Ruth Zakarin

@ruthz.bsky.social

38922 Followers 2329 Following

Gun violence prevention activist and survivor advocate. Knitter, cat lady, grey hair evangelist. Oh, and I box. Lots of strong opinions that are all my own. Check out my essays at: https://dot-connecting.ghost.io

Alanis Morissette in a sequined shirt singing at the microphone with blue lights behind her
Homeland Security + @DHSgov ... On July 13, 2026, at approximately 7:00 AM ET, ICE was conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal. An illegal alien departed the residence in a vehicle. ICE law enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon. The driver of the vehicle was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted. He passed away from his injuries. The Biddeford Police Department and FBI responded to the scene. DHS OIG has been notified and like all discharge of firearms this will be investigated. This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available. 10:40 PM • Jul 13, 2026 • 1.7M Views
"The right of Americans to buy guns - even online - is something that is deeply rooted in our nation's text, history and tradition," Pratt said, echoing the language of recent Supreme Court decisions. "It is as American as apple pie."
Supreme Court will consider striking down assault ® weapons bans in Connecticut and the Chicago-area - 12:09 p.m. By the Associated Press A Supreme Court that has expanded gun rights will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles, often called assault weapons, violate the Second Amendment. The justices said Tuesday they'll take up appeals asking the court to strike down bans on the AR-15 and similar semiautomatic firearms in the Chicago area and Connecticut. Similar laws are in place in about a dozen states, covering major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Congress allowed a national assault weapons ban to expire in 2004, but Democrats have supported renewing it in response to a series of mass shootings and states have continued to pass their own laws. The cases are the latest high-profile disputes over guns to reach the court since its conservative majority handed down a landmark ruling in 2022 that expanded Second Amendment rights and spawned challenges to firearm laws around the country. The case is expected to be heard in the fall.
"We can finally remove these Haitian illegal migrants from the United States," Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff and the architect of the Trump administration's immigration policy, said on Fox News on Thursday. The Supreme Court decision, he said, was a "victory 10 years in the making."
Stories in the NYT this morning about Republicans who want to prosecute women for having abortions and to outlaw same-sex marriage. My head is exploding.
huskyhuncleheath 19m Unless you are from Uruguay, we are all rooting for Cape Verde, right?
When Trump's predecessor, President Joe Biden, turned 80 in November 2022, he celebrated with a private family brunch at the White House, laying bare just how much and how quickly things have changed. Asked about the contrast, White House spokesperson Allison Schuster said that the fight "will be one of the most entertaining nights in American history" and said that the timing was appropriate. "Having this spectacle take place at the people's house on Flag Day during our nations' semiquincentennial anniversary is a fitting tribute," Schuster said in a statement.
The White House lit up in rainbow colors
Me and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley taking a selfie!
A graphic with a group of people wearing MA Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence shirts in bright orange. The rest reads: Pending the license approvals by the City of Boston. hce massachusetts coalition prevent gun violence Join MACOPGV in honoring victims and survivors of gun violence at WEAR ORANGE Community Gathering | Resource Fair JUNE 11, 2026 | 10 AM-2PM SAM ADAMS' PARK 6 FANEUIL HALL SQ, BOSTON, MA 02109 FOR MORE INFO: info@mapreventgunviolence.org RSVP: https://bit.ly/4dDkNph Hope to see you 🧡
Two women standing with their arms around each other and lots of people at a Pride festival behind them. They are smiling at the camera
Six of us in orange t-shirts in front of an orange banner, all of which say Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence
GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH Gun Violence Awareness Month arrives with added urgency this year, as we fight the effort to repeal Massachusetts' nation-leading 2024 gun violence prevention law. Everyone deserves the freedom that comes from being safe in their homes and in their communities. In Massachusetts, we've built a strong legislative foundation that enables the ongoing work to eradicate gun violence - now we have to protect it. As we mark Gun Violence Awareness Month and the beginning of summer, November will be here before we know it. Make a plan to vote YES for a safe Massachusetts. VOTE YES
jgreenblattadl 3h ®threads 1/ Over 50,000 people marched in the Israel Day on 5th parade in NYC yesterday because Jewish pride, Jewish peoplehood and the Jewish connection to the land of Israel are not up for negotiation. For more than 60 years, every NYC Mayor attended. This year, Mayor Mamdani emphatically refused to march. Breaking with decades-long tradition, especially at a time when the Jewish community is under threat, sends a clear message: showing up for Jewish New Yorkers is not a priority. 1/2
Me and another person standing with MA attorney general Andrea Campbell
My hand holding a copy of A Wrinkle in Time
My white and gray cat sleeping on a floral rug with his paws up in the air and his belly exposed
A graphic that reads: massachusetts coalition prevent gun violence The Boston Globe Person fires gunshots on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, prompting drivers to flee cars; one person hurt, suspect in custody, police say The Boston Globe Three Boston shootings in 24 hours leave one dead, four injured The shootings are considered separate incidents, and no arrests have been made, according to officials. Source: The Boston Globe
A group of people in mostly orange and purple t-shirts in a huddle on a field. They are all smiling
A picture of eight white caskets lined up in a row.
