I read reports of outraged pundits furious at the atrocities against our citizens, against our constitution, and I come back to the same question. What can I do? Or, the better question: What can I do that will actually STOP this madness.
I am a long-time supporter of the ACLU, who is waging war with the Trump administration in court. I am a paid subscriber to Mark Elias and support the Democracy docket, which fights for voter’s rights. I send money to Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF to help children and families with medical care and food provisions in war-torn Gaza. I support candidates running for office against Republican counterparts. I call and write to members of Congress in my district. I am 75-years old and stand out on the streets with American flags and No Kings protest signs with my 80-year old husband. At the end of the day, the outrages still occur. Do I feel like I’ve made any difference at all? No, quite honestly, I don’t. Am I losing my sanity? On some days, it feels that way.
You say we are scrolling on. Many of us are not. But what, I ask, can we do that will actually STOP THE MADNESS?? Before we go mad ourselves.
Spot on. Mike, thank you for all of your contributions on this stack which I’ve been tracking for some time. You are saying it as well and as clearly as it can be said.
The Constitutional order is deteriorating by the hour at this point. Your post is focusing on the problem of Americans’ complacency and willing suspension of disbelief in what is plain to see. History tells us this will continue. Folks don’t join the fight until they feel the boot on their very own necks.
So how can we change that? (Not a rhetorical question!). I have two thoughts though. One scary, and the other hard.
First, the hard: I think we need to give shape the resistance by focusing less on the analysis of the fall and more on concrete recommendations for how to engage.
I think there are millions ready to rise to the moment but who are flummoxed as to where to begin. Turning our efforts to offering strategies big and small is difficult but it’s the necessary work right now. Planning and organizing and creating an entry point for people to join.
The scary idea comes from the world of addictionology. There’s an idea that an addict only makes a change when they hit “bottom.” The problem is that “bottom” for most who are addicted is too late. So the challenge is in finding strategies to “raise the bottom” so they hit it before their disease destroys them.
In this analogy, the public is addicted to an accommodationist mindset and will continue normalizing autocracy until every last freedom has been taken. How do we raise the bottom so that people feel the boot on their neck sooner; and while they still are empowered to resist.
The shutdown may do this. It may make the water hot enough that the dogs jump the pot. (To bring in a new metaphor). How else?
I saw this populate my email earlier and tried to scan it. I have so many excellent journalists and authors zoom into my email earlier/ at my choice/ I will sometimes scan. I didn’t thinking could get through (💔) yours but just came to it as it populated in Substack.
It’s up to us We the People RIGHT NOW!
We must protect our Freedoms
Please join with us to peacefully protest on Oct 18th
Again, we are not yawning. We are losing sleep. It’s insufferable that this is happening to any child and family. Flash bangs and drug busts can be heard from blocks away. Each time a door gets kicked in and a swat team enters, there are always a spate of 911 calls from concerned citizens mistaking the sound for gunshots. These aren’t abstractions to many of us. We know the difference between gunfire, fireworks, flash bangs, and backfiring vehicles.
Great column by Mike as usual. I'm 76 years old, and I also 100% endorse the commenter below.
But what to do? I believe a lot of people are outraged, but I do not believe that No Kings protests are a sufficient response (though I do intend to be at the next one). There has to be something else we can do.
As Mike said, this should be the number 1 news story in America. The question is, how do we spread the word even more? I think many Americans would be as horrified as we are, if they knew about it and weren't too ground down by just trying to live.
was glad to see that People magazine, of all outlets, had a big headline about it. Not the pathetic NY Times, though.
I read reports of outraged pundits furious at the atrocities against our citizens, against our constitution, and I come back to the same question. What can I do? Or, the better question: What can I do that will actually STOP this madness.
I am a long-time supporter of the ACLU, who is waging war with the Trump administration in court. I am a paid subscriber to Mark Elias and support the Democracy docket, which fights for voter’s rights. I send money to Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF to help children and families with medical care and food provisions in war-torn Gaza. I support candidates running for office against Republican counterparts. I call and write to members of Congress in my district. I am 75-years old and stand out on the streets with American flags and No Kings protest signs with my 80-year old husband. At the end of the day, the outrages still occur. Do I feel like I’ve made any difference at all? No, quite honestly, I don’t. Am I losing my sanity? On some days, it feels that way.
You say we are scrolling on. Many of us are not. But what, I ask, can we do that will actually STOP THE MADNESS?? Before we go mad ourselves.
Spot on. Mike, thank you for all of your contributions on this stack which I’ve been tracking for some time. You are saying it as well and as clearly as it can be said.
The Constitutional order is deteriorating by the hour at this point. Your post is focusing on the problem of Americans’ complacency and willing suspension of disbelief in what is plain to see. History tells us this will continue. Folks don’t join the fight until they feel the boot on their very own necks.
So how can we change that? (Not a rhetorical question!). I have two thoughts though. One scary, and the other hard.
First, the hard: I think we need to give shape the resistance by focusing less on the analysis of the fall and more on concrete recommendations for how to engage.
I think there are millions ready to rise to the moment but who are flummoxed as to where to begin. Turning our efforts to offering strategies big and small is difficult but it’s the necessary work right now. Planning and organizing and creating an entry point for people to join.
The scary idea comes from the world of addictionology. There’s an idea that an addict only makes a change when they hit “bottom.” The problem is that “bottom” for most who are addicted is too late. So the challenge is in finding strategies to “raise the bottom” so they hit it before their disease destroys them.
In this analogy, the public is addicted to an accommodationist mindset and will continue normalizing autocracy until every last freedom has been taken. How do we raise the bottom so that people feel the boot on their neck sooner; and while they still are empowered to resist.
The shutdown may do this. It may make the water hot enough that the dogs jump the pot. (To bring in a new metaphor). How else?
Asking for a friend.
I saw this populate my email earlier and tried to scan it. I have so many excellent journalists and authors zoom into my email earlier/ at my choice/ I will sometimes scan. I didn’t thinking could get through (💔) yours but just came to it as it populated in Substack.
It’s up to us We the People RIGHT NOW!
We must protect our Freedoms
Please join with us to peacefully protest on Oct 18th
Locate your state events at this link:
https://mobilize.us/s/WdCaag
💙🇺🇸💙
I appreciate your paragraphs on the British use of general warrants 250 years ago and the analogy to Chicago raid this week.
No American voted for this outcome: surrender our liberties, ignore our laws.
Thank you for another great article Mike. Here is a helpful resource for your readers who want meaningful guidance for taking action now:
https://www.thedemocracyhabit.com
Again, we are not yawning. We are losing sleep. It’s insufferable that this is happening to any child and family. Flash bangs and drug busts can be heard from blocks away. Each time a door gets kicked in and a swat team enters, there are always a spate of 911 calls from concerned citizens mistaking the sound for gunshots. These aren’t abstractions to many of us. We know the difference between gunfire, fireworks, flash bangs, and backfiring vehicles.
We know it could be any us? Do you?
Great column by Mike as usual. I'm 76 years old, and I also 100% endorse the commenter below.
But what to do? I believe a lot of people are outraged, but I do not believe that No Kings protests are a sufficient response (though I do intend to be at the next one). There has to be something else we can do.
As Mike said, this should be the number 1 news story in America. The question is, how do we spread the word even more? I think many Americans would be as horrified as we are, if they knew about it and weren't too ground down by just trying to live.
was glad to see that People magazine, of all outlets, had a big headline about it. Not the pathetic NY Times, though.
What to do?
Americans are having done to their country what America has done to other countries.
Rest in peace Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh.
Rest in peace President Salvador Allende.