Kevin J. O’Brien
@kevinjamesobrien.bsky.social
📤 154
📥 320
📝 7
I teach Christian and environmental ethics at Pacific Lutheran University. I post some stuff I read.
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Bryn
about 2 months ago
“Well folks, times like these make me even more grateful that my parents gave me the gift of a strong work ethic— …I’m just being told that the work ethic is actually a time bomb constructed out of a dozen anxiety disorders and socioemotional deficiencies lashed together inside a trench coat”
0
30
5
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Michael Morrell
about 2 months ago
Let’s get biblical, biblical…
16
691
208
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Melanie D’Arrigo
2 months ago
I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.
1749
56603
22499
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Kara Swisher
3 months ago
No notes
601
37676
10583
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Karen Attiah
3 months ago
Some personal news: I've been fired from the Washington Post in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting. Thread incoming.
substack.com/@karenattiah...
loading . . .
The Washington Post Fired Me — But My Voice Will Not Be Silenced.
I spoke out against hatred and violence in America — and it cost me my job.
https://substack.com/@karenattiah/note/p-173531760?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=2bz6j
2509
45354
17964
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Climate Watcher
3 months ago
Solar is nuclear energy ☀️
3
44
11
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Eric Columbus
4 months ago
This is a real letter from Melania Trump to Putin and it’s one of the most vapid things I’ve ever read.
264
677
261
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Kieron Gillen
5 months ago
I’m petrified about today’s science news. Genetically modifying crabs to have cheetah genes? This could go sideways fast.
808
22634
4422
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Cullen
7 months ago
if chewbacca went on Laugh-In a good thing for him to aay would be "bacc it chew me"
2
65
3
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
-𝚖𝚘𝚡 ❆ ☃︎︎ ❆
7 months ago
HBO needs to add a pricing tier thats only feature is not showing Bill Maher's face as a suggestion every time we finish an episode of John Oliver
8
160
20
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Commander RR
8 months ago
Did you know about the Tree on Snake Lake nature trail with a portal to the mirror "Light" Universe? We are all trapped in the Dark Zone Universe
loading . . .
0
4
1
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Hank Green
8 months ago
Shopping for EVs in the US is infuriating. It’s a process of finding a super cool option that’s not huge and is significantly cheaper than other options and then finding out they don’t sell it here.
399
5730
245
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Satan
8 months ago
105
24983
4402
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Enough Of That Now
8 months ago
Popes are chosen by God, making them the ultimate Dei hire
121
6477
1416
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
the Mountain Goats
8 months ago
Tradition states that last night Jesus emptied out all the jails. Spent Saturday night telling people “I don’t care what you did, people weren’t made for prisons.” The next day to prove His point He broke out of solitary. It is finished. Easter is incompatible with the carceral state. Happy Easter.
31
3147
643
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Hank Green
8 months ago
I’m going to pull my teeth out if the left tears itself apart over whether Pete or AOC would be a better candidate while Trump dismantles every single check on his power. Let’s have the debate while deep down adoring both of them as insanely smart, principled politicians that we are lucky to have.
426
8049
718
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Jess
8 months ago
Really fucked up of the government to make me root for Harvard
5
144
15
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Charles Keener
8 months ago
charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/questions-...
loading . . .
Questions for Rubio About Christianity
Easy questions, I promise.
https://charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/questions-for-rubio-about-christianity
1
5
3
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
G. Willow Wilson
8 months ago
One of the most clarifying things I've seen in the past few weeks is "de-escalate all conflict that is not with the enemy."
98
7448
1772
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Josh Gondelman
8 months ago
Okay is there any evidence behind luggage gridlock being more efficient than normal conveyor belt or did every airport get upsold on garbage?
17
115
6
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
8 months ago
Hello world! My name is Marcy Rheintgen and I recently became the first person to be arrested under the transgender bathroom bills!
158
2164
485
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Monica
8 months ago
🎯
179
7569
2209
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Jacob J. Erickson
9 months ago
“We believe, however, that a recent decision by the President is a dangerous threat to religious liberty, promotes Christian Nationalism, and all people who care about our democracy need to take note.”
www.alternet.org/lutheran-chr...
loading . . .
'The President is a dangerous threat to religious liberty': Lutheran bishops take a stand
Who gets to decide what is Christian? What does religious liberty look like today? With so much unsettling and destabilizing news coming from the new administration in Washington, DC, it’s hard to kee...
https://www.alternet.org/lutheran-christian-nationalism/
0
5
2
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier
9 months ago
Ah, he never disappoints.
loading . . .
131
6617
1828
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
🇨🇦FerFer 🇨🇦
9 months ago
This is perfect 😂🇨🇦
loading . . .
85
2057
516
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Bill McKibben
9 months ago
Proud of my sign at today’s massive
#TeslaTakedown
rally in Burlington Vt
22
521
47
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Senator Patty Murray
9 months ago
Good morning. I am a firm 100% NO on House Republicans' slush fund CR. I will NOT vote to let Elon and Trump pick winners and losers with your taxpayer dollars. Senators were not elected to beg Trump for federal resources.
301
1731
290
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Bill McKibben
9 months ago
I feel like we need to form a League of Relatively Normal People, and our agenda should be things like: --Canada's cool, leave them be --Lot of smart people at universities, that's a plus --We're scared of getting cancer, so let's research it --Fewer floods and wildfires would be nice
67
2072
470
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Papa Woof und Krampus und Bleaken
9 months ago
100
4639
602
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Senator Patty Murray
9 months ago
I will not vote to weaken my power to fight for WA state. I will not vote to turn YOUR taxpayer dollars into Trump & Elon's personal slush funds. I will vote NO. We should pass my short term CR, avoid a shutdown, and do our jobs.
