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Willie Burnley Jr 🌹

@willieburnleyjr.bsky.social

Community organizer, part-time Empowerment Self-Defense Instructor, and At-Large Somerville City Councilor.

60 Posts1438 Follower136 Folgt
Chris Dwan (he/him)@somershade.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Think back on the history of the past 6 to 8 years ... including the response police violence at the straight pride thing. Does this timeline seem to represent the history accurately to you? Does it give a sense of urgency? 15/?

A slide titled "History and Context" with a few bullets from 2000 to today.
I Travel You Like Sound Dog@chadstanton.blacksky.app · 2y ago

"There is an inverse relationship between public resources and police. As resources are extracted, policing in its various forms increases, both to sustain the extraction and to manage the social insecurities that extraction causes." inquest.org/extracting-p...

Extracting Police - Stephanie Guirand & Spencer Piston - Inquest

Violent policing is not a bug of capitalist societies but a feature. To end our dependence on it, we must first understand its connection to exploitation.

inquest.org

Evan MacKay@evanforcambridge.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The people of Cambridge are among the most progressive in the state, and the Mass Democratic party platform articulates bold progressive policies. Yet the action taken by our state government lags behind our values. Join us by Sept 1st to help change that.

Evan MacKay is running for safety and belonging for all 1. Protect MA communities 2. End state collaboration with ICE 3. Ban surveillance fusion centers 4. Fully fund immigrant legal aid
Willie Burnley Jr 🌹@willieburnleyjr.bsky.social · 3mo ago

A majority of MA Dem voters & independents (unenrolled) have said that they would be less likely to vote for candidates that have "accepted campaign contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)." And let's be clear, AIPAC is a stand-in for the Israel lobby.

Paul@pawlbologna.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Abandoning transgender people isn't just shameful and stupid, it is political malpractice. 67% of Democratic primary voters in MA say they are less likely to vote for a candidate who has "expressed positions opposing transgender rights or policies."

Survey results table for new Massachusetts poll. The question asks: would any of the following impact your likelihood of voting for a candidate? Results: A candidate who has accepted campaign contributions from AIPAC 13% more likely, 51% less likely, and 36% say no impact. A candidate who has expressed positions opposing transgender rights or policies 11% more likely, 67% less likely, and 22% say no impact. A candidate who has not sponsored or passed significant legislation during their time in office 8% more likely, 68% less likely, and 24% say no impact. A candidate who owns investments in a company subject to regulation by an agency or committee they oversee 6% more likely, 70% less likely, and 24% say no impact. A candidate who refuses to debate their opponent 6% more likely, 75% less likely, and 19% say no impact. A candidate who declines to release their personal tax returns makes 5% more likely, 82% less likely, and 13% say no impact.
siobhan mcdonough@siobhan-m.bsky.social · 3mo ago

this is true, and the fair share ballot measure was a huge win. but we also need to be clear-eyed that it was undermined almost immediately by tax cuts for the rich pushed by state house leadership

Citizen.Coping@propcazhpm.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Massachusettes "Millionaires Tax", which was targeted to fund transportation and education, has been a resounding success. It has funded FREE school lunch for ALL students, FREE buses in lowest income communities (people can get to work, etc.), and FREE community college. And "exodus" was minimal.

siobhan mcdonough@siobhan-m.bsky.social · 3mo ago

cambridge cops wanted to get one of these—we organized and stopped them. working-mass.com/2025/02/06/c...

Cambridge Socialists, Students Shoot Down Unelected City Manager’s Police Surveillance Drone Proposal - Working Mass

Other Surveillance Technology Proposals Pass Council, Despite Community Opposition By Siobhan M. CAMBRIDGE — Community members flooded a meeting of the Cambridge City Council on Monday evening, succes...

working-mass.com

NACDL@nacdl.org · 3mo ago

The tech is moving faster than the law and faster than public awareness. Read the full @truthout.org report and see what is already flying over your city:

JT Scott@jtforward2.bsky.social · 6mo ago

I don't think I can express just how infuriating it is to, as a legislator, pass laws and then have the Mayor (who is obliged to faithfully execute the duly passed laws) completely ignore enforcing the laws he/she disagrees with. 1/

JT Scott@jtforward2.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Having that failure to enforce used as an argument for the Council to not pass laws "without the admin's support" is also infuriating, and evidence to me of a Council's abdication of their charge as legislators as much as it is of a Mayor refusing the co-equal role of a legislature. 2/

The Associated Press@apnews.com · 8mo ago

A man who was shot by Connecticut police last year and later died had to wait 10 extra minutes for another ambulance to arrive at the scene, after another officer having an anxiety attack took the first one.

Officer having anxiety attack took ambulance sent for man dying from police shooting, report says

A man who was shot by Connecticut police last year and later died had to wait 10 extra minutes for another ambulance to arrive at the scene, after another officer having an anxiety attack took the first one.

bit.ly

Taniel@taniel.bsky.social · 9mo ago

There's only one state in the country that voted for Kamala Harris, & voted for a Dem governor, and where a state agency has any sort of contract with ICE's infamous 287(g) program. Massachusetts. The MA Gov says she supports it (even days after Spanberger ended Youngkin's same agreement in VA).

Inside ICE’s Only Contract with a Blue State - Bolts

As part of a 287(g) contract between state officials and ICE, Massachusetts continues to release prisoners into deportation—even as state lawmakers look to ban other forms of ICE collaboration.

boltsmag.org

Progressive Mass@progressivemass.bsky.social · 9mo ago

"In fact, Massachusetts is the only state that voted against Donald Trump in 2024 where a state agency is contracting with the 287(g) program." #mapoli boltsmag.org/massachusett...

Inside ICE’s Only Contract with a Blue State - Bolts

As part of a 287(g) contract between state officials and ICE, Massachusetts continues to release prisoners into deportation—even as state lawmakers look to ban other forms of ICE collaboration.

boltsmag.org

IfNotNow Boston 🔥@ifnotnowboston.bsky.social · last yr.

SOMERVILLE (continued) Importantly, Question 3 is a non-binding resolution. Burnley, Jr. is a stalwart defender of Palestinian freedom, who has spoken in favor of the resolution, and pledges to follow it if passed. (His opponent, Jake Wilson, opposes the resolution.)

Willie Burnley Jr 🌹@willieburnleyjr.bsky.social · last yr.

Democracy is not divisiveness. If the people tell their leads to divest from Israel's illegal occupation, apartheid, and genocide, then their leaders should do it. I have stood up time and time again for the rights of our residents and, as mayor, I will work to safeguard and expand those rights.

Willie Burnley Jr 🌹@willieburnleyjr.bsky.social · last yr.

Democracy is not divisiveness. If the people tell their leads to divest from Israel's illegal occupation, apartheid, and genocide, then their leaders should do it. I have stood up time and time again for the rights of our residents and, as mayor, I will work to safeguard and expand those rights.