Good morning and Happy Monday! We hear some people have the day off today… not us. We’re here to envision a world that’s driven by human decency, compassion and love—we’re news for the people, not the profit. 🌹 In today’s newsletter:

• So called “Christians” lose their minds over this

• This is what colonialism looks like in 2024

• Your daily news roundup

• Some good news about Donald Trump (trust us)

⏱️ Estimated read time: 4.2 minutes.

“Christians” lose their minds after Trans activist’s funeral held in famed church

Jesus would have been proud—but these “Christians”? Not so much. On Thursday, over a thousand people gathered at New York City’s famed St. Patrick’s Cathedral to pay their last respects and celebrate the life of beloved trans and sex worker rights advocate Cecilia Gentili.

Cecilia, a trans woman herself, escaped sex abuse as a young child in Argentina to become a fierce advocate for the rights of addicts, sex workers, immigrants, and those living with HIV here in the United States. She passed away at home on Feb. 6 at the age of 52; her family did not specify a cause of death. (If you haven’t read it, her obit in the New York Times is well worth your time.)

The jubilant celebration of Cecilia’s life that followed at St. Patrick’s featured a Queer community, decked out in fierce outfits, with one eulogizer proudly declaring Cecilia, “St. Cecilia, mother of all whores!” Prayers were for trans rights and gender-affirming healthcare. Icon Billy Porter said a rendition of the Lord’s Prayer. Mourners welcomed an apparent change of heart from a church that actively preaches violence against the LGBTQ+ community.

But, but, but: Finally showing their true colors, the church and archdiocese are now saying they were duped into holding the funeral. The cathedral put out a statement saying they shared in the outrage at the “scandalous behavior” at Cecilia’s funeral, and held a special mass to undo the damage. Conservative groups outright lost their minds: one group called it “unbelievable and sick,” while a priest, a supposed “man of God,” called it “revolting.” We hope no one tells him who Jesus surrounded himself with.

Meanwhile: More and more trans adults say they are feeling on edge as fascist Republicans continue to demonize the trans community to draw attention away from the devastating effects of capitalism. Not to mention, a recent scientific study found that 1 in 3 Americans have suffered from religious trauma at some point in their life.

Billionaire colonizers like Mark Zuckerberg now own 11% of Hawaii

If you're wondering what colonization looks like in the 21st century, this is it. A stunning new article from Forbes reveals that, after buying up land in Hawaii for years, 37 of America’s richest, almost entirely non-native billionaire elites own at least 11% of all private land in the tiny state.

The actual number is likely even higher than that, given the variety of loopholes the ultra-wealthy take advantage of to obscure their ownership. Oracle founder Larry Ellison uses his stolen land to (checks notes) house his own employees, Mark Zuckerberg is building a sprawling doomsday bunker, and Oprah wants you to pay the victims of the Lahaina wildfires. 

This tweet sums it up nicely:

The (disgustingly) fawning article makes no mention of the island’s long history of colonization by rich white people in the U.S., like the 1893 coup supported by white sugar planters to overthrow Queen Liliʻuokalani, or the now-admitted illegal annexation of the island by Congress just five years later. The article does manage to fit in, however, the “superb restaurants” Ellison has brought to the Island.

Yes, and: All this was done without the consent of the Hawaiian people, many of whom wanted to maintain their sovereignty. To this day, many consider the acts of 1893 a major injustice, and some are seeking reparations and greater autonomy for Hawaii.

➡️ Question of the Day

To celebrate Presidents’ Day, we want to know—who do you think is the worst modern Republican president (who isn’t named Donald Trump)?

Thursday’s Results: Well, this is depressing. In our last edition, following the mass shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl Victory Parade, we asked you: Will we see gun control in our lifetime? Overwhelmingly, you said no.

Clover voted no and said: “Gun control would affect the lifestyle of the so called ‘Middle Class🙄.’ Crime generates their paycheck.”

🗞️ Also making news…

Here are some stories the algorithms may have kept out of your feed this week.

On Gaza…

• The death toll has officially crossed 29,000.

• Doctors across Gaza “leave patients to scream for hours and hours” and report operating on patients without anesthetic, turning people with chronic conditions away, and treating rotting wounds with limited medical supplies.

• Israel P.M. Netanyahu says further ceasefire talks are pointless…

• While the U.S. threatens to veto a new ceasefire resolution at the U.N. 🤬

On politics…

• Palestinian-American Rep. Rashida Tlaib is urging Michigan Democrats to vote against Biden in their Feb. 27 primary for his administration’s stance on Gaza.

• One day after a judge ordered him to pay nearly $355 million, Trump launched a sneaker line.

• Liz Cheney says she hasn’t ruled out running for president this year.

• Jockeying for V.P., Tim Scott refuses to say whether he would have certified the 2020 election.

On climate…

• Yet another atmospheric river is set to slam California with rain, snow, and wind.

• February is on course to break an unprecedented number of heat records.

Also making news…

• The WHO director is warning that a “Disease X” outbreak is ‘a matter of when, not if’.

• Travel to the U.S. is becoming less popular due to mounting fears about gun violence.

• Thanks to soaring housing prices, the era of the 400-square-foot subdivision house is upon us.

• Over 400 people have been detained in Russia as the country mourns the death (read: murder) of Alexei Navalny, whose body was reportedly found bruised.

Good News: Donald Trump now owes half a billion dollars

Sometimes, its helpful to just take a step back and consider that maybe, just maybe, karma will have its day. That’s because all told, sexual predator and attempted coup leader Donald Trump now owes various courts a staggering $438 million in fines and penalties. The true number is actually north of $500 million—half a billion dollars—if you include interest. That number will likely be hard for Trump to pay, considering he’s only worth about $2 billion. Trump may likely get the amount of money he owes reduced on appeal (that’s not uncommon), but it’s likely he’ll still have to pay something. And that gives me hope. #LockHimUp

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