Jeff Burtka🇲🇽🇨🇦🇬🇱🇵🇦🇺🇦

@jeffburtka.bsky.social

925 Followers 470 Following

Writing. Running. Outdoors. Anishinaabe & Wyandot Land (Metro Detroit) Writer. Lawyer. Used to blog about the State of Michigan (Lifelong Michigander blog). I blame it on my elegance. #detroit #michigan https://jburtka.journoportfolio.com

Image of the state flag for Michigan.
Michigan basketball player Morez Johnson staring at the camera
Wikipedia page that reads: Spanish language in the United States Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States, after English. Approximately 45 million people aged five or older speak Spanish at home, representing about 14% of the U.S. population.[3] Broader estimates place the total number of Spanish speakers—including native speakers, heritage speakers, and second-language speakers—at around 59 million, or roughly 18% of the population.
Image of a trash report from CNN. Headline reads: "New video shows clash between Pretti and agents over a week before he was killed." Below that is an image of Alex Pretti standing in a street. The irresponsible caption under the photo reads: "Pretti is seen shouting at agents and kicking their vehicle's taillight before they exit and tackle him to the ground."
Movie poster for the movie Nope
Image of text that reads: Of The Empire We will be known as a culture that feared death and adored power, that tried to vanquish insecurity for the few and cared little for the penury of the many. We will be known as a culture that taught and rewarded the amassing of things, that spoke little if at all about the quality of life for people (other people), for dogs, for rivers. All the world, in our eyes, they will say, was a commodity. And they will say that this structure was held together politically, which it was, and they will say also that our politics was no more than an apparatus to accommodate the feelings of the heart, and that the heart, in those days, was small, and hard, and full of meanness. -Mary Oliver
Black and white photo of a young black man being attacked by police dogs in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.
Screenshot from IMDb showing films Rob Reiner directed between 1984 and 1992. A Few Good Men 1992 Misery 1999 When Harry Met Sally 1989 The Princess Bride 1987 Stand by Me 1986 The Sure Thing 1985 This is Spinal Tap 1984
Photo of Brian Kilmeade of Fox and Friends in a blue suit with a red tie looking like the dumb POS that he is
Framed print of Santa Claus that says "Santa visits Boblo Island."
Photo of the back of a girl's head. She's looking at a lake surrounded by mountains. A small orange butterfly is on top of her baseball cap.
The back of a child with a yellow life jacket kayaking on a lake with snow capped mountains in the distance.
Biff from Back to the Future in a red turtleneck under a green and white Adidas jacket
Text that reads: "This is federally-protected privacy information, and every student athlete that played in this tournament was eligible, and that’s all the information that really needs to be released. It’s really kind of shocking to me that lawmakers would be asking a statewide agency to violate federal privacy laws," said State Rep. Carrie Rheingans. "I think it’s disgusting that a right-wing influencer, middle-aged man flew across multiple states to record a girls volleyball team in their short shorts and post videos and things online. For the Epstein-th time, Republicans need to stop being obsessed with girls and kids."
Text that reads: If the prosecutor is obliged to choose his cases, it follows that he can choose his defendants. Therein is the most dangerous power of the prosecutor: that he will pick people that he thinks he should , rather than pick cases that need to be prosecuted. With the law books filled with a great assortment of crimes, a prosecutor stands a fair chance of finding at least a technical violation of some act on the part of almost anyone. In such a case, it is not a question of discoveringg the commission of a crime and then looking for the man who has committed it, it is a question of picking the man and then searching the law books, or putting investigators to work, to pin some offense on him. It is in this realm ­ in which the prosecutor picks some person whom he dislikes or desires to embarrass, or selects some group of unpopular persons and then looks for an offense, that the greatest danger of abuse of prosecuting power lies. It is here that lavlw enforcement becomes personal, and the real crime be- comes that of being unpopular with the predominant or governing group, being attached to the wrong political views, or being personally obnoxious to or in the way of the prosecutor himself.
