As we change gears after a very upsetting election, escape the good way. Reading the solid stacks that are always dependable. Leaving Substack would not make us wiser or happier. Unify! Blue!
[Updated Sun. 2-16-25] Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre"--where two lawyers resigned in protest--became famous as part of Tricky Dick's own forced departure. Trump now has his own enhanced, explosive "Thursday Afternoon Massacre" where not two but seven DOJ lawyers resigned in their protest against dropping the quid pro quo criminal action against NY Mayor Adams. This week's heroes ("Lighthouses in the Storm" h/t Armand Beede@Blue Note) are: Danielle Sasson, John Keller, Kevin Driscoll, Rob Heberie, Jenn Clarke, Marco Palmieri, and Hagen Scotten. They resigned after Acting deputy Attorney Emil Bove issued a directive to drop the Adam's case.. These heroes in pursuit of justice and the rule of law are now included in the lionhearted below fighting against authoritarianism, Trump cruelty, and for pre Trump/Musk. democracy.
Numerous undaunted truth-to-power fighters have been added per viewer's inputs and recent Trump and DOJ actions. Besides upstanding lawyers and law-abiding honorable (present and former) judges, here's a growing list of Profiles in Courage men, women, and advocacy groups who refuse to be cowed or kneel to the force of the Trump/Musk intimidation.]
These heroes in pursuit of justice and the rule of law are now included in the lionhearted below fighting against authoritarianism, Trump cruelty, and for democracy--pre Trump/Musk.
I'll begin, again, with Missouri's own undaunted Jess[ica] (à la John Lewis's "get in good trouble") Piper. Then, in no particular order, Heather Cox Richardson, Joyce Vance, Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Karen Pence, Pope Francis (re cruel migration treatment) , Ruth Ben-Ghait, Dan Rather, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes, Robert Reich, Jim Acosta, Jen Rubin and the Contrarians, Steve Brodner, Brian Tyler Cohen, Jonathan Bernstein, Simon Rosenberg, Rachel Coyle, Jessica Craven, Sharon McMahon, Scott Dworkin, Ron Filipkowski!, Anne Applebaum, David Frum, Susan H. Glassser, Jane Mayer, Lucian Truscott IV, AOC, Jasmine Crockett, Chris Murphy, Elizabeth Warren, Tim Snyder, Harry Litman, Jay Kuo, Robert B. Hubbell, Ben Meisellas, Steve Schmidt, David Pepper, Judd Legum, Kristin Du Mez, Jeff Tiedrich, Josh Marshall, Paul Krugman, Andy Borowitz, Rich Wilson, Jeff Danziger, Ann Telnaes,͏ ͏Juan Cole, Will Bunch, Cher, Kevin Costner, Jon Hamm, Bennie Thompson, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Rebecca Gordon/TomDispatch, The Dean's List/Dean Obeidallah; American Bar Association, Blue Missouri, Indivisible, Sunrise Movement, Third Act, Democracy Forward, Public Citizen, Democracy Index, Democracy Docket, Democracy Now, ACLU, America, America/Steven Beschloss, David Pepper/ Saving DemocracyThe Action Network, The Freedom Academy et al. (Suggestions welcome.)
And, as Joyce Vance says, "We're in this together"--or via Jess Piper, from rural Missouri: "Solidarity." FIGHT BACK! WE ARE NOT ALONE WE GROW BY THE MINUTE--Every time Trump/Musk tries to destroy our Democracy.
( Google any name above for more info if you are unfamiliar.)
Diane: You are so generous with Armando's little platform when Nancy, the Love of my Life (53 years together, 51 years married), my daughters, my 17 year-old-granddaughter, and my granddaughter's cats each yawn and walk away when Armando talks to his loved ones.
You are among dear friends.
Substack is a platform with human flaws.
You list such greats as Professors Heather Cox Richardson and Joyce Vance (We are in this together). Two of my favorites in the same spirit as yours are Jennifer Rubin and Norm Eisen, two joyful lawyers, and two who joyfully tell the truth in the face of oppression.
You and I share the core values.
These values did not come out of thin air.
They come from such as John Locke, "Second Treatise of Government," David Hume, "Treatise on Human Nature" (written when the great philosopher was between 17 and 24 years of age) -- a work that re-booted the early philosophy of Immanuel Kant into his three great critiques -- "Kritik der reinen Vernunft" (Critique of Pure Reason), Kritik der praktischen Vernunft (Critique of Practical Reason) and Kritik der Religion (as you can easily see: Critique of Religion).
