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HelenaNhelenan@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 1:34 PM
@hongminhee While I do agree with you in principle, I also think that certain personal choices can have a long tail of consequences that can be avoided. I find it good and necessary to make driving in places with good public transit very inconvenient. I do find it necessary to make local populations fight for more transit in more places. So it's not as simple as "countryside = driving". Why not increase living density wherever possible, so that transit and other sustainable options are possible?
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Replies

⏩︎VOTE⏪︎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ⁼ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (Ben Royce)benroyce@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 2:00 PM
@helenan @hongminhee
"Why not increase living density wherever possible"
right but that's not a personal choice
the only real personal choice that matters on questions like this is voting
if we don't vote, with these issues in mind, then we're culpable for our society failing us
otherwise, our personal choices still matter on questions like this as you say, but in smaller ways. larger structural issues are the dominant factor, influenced individually and personally, by our vote
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TJC-TJC_2@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 3:57 PM
@benroyce @helenan @hongminhee
First job is to prevent the MAGA/bad guys from stopping or stealing the vote.
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⏩︎VOTE⏪︎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ⁼ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (Ben Royce)benroyce@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:06 PM
@TJC_2 @helenan @hongminhee
That's an overblown fear
The states control the vote
Red states may fuck with the vote but they're already red
The primary concern with this overblown "stealing the vote" fear is premature capitulation:
"If they're going to steal the vote, why vote?"
That effect is a bigger effect than any stealing #MAGA can do
Many Americans are cowardly and spineless that way
We just need to fucking #vote
Nonvoters are just culpable as MAGA, they're lazy entitled assholes
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TJC-TJC_2@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:32 PM
@benroyce @helenan @hongminhee
Understand that I am a voter and encourage all to vote. Important to vote. Also, they are trying their damnedest to squash and steal the votes and the election. We have to exert local vigilance and control over the voting process and protect the polls from the armed minions they want to send in. Corrupt officials are already stealing past votes, setting up an excuse for all the evil vote snatching they hope to do. And yes, it's critical to show up and vote.
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⏩︎VOTE⏪︎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ⁼ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (Ben Royce)benroyce@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:37 PM
@TJC_2 @helenan @hongminhee
excellence
thank you
*and* make sure to speak out against this mindless acceptance of fascism "they want to steal the vote so i won't vote" premature capitulation spineless weakness
that's just as important in my view
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TJC-TJC_2@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:46 PM
@benroyce @helenan @hongminhee
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. Thanks for speaking out and acting in the public interest.
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⏩︎VOTE⏪︎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ⁼ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (Ben Royce)benroyce@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:47 PM
@TJC_2 @helenan @hongminhee ✌️
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HelenaNhelenan@mastodon.social
Apr 8, 2026, 10:13 AM
@benroyce @TJC_2 @hongminhee One thing I learned from reading the Lord of the Rings and studying history is that we should never give up on fighting for what is right. Even if we personally cannot benefit from it. It's frustrating and sad, but the fight goes on. There are certain things that we cannot let be normalized or accepted. Human rights being the number one in my list.
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Mark Ohemark_ohe@mastodon.energy
Apr 7, 2026, 4:40 PM
@benroyce
Word to the wise, because in fact you do seem wise, and you certainly make a lot of good points, most of which I agree with:
You will come across as more sympathetic, more people will heed you advice and your apparent goals will be achieved if you cut out the unnecessary cursing and the often berating tone.
I’m probably not the first to mention this. Ideally I would be the last.
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⏩︎VOTE⏪︎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ⁼ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (Ben Royce)benroyce@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:45 PM
@mark_ohe
upon deep reflection of your comment, i have arrived at a thoughtful response:
fuck you, gatekeeping asshole
i'm not trying to be funny. don't patronize me and tell me how to behave
in fact, i view "polite society" as complicit in our troubles
these are people who will look past a vile lie said serenely, and then suddenly get upset at people who say "fuck" in response to the silver tongued lie
i despise people like this, people like you
i really mean that
go fuck yourself
🖕
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Barry Schwartz 🫖chemoelectric@masto.ai
Apr 7, 2026, 4:17 PM
@benroyce @helenan @hongminhee
I cannot stand when people have it in mind to tell others what to do, such as that they must move to the city and ride in a mass transit. I mean, who do they think they are, to tell people what to do?
You are right, just fricking VOTE!
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
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⏩︎VOTE⏪︎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ⁼ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (Ben Royce)benroyce@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:25 PM
@chemoelectric @helenan @hongminhee
the USA is terrible, it's so car-centric. even to the point of historically how auto manufacturers bought trolley lines for example just to shut them down forcing people into cars
but yes indivuals can't fix this. we as a society have to fucking show up and #vote on transportation policy. then the improvement
therefore, if we don't vote, *that* is the failure of personal responsibility, not if we move to a city or not to rid ourselves of cars
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Barry Schwartz 🫖chemoelectric@masto.ai
Apr 7, 2026, 4:31 PM
@benroyce @helenan @hongminhee
Brooklyn and parts of L.A. were big trolley towns. So in a perverse way it was appropriate when the ‘Trolley Dodgers’ moved to L.A. Though really they belonged in Philadelphia.
I’m in the Twin Cities where we built a light rail system. Though it doesn’t go by the baseball field. It does go near where there was a baseball field a hundred years ago.
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Barry Schwartz 🫖chemoelectric@masto.ai
Apr 7, 2026, 4:32 PM
@benroyce @helenan @hongminhee
I should say ‘either baseball field’, because we have both the Twins field and their AAA field.
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⏩︎VOTE⏪︎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ⁼ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (Ben Royce)benroyce@mastodon.social
Apr 7, 2026, 4:34 PM
@chemoelectric @helenan @hongminhee
minneapolis is a great fucking town. suffering greatly under trump. i don't think it's dampened your spirits, probably strengthened them
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Barry Schwartz 🫖chemoelectric@masto.ai
Apr 7, 2026, 4:40 PM
@benroyce I see businesses seeming to have put up rather solid steel fences and gates and think it must be to keep ICE out.
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The Psychotic Network Ferretnuintari@bsd.cafe
Apr 7, 2026, 3:10 PM
@helenan @hongminhee Living in a densely populated area is my own personal brand of hell. I did the apartment thing when I was younger, I was miserable. I moved out to the country when I bought my first house.
Yes, I have to drive everywhere I need to go, but mass transit in the USA is a joke even in urban areas. I'd like to think I am fairly responsible about it. I drive a 14 year old hybrid that still doesn't have 100,000 miles on it and is in excellent condition.
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