Text that reads: Ryan Crosswell, PIN: To do our job, you have to be willing to do the right thing when no one is watching. If prosecutors are just going into court to win at all costs, think of all the other things taking place you’ll never know about.
Screenshot of Homeland Security's Twitter profile with the words: Homeland Security With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values. #WeAreDHS
Image of a google search result showing 3 shopping centers named "Miracle Mile." One is in Pennsylvania, another is in Ohio, and the last one is in Nevada.
Photo of Donald Trump. His tie is too long as usual.
Image of text that reads: Google Blue Jays win World Series The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2025 World Series
Image of United States Senate webpage with text that reads: About the Senate & the U.S. Constitution | Oath of Office I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
Image of propaganda from the MAGA regime of text that reads: Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.
Image of Kent Brockman from the Simpsons with caption: I, for one, welcome our new Canadian overlords
Text that reads: The federal government’s delay of SNAP benefits will place Michiganders at risk of food insecurity and poverty. SNAP, a critical program for families and individuals across Michigan to access food, is the nation’s largest food assistance program and one of the most effective tools to reduce food insecurity. Nearly 13% of Michigan households, approximately 1.4 million people, receive SNAP benefits. About 43% are families with children and 36% are families with members who are older adults or disabled.
Text that reads: In 2011, CPUSA claimed 2,000 members.[9] In 2017 and 2018, CPUSA claimed 5,000 members.[10][11] In 2019, former Party member Daniel Rosenberg claimed that "nearly half" of new joiners since 2000 had "paid no dues" and merely signed up for the mailing list.[12]: 54  In 2023, CPUSA claimed 15,000 members.[13] In 2024, CPUSA claimed 20,000 members on its mailing list.[14]
Image of racist and violent messages from the young Republicans. They include: "Great. I love Hitler." "Everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber." and "They love the watermelon people."
Crowd of people holding signs
Tweet from Chuck Grassley dated 10/17/25 that states: Pres Trump takes an oath to uphold the constitution & the laws but he hasnt told Congress he was firing the Ex-Im Inspector General The law says POTUS has to specifically inform Congress abt IG firings and unless the courts say otherwise thats still the law
Screenshot of the definition of "knowledge" from the Merriam-Webster website. It reads: 1 a (1) : the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association (2) : acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique b (1) : the fact or condition of being aware of something (2) : the range of one's information or understanding answered to the best of my knowledge c : the circumstance or condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning : cognition d : the fact or condition of having information or of being learned a person of unusual knowledge
Text that reads: Zoë described her uncle as a deeply compassionate man who transformed his decades of imprisonment into a mission of service. “He really did so much over those years to show the person that he is,” she said. “He worked as a teacher, helping many, many people get their degrees — people who’ve spoken to us afterwards about how having him support them while they were incarcerated really changed their lives. He completed multiple degrees himself. He was always learning and caring.” She added that Vedam’s potential deportation to India would be devastating. “India, in many ways, is a completely different world to him,” she said. “He left India when he was nine months old. None of us can remember our lives at nine months old. He hasn’t been there for over 44 years, and the people he knew when he went as a child have passed away. His whole family — his sister, his nieces, his grand-nieces — we’re all U.S. citizens, and we all live here.”
Text that reads: Egypt 2024 The authorities continued to crack down on criticism, stifle civil society and restrict street protests. Authorities carried out mass arrests to prevent planned anti-government protests and forcibly dispersed the few small peaceful protests that took place. Authorities released 934 prisoners held for political reasons but arrested another 1,594. Those targeted included journalists, lawyers, protesters, dissidents, opposition politicians and those critical of the government’s human rights record and handling of the economic crisis. Dozens of individuals were subjected to enforced disappearance. Torture and other ill-treatment remained routine. Death sentences were imposed, including for crimes other than “intentional killing”, after grossly unfair trials. Executions were carried out.
Text that reads: impelled to mention one other point in your statement that has troubled me profoundly. You warmly commended the Birmingham police force for keeping "order" and "preventing violence." I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. I doubt that you would so quickly commend the policemen if you were to observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail; if you were to watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you were to see them slap and kick old Negro men and young boys; if you were to observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together. I cannot join you in your praise of the Birmingham police department.
