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Big Brother Won’t Save Your Lost Dog
Politics in the US are more divisive than ever, but there are still a few topics on which most Americans can agree: apple pie is delicious, football is the most popular sport, and dogs are adorable. A penchant for protecting our four-legged friends is normally a positive, but on Super Bowl Sunday, Americans’ love for our canine companions was weaponized against us by Amazon’s Ring cameras, their partnership with Flock, and Flock’s dealings with ICE.
Moral Outrage is Political Power
Massachusetts 50501 believes it is our absolute moral and strategic imperative to push our congressional representatives hard for impeachment. We are engaging in a simple, lightweight, high-impact action that takes our message and impact directly to congress.
Rise Together
As the end of January approached, Boston found itself shivering in frigid temperatures and buried under multiple feet of snow. In the forecast? Thousands of protesters, ready to clear our streets of ICE. The last two days of January saw strikes, rallies, and protests, all held in solidarity with those who are currently undergoing a hostile government takeover in Minnesota.
365 Days of Resistance
On February 5, 2025, Mass 50501 was born (although in spirit only, not yet in name). The first event was not officially organized. People simply heard the national call for action and felt compelled to do something—anything—locally. Residents marched from the Boston Common to the JFK Federal Building to stand in opposition to the Trump regime along with every single other state as part of a nationwide mobilization: “50 states, 50 protests, 1 day.”
MA-06 Candidates Answer our ALPR Questions
We asked the Democratic primary candidates for Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District seat their thoughts on AI-powered Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology in our communities. Here’s what they had to say.
The Patriots and The Nationalists
Throughout American history, power has cycled between two groups: nationalists who believe that certain racial, religious, or other groups are superior to some others, and patriots who believe that America is only great when equal access to our founding ideals is ensured. Today, the differences between the two camps are on full display…
Flock Safety and the Dangers of AI-powered License Plate Readers
Long gone are the days of “innocent until proven guilty” and personal privacy. There are fewer and fewer places that are free from our overlords’ constant gaze. Ugly black poles went up all over town. One lonely conspiracy theorist camped out by a pole closest to the center of town shortly after their appearance. They signal aliens! They’re watching us!, he declared.
ICE is a Rogue Agency. It’s time to shut it down.
The last several months have shown that ICE is an irredeemable blight upon our nation. There are measures that we can take right now that will cut off ICE’s access to the funding and information that enable its reign of terror.
Massachusetts Walked Out, Walked In, and Stepped Up!
This past Tuesday, on the anniversary of Trump’s second inauguration, alarmed citizens visited offices of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation with the goal of ensuring Trump does not see another anniversary in the White House.
Remove: Not Just a Coalition—a Duty
Somewhere in Minneapolis a young girl is writing in her diary. Somewhere in that city by the harsh digital light of a computer screen rather than that of a candle, she is writing a tale of her sorrow. She has someone in her family who is undocumented or she is herself. She sees her friends laughing without her and she is forgotten.
From Solidarity to Survival: Why We Are Calling to Get ICE Out for Good
The death of Renee Nicole Good isn’t an isolated tragedy; it’s the predictable result of an agency operating with total impunity. Over the weekend of January 9 - 11, we all stood together to transform our grief into action. As we face the year ahead, we must remember that change comes from those who refuse to look away. We need to speak out, and to come together to protect the vulnerable and bear witness to the violence our government is committing every day in our name.
Enough Is Enough
The best time to begin impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump was months ago, but the next-best time is right now. Since his reelection, Trump has repeatedly and egregiously ignored our laws and the Constitution, and his lawlessness continues outside of our borders. Trump’s flouting of U.S. and international law reached a new level this month when the military invaded Venezuela and kidnapped their president.
Craftivism is Activism!
In all, we would like to thank those of you who supported Mass 50501 either directly or indirectly this winter market season. To the artisans and craft circles, your time and talents helped to spread a message and made a monetary difference to the organization. To those of you who either stopped by our table at the markets or made a donation, in person or virtually, this wouldn’t have worked without you. We hope that this little bit of craftivism opened some conversations and encourages people to keep crafting!
Lady Liberties Use Flash Mobs to Inspire Resistance
How could I use my old lady white skin to counter this misery? You will recall what the late/great Mother Jones said: “You pray for the dead. You fight like hell for the living.” So I started The Lady Liberty Flash Mob.
Washington Would Cross This River
We now stand at the banks of an icy river. The agents of the government are beginning to suppress, slowly but surely, all forms of organized resistance. Corporations are paying bribes directly to the administration through blatantly corrupt crypto schemes or tariff exemptions. Media institutions are buckling under the weight of lawsuits and threats while agents of the new crown harass citizens in slowly increasing numbers. The economy teeters on the edge of collapse as capital and labor start to flee the country for safety. It does not look good for the resistance, you might argue.
Time To Cut The Pendulum
Every time a party makes gains on potentially making a difference their way, the other party is elected, un-does everything, and we all just end up worse off than we started. This system doesn't work for anyone. That's why everyone is protesting in their own way, unless the pendulum is swinging their way today. Our political system is a duopoly of intentional dysfunction.
Equal Constitutional protections for all Commonwealth Inhabitants—YES, WE CAN—with training and shared nonviolent strategy
We, at the People’s Pledge of Solidarity, want to share our Commonwealth’s history which is powerfully committed to true equal justice; this informs our work and we invite you to join our nonviolent training and strategies, including on how to utilize our state’s habeas corpus. Please email us at peoplespledgeofsolidarity@gmail.com to sign our pledge of solidarity and join our network. Our state Constitution and history also could inform acting from the power of the people for true equal justice. So I am also available and would love to think with others on how state-rights could inform additional strategic efforts as we claim our power for justice.
The Coldest Winter
Within days, I found like minded people. Even knowing almost nothing about how this is supposed to work, we started organizing together. It’s been 10 months since this movement started in a cold and dark February in America. Over that short window, this movement of which I am but a tiny part has become a living organism of incredible strength and resilience.
Mass 50501 says, “Flock Off!”
Allowing the collection of this data in the context of an antagonistic federal administration endangers us all— it’s an invasion of privacy that we shouldn’t accept even under the friendliest administration. None of us should be put under this kind of microscope by our government.
Did Misogyny Ruin the New York Times?
The short version? Yes. Yes, it did. On November 5th, the New York Times published an opinion piece entitled, “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?” To publish such an article right now, while women’s rights are under attack, is appalling. That it came from so highly-regarded a source is alarming. And that this piece masquerades as a championing of women’s rights? Unforgivable. Let’s discuss the term “conservative feminism,” what real feminism looks like, and why intersectional feminism is so important.