Tim Longman 🏳️🌈
@timlongman
Poli Sci and IR prof at BU. Posts on Africa, human rights, US politics, LGBTQ+, religion & politics. Progressive, Christian, proud gay dad. 2 books on Rwanda. Currently writing book on church and state across Africa and another on LGBTQ backlash in Africa
The idea that this group thinks children are always better off with their biological parents, even if they are abusive or negligent is an attack not just on gay and lesbian parents but on all adoptive families, single parents, divorced parents. These bigots are dangerous.
I’m not sure that having all three animals lying on top of me actually helps me nap.
Interesting how Maine has dropped off of the Democrats’ latest Senate map.
The top 4 trending topics on Bluesky are about sports today, and I’m not sure what to make of that.
M daughter is off vacationing on the Mediterranean with friends in Saint Tropez, while I’m busy getting ready to teach a summer class next week. Is it okay to be jealous of your children? 😆😆😆
Seth Moulton’s support for the Trans rights popped up on my feed, & the comments are fascinating. Mostly awful transphobes claiming trans people face no discrimination but others calling Moulton out for throwing trans folks under the bus after the last election. Doubt this won many voters over.
Out late in Boston, and there are so many men in kilts after the Scotland Haiti game!
My daughter asked me to go to Chipotle because of a 2-for-1 World Cup deal, and the line is like for a Disney ride. Does this earn me dad points?
Hey, Democrats, sending me funding requests from Skeletor (AKA James Carville) is NOT going to make me give you money. If anything, it's going to make me think that you don't understand my interests and concerns at all and make me less likely to donate. Please stop!
The governor of Indiana declared June “Nuclear Family Month,” and I have thoughts. First, I wonder what percentage of Indiana’s families have one husband, one wife, and biological children living with their parents. I’m guessing it’s not a majority, considering death, divorce, adoption, gay parents.
The DoD’s consolidation of religions was clearly done by someone who doesn’t know much about America religion. Imagine a Church of Christ chaplain for someone from the UCC! And putting Reform Judaism in the Reformed Christian tradition is just pure ignorance.
For five decades, the Title VI program funded less commonly taught languages, especially African and Asian languages. The Trump administration is now replacing it with Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need. The languages they list are ALL European languages, clearly revealing their priorities
People are not making enough of the increasingly blatant racist (and misogynistic) policies of the Trump administration. I mean, we're all aware that MAGA has a white supremacist agenda, but the level of outrage at the daily affronts to equality and dignity are way too muted.
Working on a paper, I’ve gone back to notes from a USAID mission I did in 2020, and I’m struck that the first note on the first page of the notebook says USAID’s #1 priority in Congo was “ending Ebola outbreak.” This was under Trump. Too bad USAID isn’t around to save us anymore.
It’s a cozy kind of Memorial Day weekend. Last fire of the season?
Getting a coffee at The Central Perk on Newbury Street. Great coffee, but I still think it’s weird that Boston has a “Friends” themed coffee shop. I thought we were supposed to hate all things New York?
It’s hard to screw up the World Cup, but the Trump administration and FIFA leadership seem determined to make 2026 a disaster: hostile policies keeping foreign tourists away, empty hotels, clunky coordination with local communities, widespread public indifference … just one failure after another.
Maybe it's just me, but if I were president, I might be concerned about this trend. Perhaps starting unpopular wars, building monuments to yourself, setting up slush funds for your friends, and terrorizing your own population are not such great ideas?