Picture of Kristi Noem. Text above photo reads: Kristi Noem compares antifa to MS-13, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic State
Owen Wilson in Meet the Parents saying, "Carpentry? I guess I'd have to say Jesus."
Screenshot of text that reads: NOEM v. VASQUEZ PERDOMO KAVANAUGH, J., concurring “relevant factor” when considered along with other salient factors. Id., at 887. Under this Court’s precedents, not to mention common sense, those circumstances taken together can constitute at least reasonable suspicion of illegal presence in the United States. Importantly, reasonable suspicion means only that immigration officers may briefly stop the individual and inquire about immigration status. If the person is a U. S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, that individual will be free to go after the brief encounter. Only if the person is illegally in the United States may the stop lead to further immigration proceedings.
Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Magazine cover of a magazine called "runher." Two women runners smiling and embracing on the cover.
Image of text that reads: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Text that reads: The qualities of a good prosecutor are as elusive and as impossible to define as those which mark a gentleman. And those who need to be told would not understand it anyway. A sensitiveness to fair play and sportsmanship is perhaps the best protection against the abuse of power, and the citizen’s safety lies in the prosecutor who tempers zeal with human kindness, who seeks truth and not victims, who serves the law and not factional purposes, and who approaches his task with humility.
Text from MLK's Letter from a Birmingham Jail: I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice
What are we to make of a man who called for the execution of the American president, and then was executed himself? What are we to make of an NFL that, on one hand, encourages us to “End Racism,” and, on the other, urges us to commemorate an unreconstructed white supremacist? And what of the writers, the thinkers, and the pundits who cannot separate the great crime of Kirk’s death from the malignancy of his public life? Can they truly be so ignorant to the words of a man they have so rushed to memorialize? I don’t know. But the most telling detail in Klein’s column was that, for all his praise, there was not a single word in the piece from Kirk himself. More than a century and a half ago, this country ignored the explicit words of men who sought to raise an empire of slavery. It subsequently transformed those men into gallant knights who sought only to preserve their beloved Camelot. There was a fatigue, in certain quarters, with Reconstruction—which is to say, multiracial democracy—and a desire for reunion, to make America great again. Thus, in the late 19th century and much of the 20th, this country’s most storied intellectuals transfigured hate-mongers into heroes and ignored their words—just as, right now, some are ignoring Kirk’s. Words are not violence, nor are they powerless. Burying the truth of the Confederacy, rewriting its aims and ideas, and ignoring its animating words allowed for the terrorization of the Black population, the imposition of apartheid, and the destruction of democracy. The rewriting and the ignoring were done not just by Confederates, but also by putative allies for whom the reduction of Black people to serfdom was the unfortunate price of white unity. The import of this history has never been clearer than in this moment when the hard question must be asked: If you would look away from the words of Charlie Kirk, from what else would you look away?
What are we to make of a man who called for the execution of the American president, and then was executed himself? What are we to make of an NFL that, on one hand, encourages us to “End Racism,” and, on the other, urges us to commemorate an unreconstructed white supremacist? And what of the writers, the thinkers, and the pundits who cannot separate the great crime of Kirk’s death from the malignancy of his public life? Can they truly be so ignorant to the words of a man they have so rushed to memorialize? I don’t know. But the most telling detail in Klein’s column was that, for all his praise, there was not a single word in the piece from Kirk himself. More than a century and a half ago, this country ignored the explicit words of men who sought to raise an empire of slavery. It subsequently transformed those men into gallant knights who sought only to preserve their beloved Camelot. There was a fatigue, in certain quarters, with Reconstruction—which is to say, multiracial democracy—and a desire for reunion, to make America great again. Thus, in the late 19th century and much of the 20th, this country’s most storied intellectuals transfigured hate-mongers into heroes and ignored their words—just as, right now, some are ignoring Kirk’s. Words are not violence, nor are they powerless. Burying the truth of the Confederacy, rewriting its aims and ideas, and ignoring its animating words allowed for the terrorization of the Black population, the imposition of apartheid, and the destruction of democracy. The rewriting and the ignoring were done not just by Confederates, but also by putative allies for whom the reduction of Black people to serfdom was the unfortunate price of white unity. The import of this history has never been clearer than in this moment when the hard question must be asked: If you would look away from the words of Charlie Kirk, from what else would you look away?