A screen shot of a post from people magazine with a picture of a family of four and the following text: people • 23h Matthew and Thy Mitchell and their two kids, Maya and Max, have been identified as the family of four found dead in their Houston home in what police believe to be a murder-suicide. P people.com Family in Murder-Suicide Identified as Houston Restaurant Owner, Hi...
A screenshot from the Globe that reads: Authorities investigate apparent murder suicide at summer home in Tuftonboro, N.H. There is no threat to the public, officials said Saturday.
My white and gray cat lying on his side caught mid yawn
People standing around a pavilion on Boston Common. The sky is very blue and you can see the backs of many heads
Trump posts AI-generated photo holding firearm, days after White House pointed a finger at Mass. Democrats' rhetoric In an Al-generated photo on Truth Social, the president is wearing sunglasses and standing in front of a scene of explosions. Kaitlin Lewis • Updated April 29th, 2026, 12:56 pm
Trump posts AI-generated photo holding firearm, days after White House pointed a finger at Mass. Democrats' rhetoric In an Al-generated photo on Truth Social, the president is wearing sunglasses and standing in front of a scene of explosions. Kaitlin Lewis • Updated April 29th, 2026, 12:56 pm
When such acts of fatal domestic violence occur, especially mass shootings, law enforcement officials often call that crime "an isolated incident" to reassure the public that there is no ongoing threat. But Ruth Zakarin, CEO of the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, said that framing domestic violence homicides as "a private issue, an isolated issue" is "really harmful." "It's almost like we throw up our hands, and there's no larger pattern that we need to be addressing," Zakarin told me in an interview. "And I think that really exemplifies the way we in our country think about - or don't think about - domestic violence because it's a private issue in someone's home." Law enforcement doesn't "see it as a larger public health crisis or publie safety crisis."
A child shouldn't have to bury a parent lost to a domestic violence homicide. A parent shouldn't have to bury a child shot and killed by the other parent. I think we should all be able to agree on that. But today is another day in the United States, a country with more guns than people and not enough will to meaningfully address domestic violence. Or gun violence. And so today, on another day in the United States, eight children in Shreveport, Louisiana are dead — shot and killed by a man who was supposed to care for them and keep them safe. For at least some of those children, that man was their father.
The crowd in front of the Boston Marathon finish line!
The Giffords state gun law scorecard that gives Louisiana an F grade and notes that its gun death rate is 6 out of 50
A meme from the Office that says: The rapist in the White House, the 62 million hits on a DIY rape website, and the Epstein files They're the same picture.
A picture of the feast of freedom Haggadah, with a colorful cover of the sea parting
Yellow stickies surrounding the question: what does community safety look like for you?
My gray and white cat sitting on a dining room chair peering at the table. There is a deep red tablecloth
When a confused Waymo robotaxi blocked an ambulance from reaching the scene of the recent mass shooting in Austin, Texas, a police officer had to jump in and manually drive the car out of the way.
Trump Antisemitism Inquiry Demanding List of Jews at Penn Heads to Court The Trump administration, which said it is investigating harassment, sued the University of Pennsylvania after it refused a request to provide information about Jewish students and staff.
A glowing sun rising over a frozen lake that is covered in snow. Trees are at the edges and a red canoe is in the front.