427
5588
1033
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Senator Patty Murray
9 months ago
Think about what passing a slush fund CR will mean: what happens when Trump cuts staffing at national parks in your backyard because your Governor won’t deny climate change? Or you can’t get a bridge replaced because the political appointees at DOT don’t like a particular mayor?
loading . . .
21
371
90
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Senator Patty Murray
9 months ago
We have already seen how Trump will threaten to cut off states and cities that disagree with him—and how Elon will warp government to benefit his companies and hurt his competitors. Voting against this CR is about our ability to be a voice for our constituents here in Congress.
loading . . .
76
622
158
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Senator Patty Murray
9 months ago
There is a reason why Elon and Russ Vought want Congress to pass Speaker Johnson's slush fund CR. We should not let Elon and Trump pick winners and losers or defund programs they either don't like or don't understand. They will hurt blue AND red states. VOTE NO.
77
1700
481
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Mueller, She Wrote
9 months ago
They called him Sleepy Joe because we could sleep at night.
1067
68727
11832
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Marc Elias
9 months ago
If you are spending any time attacking Democrats rather than focusing on what Republicans are doing to destroy our democracy then you are wasting value time.
1394
13599
3486
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Hank Green
9 months ago
Montana is extremely lucky to have Zooey Zephyr and SJ Howell standing up in front of openly transphobic lawmakers who wanted to pass a bill that would /take trans kids away from their parents./ Thank you to them, and to the Republicans who crossed the aisle.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
loading . . .
‘Stop these crazy bills’: Republicans join Democrats to defeat anti-trans legislation in Montana
One bill would remove trans children from their parents, and the other would ban drag shows and Pride marches
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/07/montana-anti-trans-bills-defeated
138
13987
1896
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Jacob J. Erickson
9 months ago
Saruman: "The Forest of Fangorn lies on our doorstep. Burn it." So we’re here now, ok.*facepalm*
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
loading . . .
Trump orders swathes of US forests to be cut down for timber
President’s move to expand tree cutting across 280m acres evades rules to protect endangered species
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/trump-national-forest-executive-order
1
2
2
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
the Mountain Goats
9 months ago
well you know what, three years ago today I ran eleven and a half miles at a pace of 10:00/mi and today I ran two miles in half mile increments with two minute walking breaks but I share this for anybody who's climbing back up a hill they already climbed once. we'll get there & it'll feel good
62
2166
88
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Jana Bacevic
9 months ago
In a community-building workshop I attended today, someone said (reflecting on activist burnout) something like "people are standing in for infrastructure" and as someone interested in both people and in infrastructure this is probably the most accurate & succinct diagnosis I've ever heard
1
33
4
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Doug Mack
9 months ago
I genuinely think that schools should focus more on intercultural competence than on STEM
add a skeleton here at some point
33
770
92
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Josh Marshall
9 months ago
Lemme share something with you. A lot of semi-Trumpy types are saying Zelensky blew it. All he had to do was show up, shake hands, say Trump is great and sign the docs. He couldn't do that. But there are also people in DC who are not Trumpy who are saying the same thing. Now, big picture this ...
164
2157
680
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Hank Green
9 months ago
I will admit to finding the “all problems are caused by evil and we could fix every problem without any trade-offs” worldview pretty draining and immature.
277
7319
378
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Bill McKibben
9 months ago
Move over Ethan Allen, here comes Lucy Welch
billmckibben.substack.com/p/special-ve...
loading . . .
Special Vermont Resistance edition
Lucy Welch, a hero for the moment.
https://billmckibben.substack.com/p/special-vermont-resistance-edition
51
1831
486
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Bill McKibben
9 months ago
We need to salute courage wherever it appears. The official snow reporter at Vermont's Sugarbush, where JD Vance came on a skiing vacation this weekend, pointed out in her snow report this a.m. that the Trump team is ignoring climate change. Her report was pulled down
kottke.org/25/03/jd-van...
loading . . .
Good Trouble: JD Vance Chastised by Vermont Snow Reporter
JD Vance, fresh off of helping his boss ambush & insult a foreign leader in the White House yesterday afternoon, is on vacation in
https://kottke.org/25/03/jd-vance-chastised-by-vermont-snow-reporter
16
1215
322
These cats sit by the window waiting for the mail every day. Today it finally paid off, as my book was delivered. You can see how excited they were.
10 months ago
1
1
0
I wrote a book about how the fossil fuel industry needs to be seen as enemy of humanity and our planetary future, and about how we can find real ways to resist together. If you’re interested, it’s out today!
www.fortresspress.com/store/produc...
loading . . .
Meeting the Enemy: The Fossil Fuel Industry and the Power of Christian Climate Resistance
The catastrophic effects of climate change are overwhelming. What can we do? Who is responsible? In the tradition of Walter Wink, O'Brien reminds us that Christians have the power to name and oppose t...
https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506499338/Meeting-the-Enemy
10 months ago
0
1
0
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
👻 joy meads 👻
10 months ago
Feels like we all need to add as much pro-social, Mr Rogers like activity as possible just as a homeostatic response to all the ambient evil floating around right now. Anyway I just signed up to read with little kids on Wednesday mornings before work.
134
5695
607
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Sherrilyn Ifill
10 months ago
On Feb. 14th I try always to give honor to one of the greatest contributors to American democracy in our nation’s history, Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery, Douglass never knew his actual birthdate, and adopted Feb. 14th as the day. His penetrating insights about our country inspire me daily.
381
29442
5468
reposted by
Kevin J. O’Brien
Rebecca Solnit
10 months ago
A rabbi asked his pupils how they could tell when the night had ended and the day was on its way back.
9
443
86
Load more
feeds!
log in