Lauren Granite

@Am_hailey You did the right thing. Kudos.

My nephew cried for 10 minutes because I wouldn't give him the penguin plush off my backpack, and now my whole family thinks I'm a monster. It wasn't just 'a toy.' This little penguin was a gift from a close friend who lives far away, given right before he left. It's a reminder of him, always on my bag, and it means a lot to me. My 8-year-old nephew saw it and wanted it. I said no, but offered to get him a similar one. He started sobbing, saying 'but this one is already my friend!' Then the adults started giving me strange looks. My mom quietly told me it was 'just a toy on a bag' and my sister later said I made him cry over a 'stupid plush toy' and could have just given it to him. Excuse me? It just makes me so mad that my personal, meaningful gift became 'just a toy' simply because the adults found it uncomfortable to hear a child cry. Why do I have to give up something important to me to avoid family drama? I love my nephew, but that penguin stays with me.

To understand the scale of today’s Russian crime against humanity’s historical heritage: it is the equivalent of bombing St. Peter’s Basilica in a war of conquest against Italy, or Notre-Dame de Paris against France, Westminster Abbey against Britain, or Aachen Cathedral.

@chiky_handlr That's the way to do it. 👍

Harvard and Princeton graduate, Grammy winner, and former First Lady Michelle Obama appreciation post

First responders have put out the fires in Kyiv – at the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal. I am grateful to all the services working at the sites of the strikes, and to everyone who is helping. It has been confirmed that two Russian drones deliberately targeted the part of the city where the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal are located. As of now, 35 people are reported injured in Kyiv. Across the country, 53 people have been wounded, and 11 people are known to have been killed in this massive Russian attack. My condolences to all their families and loved ones. We are in constant communication with our partners regarding the consequences of this Russian attack and the necessary response. It is important that state leaders, public leaders, and international organizations do not remain silent. I have instructed Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our entire diplomatic team to maximize all contacts with partners today so that international events this week and next deliver real results for strengthening our defense and increasing global pressure on Russia over this war. We need a just response to this Russian strike. Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine.

When Notre-Dame burned in 2019, the world stopped. Today, Russia damages Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a monastery nearly 1,000 years old and older than Notre-Dame itself. A thousand years of history deserves the same attention, the same sympathy, and the same protection.

@jaynordlinger the best response is posting positive images and comments about Michelle Obama, not reposting the hateful comment—reposting only amplifies that guy's comments. that's how social media works: it amplifies whatever we put here.

An ugly, ugly side of America, put front and center. America is befouled. Our decline has been steep and grotesque.

‘‘ strong men - men who are truly role models - don't need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful.’’ - Michelle Obama

@gtconway3d please consider posting something positive about Michelle Obama to counteract this hate. by reposting the video, you're amplifying the message, no matter what the written post says.

Absolutely no bottom with these people.

@JoaquinCastrotx @paramountplus @CBS by reposting the video you amplify this man's comments. that's the way social media works. please consider removing.

So is this the kind of trash we can expect from @paramountplus (and @cbs) now?

@RepCDMenefee respectfully, please take down the video. every re-post of a horrible image or video only amplifies the message in the video, no matter what the written text says. you are inadvertently amplifying this man's comments.

They really let a UFC fighter call our only Black First Lady a man on the White House lawn at an official White House event … while thousands cheered and the biggest podcaster in the world smiled. There is no economic policy fix for this. Many of these people are just racist.

Michelle Obama Appreciation Day!! Michelle Obama is a classy, respectful, beautiful, confident, strong Black woman who graduated from Princeton University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology (cum laude) and from Harvard Law School in 1988 with a Juris Doctor.

This is a portrait I painted of one of many heroes of mine from the Civil Rights movement. The Rev. James Zwerg, circa 1961. He was one of the Freedom Riders, along with John Lewis, William Barbee, Catherine Burks, and many others, who pulled into Montgomery, AL on a bus May 20, 1961. He volunteered to step off first. The mob was waiting with baseball bats, chains, and clubs. They beat him until three of his vertebrae cracked, his nose broke, and every tooth in his head was fractured. They beat him unconscious on the pavement. A Black stranger in coveralls walked up and said, “Stop beating that kid. If you want to beat someone, beat me.” And they did. He saved Zwerg’s life. White ambulances refused to take him. He lay in the street for over an hour. That is the moment I painted. Bloodied suit. Head bowed. At Martin Luther King Jr.’s urging, Zwerg later went to seminary and was ordained in the United Church of Christ. Rev. Zwerg is now 86 and lives in Tucson, Arizona. His courage and conviction, alongside that of countless others, helped save this nation. These are the people I celebrate as we near our 250th anniversary as a nation.

@mindys4Biden Thank you for not posting the video. I will never understand how people don't understand that when we repost videos we are amplifying whatever message and images are in that video, even if the written post condemns it.

One of the fighters at this tacky event just won his fight and then got on the mic and yelled, "Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right America?" And this garbage audience cheered him. MAGAs are just disgusting people. Straight up trash.

@JessicaTarlov respectfully: every time we repost a video we amplify his message and awfulness even if the written post contradicts it. Please consider removing the video clip.

Absolute trash

@em_Lazzy Respectfully: every time we repost images he wants us to see we amplify his message and images, no matter what the written post says. Please consider removing.

He eliminated USAID, and defunded pediatric cancer research for this. He cut every worthy program so he could paint super algae-producing reflecting pools & post his name to already-named buildings- If you think this UFC spectacle didn't cost any tax payer money, you deserve to be publicly tarred & feathered.

@Timodc Respectfully, every time we repost a video we amplify the message in the video, even if the written post condemns it. Please consider removing.

“Michelle Obama is a man” shouted on the White House lawn in a ring sponsored by Bud Light only available on Larry Ellison’s Paramount Plus. What a way to celebrate America 250 and the twilight of liberal democracy.

@mary_pezzulo sounds ominous, tbh.

I have no idea what "salad cream" is and it's giving me anxiety.

@EllenBarkin Beautiful tweet (yours).

And the hunted becomes the Hunter

@Average_Jonas this is true (I'm American), but please let us enjoy the ebullience and love for a little while longer. we need it.

Maybe this is a hot take but as someone who lived in the US for 4 years before moving home to Norway, I think the US is a great country to visit, not to live in. You get all the benefits of how grand the experiences are in culture, weather, nature, food, sports etc but you don’t have to worry about healthcare, overpaid housing, taxes that fund wars instead of your well-being and a lacking infrastructure. I understand it’s a big country and I only lived in Los Angeles (which is worse than most other American cities) but you only need one small medical issue to realize how messed up the system is. Also Trump.

@theiaincameron incredible!

Hello to the 6,300 new followers. Though you’ve doubtlessly come for the World Cup geography posts, I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with a bit of this. Me today celebrating Scotland’s win by going to see some snow in the Cairngorms. Yes, this is Scotland in summer.