A picture of a sign in front of a church that reads: join us for Sunday shit 10:30am
The window of my kitchen door completely covered in snow. You cannot see anything except the snow
Alysa Liu jumping for joy on the Olympic podium
A message from the Coalition massachusetts coalition prevent gun violence For the second time in just over two months, our neighbors in Rhode Island have experienced a horrific mass shooting. On Monday, a shooter at a high school hockey tournament killed their ex-wife and son, injured three others, and then turned the gun on themselves. Our young people should be able to attend a sports tournament without fear of being shot. Media outlets have called the shooting a result of a "family dispute" - we call it what it is, domestic violence. We know that the combination of domestic violence and easy access to guns is a profoundly lethal one. In Massachusetts, we have seen multiple domestic violence murder/suicides in recent years, with at least six such incidents since January of 2025. Domestic violence, suicide, and guns are not private issues, but public safety crises that often spill into community spaces.
I write slowly. A letter might take me an hour or more. I do not rush. I think through each sentence. My hand does not get tired. You mustn't rush. When you rush you pen things you didn't mean and you tire. It takes patience to say exactly what one means, to think of the right word. Sometimes I write a draft and mark it up, then write a clean copy to send. I believe one ought to be precious with communication. Remember: words, especially those written, are immortal. Virginia Evans The Correspondent: A Novel #kindlequotes
I watched the Jefferey Epstein documentary and it's awful what he did. But I think those girls are just as at fault because they kept going back doing the same thing for years for the money
NEWS NEXT DOOR RUG PULL: A $70,000 rug made in Boston and installed in the Rhode Island State House has the wrong state seal on it, twice. It is currently being covered up by $110 rugs from Ocean State Job Lot. - WPRI
Bad Bunny in white falling backwards and a crowd of people lifting up their hands to catch him
US seeks to expedite deportation of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos
In one news clipping included in the file, the Justice Department apparently blacked out the name "Joseph" from a photo caption describing a nativity scene at a California church. "A nativity scene depicting Jesus, Mary and (REDACTED)," it said. In an email released in the files, a dog's name appeared to have been redacted: "I spent an hour walking (REDACTED) and then another hour bathing her blow drying her and brushing her. I hope she smells better!!" the email said.
A screenshot of an article about Homan that reads: Trump's border czar vows to bring 'hell' to Boston over immigration policies
A screenshot of a news article about Tom Homan that reads: Trump's border czar vows to bring 'hell' to Boston over immigration policies
"I need to be very clear: none of the current violence would be happening if the federal government hadn't decided to invade our cities in service to their war against Black and brown immigrants. There is no reason for federal agents to be in Minneapolis right now. None. White supremacy is at the root of this." Ruth Zakarin For Minneapolis, today RUTHZAKARIN.SUBSTACK.COM
A picture of a man who was abducted by ICE with the caption “bring them back home”
A stainless steel pot filled with soup. You can see herbs floating at the top and pieces of turkey inside.
"Vance's comments dripped with misogyny, and essentially amounted to a public battering of a woman just shot and killed by an agent of the government he helps lead. The same misogyny that underscores this entire administration. An administration led by our Abuser-in-Chief and staffed at every level by abusers." Ruth Zakarin JD Vance and the MAGA battering of Renee Good RUTHZAKARIN.SUBSTACK.COM
Ruth Zakarin, a trauma clinician and gun violence prevention advocate, captured the thoughts of many commenters across social media the day after the shooting: "We cannot solve gun violence in the United States when the perpetrator of gun violence is the government of the United States. - Sunny Sone, senior editor
Home Warsan Shire no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark. you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well. no one would leave home unless home chased you, fire under feet, hot blood in your belly. it's not something you ever thought about doing, and so when you did - you carried the anthem under your breath, waiting until the airport toilet to tear up the passport and swallow, each mouthful of paper making it clear that you would not be going back. you have to understand, no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.
Donald J. Trump @realDonald Trump I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense. Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital. The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis. They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE. We need to stand by and protect our Law Enforcement Officers from this Radical Left Movement of Violence and Hate! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
A screen shot of a threads post that reads: ashtonpittman.ms 59m @ Threads There was actually a time when there was a consensus in American media that it was bad to be outright hateful to transgender children. barbaraj.sobel 4h Flashback Remember when Megyn Kelly supported trans kids? And the community. Please welcome 16-year old Nicole
The sun rising over a rocky beach with the glow reflected in the water. Clouds are in the sky
A screenshot from the Atlantic’s with a pic of the insurrection and the caption: Donald Trump wants you to forget this happened.