22 January 1962 Sir Oswald Mosley, 5, Lowndes Court, Lowndes Square, London, S.W.1. Dear Sir Oswald, Thank you for your letter and for your enclosures. I have given some thought to our recent correspondence. It is always difficult to decide on how to respond to people whose ethos is so alien and, in fact, repellent to one’s own. It is not that I take exception to the general points made by you but that every ounce of my energy has been devoted to an active opposition to cruel bigotry, compulsive violence, and the sadistic persecution which has characterised the philosophy and practice of fascism. I feel obliged to say that the emotional universes we inhabit are so distinct, and in deepest ways opposed, that nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from association between us. I should like you to understand the intensity of this conviction on my part. It is not out of any attempt to be rude that I say this but because of all that I value in human experience and human achievement. Yours sincerely, Bertrand Russell
22 January 1962 Sir Oswald Mosley, 5, Lowndes Court, Lowndes Square, London, S.W.1. Dear Sir Oswald, Thank you for your letter and for your enclosures. I have given some thought to our recent correspondence. It is always difficult to decide on how to respond to people whose ethos is so alien and, in fact, repellent to one’s own. It is not that I take exception to the general points made by you but that every ounce of my energy has been devoted to an active opposition to cruel bigotry, compulsive violence, and the sadistic persecution which has characterised the philosophy and practice of fascism. I feel obliged to say that the emotional universes we inhabit are so distinct, and in deepest ways opposed, that nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from association between us. I should like you to understand the intensity of this conviction on my part. It is not out of any attempt to be rude that I say this but because of all that I value in human experience and human achievement. Yours sincerely, Bertrand Russell
Image of text that reads: It saddens me that Charlie Kirk’s children will likely one day view the video of their father being shot. No child anywhere should lose a parent in such a hateful, callous way. It will require much more than quoting my father for the United States to evolve from our current conundrum of multi-faceted violence, tragic apathy, and degrading policies.
Tall striped rock formation rises above a field of wild grass.
Frozen plants with mountains in the distance
Westley from The Princess Bride with the caption: They were both poisoned. I spent the last few years building up an immunity to fentanyl.
A sunset over tranquil water.
Image of a poem that reads: Child of Mine, come as you grow in youth you will learn the secret places the cave behind the waterfall the arms of the oak that hold you high the stars so near on a desert ledge ...the important places. And, as with age, you choose your own way among the many faces of a busy world may you always remember the path that leads back. ...back to the important places. Dad to Forest, 1986
A small pond with a bridge crossing over it.
Photo from a bay from above in a rain forest.
Photo of grand canyon of Yellowstone national park.
Screenshot from The Detroit News that reads: "The world’s brightest minds have long come to teach, study and research at the University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine," the statement said. "These individuals bring exceptional knowledge to our classrooms and laboratories, add a global perspective to our campus and enrich our community in countless ways. Our commitment to them — and to all members of our community — remains unwavering."
Image of Patti Harrison from I Think You Should Leave with the text: "The woke mob smears me daily. They’ve come for my friends. Sometimes I worry they will even come for my dogs. But, I’m not panicked—because I bought gold from Kirk Elliott Precious Metals."
Picture of broken robot with the following text: Google 404. That's an error. The requested URL was not found on this server. That's all we know.
Text from an essay about the University of Michigan by Arthur Miller: “It was, in short, the testing ground for all my prejudices, my beliefs, and my ignorance, and it helped to lay out the boundaries of my life. For me it had, above everything else, variety and freedom. It is probably the same today. If it is not, a tragedy is in the making.”
Monet painting of water lilies