in the United States, sending us "back" to our "home" country would mean sending someone to a foreign land, as they grew up in the United States. Tearing families apart based on immigration status seems inhumane. About twenty years ago, I watched with some small measure of hope that the Dream ACT would pass and help a portion of undocumented immigrants. I saw people march angrily in the streets (something I supported). But I was dismayed to see nothing really come about. In fact, when Obama passed DACA, I was skeptical that it would be sensible to give your information to the federal government without a guaranteed path to citizenship. It seems that the Trump administration may use those lists to hunt down immigrants. I think the ICE sweeps are inhumane. I support and admire the protestors who are putting their bodies on the line for non-violent resistance. Ultimately, I think we need to solve this issue on a systemic level. It's unreasonable to me to expect that the government will deport some 10-20 million people. Even deporting 1 million will cause an insane amount of chaos, not to mention an incredible amount of wasteful government spending. The militarization of law enforcement is over the top and only escalate the situation. I have seen people march on this issue, only for it to be dropped later and dissolve into quiet grumbles. In the end, nothing is done for immigrants. Time passes until decades later, we have another political crisis like the one we have today. This cycle seems unsustainable. I hope people sustain this energy to solve the immigration issue and put undocumented immigrants — most who are peaceful, skilled, and hard-working citizens — on a path to citizenship. As time continues to go by, many undocumented immigrants are seeing their lives wasted away. If you care about this issue, I hope you get involved on the long haul: volunteer for pro-immigrant groups, donate to mutual aid, and perhaps pursue career paths that help people in this situation. I was moved to read someone on here say that, when they found their employee was undocumented, they helped them get a green card. The path was difficult, as our immigration system is broken (it took them 11 years). But I can tell you that this is like pulling someone drowning in raging waters. Ultimately, I hope me sharing this story helps push back against the idea that all undocumented immigrants are MS-13 members. I know many people in my position and they are all like your neighbors.

@mlysimonsen @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee If, to you, "trolling" means "disagreeing with your unbacked and inaccurate assertions", you probably aren't going to be happy with your experience on sites that allow people to respond to each other.

@laurenceb @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee My “Hell no” was in regard to offering the foreign born citizenship, not that it isn’t possible. But seriously this is a day’s old argument that I am quite tired of. Go troll someone else.

@mlysimonsen @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee Just because some people have options doesn't mean everyone does. You are making an incorrect assumption. Your daughter in law's situation isn't everyone's situation, and if you did even a little research you would know this.

What a dumb statement. Like I remember all the form numbers from several years ago. It’s doable. It’s done everyday. If you don’t think so, you don’t want it badly enough. You do you. But seriously you are days late on this. This argument is so yesterday and I have no desire to argue with any more trolls. Go away.

@mlysimonsen @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee Try reading the whole thread you are participating in, it starts here x.com/WHHotCoffee/st…

@laurenceb @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee Nobody said citizenship. Hell no!

@mlysimonsen @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee You may know your daughter in law's situation and I'm sure she and your son are glad for it, but that doesn't mean you ' know "[@dieworkwear'd] situation better than [@dieworkwear ]". Do you really think all undocumented people in the US can get citizenship by filling out forms?

@mlysimonsen @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee If you don't already know which forms are needed, and aren't going to do the research, you don't actually know that it's "certainly doable" for @dieworkwear to obtain citizenship by filling out "several forms". But that's what you claimed up thread.

@mlysimonsen @dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee What forms does someone in @dieworkwear's position fill out to apply for citizenship?

@dieworkwear @WHHotCoffee You don’t know who you’re talking to. I filled out all those forms for a daughter-in-law. And since I actually did the work, you know the legal way, it kinda looks like I know “this situation better than you”.

@AMCHelps @AMCTheatres DMed you about a ticket issue but it says your response will take "24 business hours" and the show time is in 26 hours (I dunno what a business hour is!) can you please help faster?

See a tweet linked in an article, think the photo in the tweet is cool, go to press like and find out she's blocked me... Never heard of her before, never interacted, gotta wonder what that's about ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I've been trying to get help with @USPS @USPSHelp issues from the office of my congresswoman, @SpeakerPelosi , for more than 7 months. After at least a dozen calls and emails, I've gotten nowhere. I have not been able to get through to anyone at all since early July. Need help.

@Trevor4SF Your reminder that Trevor worked on McCains campaign and then for AIPAC, helping Republicans get elected. So when he calls himself a Democrat... is he?

I am very confused by why SB1524 was not limited to service charge/mandatory gratuity where all the money goes to the workers. I'm all for that in lieu of tipping! But other fees like "healthy SF" fees ARE junk fees and shouldn't be allowed. Why, @MattHaneySF @Scott_Wiener ?

UC Irvine, one of the most sterile backdrops for a college campus you will ever witness. And a woman with a soul

Please explain to me why people think it's appropriate to give me unsolicited weight loss advice.

Proud of these Googlers for taking a stand. Sad the company is retaliating (believe me, I know first hand how awful that is to experience!) but the best response is always to stand strong for what you believe; I'm so happy to see these Googlers doing that! 💙 @NoTechApartheid

@ShadowyBadger @mer__edith @elenaneira @basche42 Home grown encryption using known bad patterns. But it was devised by the founder's brother

@mer__edith @elenaneira @basche42 And even that opt-in is questionable IMO

It’s true. Signal is a better way to communicate, with everyone.

@AirlineFlyer Got a link to the actual rules?

To @sundarpichai @ThomasOrTK & other execs: We are not afraid We won't stop fighting & we won't back down. We won't stop demanding protection for Palestinian, Arab & Muslim workers We will organize until you drop Nimbus & stop powering Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza