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Susan Scarf Merrell

@susanmerrell

Author most recently of SHIRLEY: A NOVEL. Assoc. Professor @Lichtenstein Center @StonybrookUniversity. Co-director, BookEnds novel revision fellowship. She/Her. Daily swimmer. Alarmingly fast reader.

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Latest posts by Susan Scarf Merrell @susanmerrell

Medical experiments on prisoners?

Where have we seen this before?

02.03.2026 12:27 πŸ‘ 2306 πŸ” 1092 πŸ’¬ 259 πŸ“Œ 114

The costs of this Iran war debacle will likely be more than the cost of extending the ACA health insurance subsidies.

If you asked Americans, which do you want: another war in the Middle East or lower health care costs at home, is the margin 90 to 10? 95 to 5?

01.03.2026 20:34 πŸ‘ 12185 πŸ” 3675 πŸ’¬ 398 πŸ“Œ 110

Trump and Israel started bombing Iran while in the middle of negotiations

Trump is starving Cuba

He’s threatening to annex Canada

He removed the leader of Venezuela

He’s threatening Greenland

He’s aiding a genocide in Gaza

This is the man who took your tax dollars for his β€œBoard of Peace”.

28.02.2026 09:24 πŸ‘ 1136 πŸ” 498 πŸ’¬ 65 πŸ“Œ 35

The media should cover this as murder because it is.

25.02.2026 22:00 πŸ‘ 2189 πŸ” 647 πŸ’¬ 58 πŸ“Œ 12
Preview
I’ve Been Laid Off. I’m Not Done. After 20 years at The Washington Post, I’m suddenly on my own β€” and still writing about books.

After 20 years, I've been laid off at The Washington Post.
substack.com/home/post/p-...

04.02.2026 19:17 πŸ‘ 491 πŸ” 156 πŸ’¬ 77 πŸ“Œ 54

Hope you can hire @roncharles.bsky.social

04.02.2026 19:50 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Did this, and cancelled my WP subscription for the third time in as many years. What a(nother) sad day for democracy.

04.02.2026 19:47 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

So agree with this. Truly tragic and short-sighted.

04.02.2026 19:45 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
β€˜A pretext to rig the election’: Democrats scramble to block ICE crackdowns near polling sites Election officials are preparing for the possibility of immigration enforcement activity at or near polling sites in November.

"Senate Dems considered a requirement banning ICE agents from polling sites as a demand in negotiating the DHS funding bill. But that was not included in their final list..."

Crazy idea: Given what Trump's said, update the "final list" to include it.

politi.co/4t6pxt0

04.02.2026 16:01 πŸ‘ 1090 πŸ” 315 πŸ’¬ 60 πŸ“Œ 29

If you're feeling helpless and don't know what to do: Look for people out there who are already helping. I promise they're out there. And then ask how you can help and do it.

You're not alone. Community is out there and it's the way forward. β€οΈπŸ‘Š

04.02.2026 13:42 πŸ‘ 201 πŸ” 56 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1
Post image
02.02.2026 00:34 πŸ‘ 4131 πŸ” 959 πŸ’¬ 136 πŸ“Œ 74

Getting the impression that ICE is gearing up for a pogrom in Springfield, Ohio, which was ground zero of Vance’s lies about Haitians during the campaign. Haitians lose temporary protected status on February 3rd. Reporters, lawyers, neighbors β€” please get ready.

29.01.2026 21:49 πŸ‘ 3912 πŸ” 1828 πŸ’¬ 88 πŸ“Œ 88
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio) YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen

I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Stay free

28.01.2026 17:02 πŸ‘ 97509 πŸ” 40900 πŸ’¬ 4302 πŸ“Œ 5366
Video thumbnail

This is testimony…

πŸ“Œ Stella Carlson, β€œPink coat lady”, speaks on the murder of Alex Pretti.

β€œAfter the shooting, they (ICE) decided to just scatter and save themselves.”

28.01.2026 10:48 πŸ‘ 11748 πŸ” 5243 πŸ’¬ 455 πŸ“Œ 403

Well, they’re pink

27.01.2026 21:33 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

It's not even remotely over.

27.01.2026 19:58 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Here's a regular white guy (literally "Chad") not a protester. because, "It seemed pointless, or just a way for people to expiate their sense of guilt." Chad witnessed something shattering. And, that all changed in a moment.

Excellent article!

26.01.2026 04:33 πŸ‘ 10277 πŸ” 3517 πŸ’¬ 65 πŸ“Œ 91

Twenty-three Americans could save us all. I hope they step up. They have to.

25.01.2026 16:52 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
TincherSealedWitnessDec012426.PDF

This witness to Alex Pretti's murder not only refutes the governmen't story, but says she is afraid to go home because federal agents might arrest her. This is what it feels like to live under state terror.
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

25.01.2026 14:43 πŸ‘ 7527 πŸ” 3189 πŸ’¬ 204 πŸ“Œ 195

Dems should introduce legislation now defunding ICE and CBP operations in Minnesota, so they have to leave the state. One sentence bill. Demand an immediate vote. Maybe refuse to vote for cloture on any funding bills (or other bills) until a vote. Make the GOP Congress break w/ Trump or own it all.

25.01.2026 13:47 πŸ‘ 4694 πŸ” 1366 πŸ’¬ 123 πŸ“Œ 105

"Be grateful to the people of Minneapolis.…Every single person who steps out their front door in Minneapolis to observe, document, & protest the actions of our government is taking their lives in their hands. These men and women are the kind of patriots you would have seen at Lexington & Concord." πŸ‘‡

25.01.2026 03:54 πŸ‘ 811 πŸ” 179 πŸ’¬ 9 πŸ“Œ 5

Yes, the GOP controls Congress. That's why it's key to show Congress COULD stop the madness. And it's not just the DHS bill. Congress could repeal the prior multi-year $75b for DHS; set up a special investigative committee (cf. Watergate); amend the Insurrection Act; etc.

25.01.2026 13:08 πŸ‘ 10094 πŸ” 2839 πŸ’¬ 268 πŸ“Œ 203
Post image

All it would take to end the murder of πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡²citizens by an untrained government goon squad is 16 Republicans in Congress voting with Dems to defund ICE (or 23 to impeach & remove Trump β€” 3 in House & 20 in Senate). That’s it. 23 Americans can vote for the public & end all of this.

G Elliott Morris

5/5

25.01.2026 11:48 πŸ‘ 387 πŸ” 205 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 14

Worse than Kent State, really than any episode I can think of probably dating back to Reconstruc & earlier b/c

1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.

24.01.2026 22:07 πŸ‘ 7900 πŸ” 2312 πŸ’¬ 207 πŸ“Œ 102

THIS IS A THING?

I live in NY and had no idea HELL YEAH

24.01.2026 22:17 πŸ‘ 95 πŸ” 37 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Bless the brave citizens of Minneapolis

24.01.2026 22:03 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I am trying not to post on these events in this state of mind but: I hope people understand what the observers are doing is brave and dangerous.

24.01.2026 16:51 πŸ‘ 18075 πŸ” 3030 πŸ’¬ 151 πŸ“Œ 84

The Trump-Vance administration just used your taxes to pay for ICE agents to kill a 37-year-old nurse, who was only there because another ICE agent killed a 37-year-old mother of three, who was only there because ICE agents are kidnapping your neighbors

24.01.2026 19:43 πŸ‘ 3043 πŸ” 1002 πŸ’¬ 15 πŸ“Œ 29