In America the closest philosophical work was "The Federalist," which is very good, but highly imperfect, because our Founders tried to implement Reason -- the 18th c. was the "Age of Reason," "The Enlightenment." BUT -- the terrorism of slavery and oppression of First-Nation Peoples makes it hard to have consistent principles of humanity coexistent with instruments of terror. These terrors vitiate the pure reason.
But in the late 20th century, there was the great work of the late John Rawls of Harvard, "Theory of Justice" and "Liberalism" -- these works of Rawls bring the foregoing works of "The Enlightenment" into the 20th and 21st centuries.
A sound foundation in the works of John Rawls is a wonderful remedy to maintain reason and humane values in our age of brownshirt terror of the Elon-Musk/JD-Vance/Orange-Tramp State.
A society solidly built upon these core values would not be vulnerable to the Musk/Vance/Tramp perversion.
But we will endure!
They will SEE us.
They will HEAR us.
We will not go away.
We will, together, grow stronger.
YOU, Diane, are a dear, wonderful person of sound core values. It is a privilege to be in your company of friends.
We will be true to each other and resist and grow stronger with resistance.
Armand, you are truly too kind! You are one of the lighthouses I’m so happy to have found on Substack. These are bleak times, but we will prevail if we shout out from the rooftops, in courts, and on sane platforms. I know you’re as tired as I am fighting the silent, spineless leaders. But we are seeing more heroes emerge, and we must encourage more to fight for the majority who cannot fight for right. Thank you! When I looked back at my November 2024 posts, I was pretty grim but still believed the courts would zap the orange menace. Now we must be smarter and work under the red radar toppling over the 2025 game tables. It can be done!
Diane, I add this--even as I agree with you: As Trump’s inauguration looms, as his threats to create detention camps loom, as prison stocks rise, as he plans to deport thousands from our nation, separating parents from their children looms,
Let us hear Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller (14 January 1892 – 6 March 1984), German theologian and Lutheran pastor, whose words appear on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial:
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me."
We must speak out to save democracy and condemn inhumanity.
Mary L. Tabor: Niemöller was part of a greater movement with Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann to form "die bekennende Kirche" ("the Confessing Church") -- in opposition to the National Church that was forming -- the "National Church" was loyal to Hitler and the Third Reich. The Confessing Church countered the Aryan racist cult and confessed the Christianity professed in the Protestant Confessions of Faith from the Reformation, with all -- gentile and Jew -- as One in Christ.
So, Niemöller himself was never silent.
Among the good, village people I first met in 1980, Pfarrer Niemöller ("Pastor Niemöller") was highly honored in the "Evangelische Kirche" ("Protestant Church").
The scariest feature we face: What will be the extent of the deportations and cruelty towards immigrants?!
Make no mistake.
This is happening now.
Florida and Texas have taken cruel and inhumane actions towards immigrants during these times.
Texas in particular has laid barbed wire traps in the Rio Grande which do NOTHING to deter drug smugglers or human-traffickers, but which catch, entangle and drown a mom and her young kids.
This is happening now.
The change will not be a change in kind.
The change will be a change in scale.
I think we need to join and contribute to groups that protect immigrant rights.
[Updated Sun. 2-16-25] Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre"--where two lawyers resigned in protest--became famous as part of Tricky Dick's own forced departure. Trump now has his own enhanced, explosive "Thursday Afternoon Massacre" where not two but seven DOJ lawyers resigned in their protest against dropping the quid pro quo criminal action against NY Mayor Adams. This week's heroes ("Lighthouses in the Storm" h/t Armand Beede@Blue Note) are: Danielle Sasson, John Keller, Kevin Driscoll, Rob Heberie, Jenn Clarke, Marco Palmieri, and Hagen Scotten. They resigned after Acting deputy Attorney Emil Bove issued a directive to drop the Adam's case.. These heroes in pursuit of justice and the rule of law are now included in the lionhearted below fighting against authoritarianism, Trump cruelty, and for pre Trump/Musk. democracy.
Numerous undaunted truth-to-power fighters have been added per viewer's inputs and recent Trump and DOJ actions. Besides upstanding lawyers and law-abiding honorable (present and former) judges, here's a growing list of Profiles in Courage men, women, and advocacy groups who refuse to be cowed or kneel to the force of the Trump/Musk intimidation.]
These heroes in pursuit of justice and the rule of law are now included in the lionhearted below fighting against authoritarianism, Trump cruelty, and for democracy--pre Trump/Musk.
I'll begin, again, with Missouri's own undaunted Jess[ica] (à la John Lewis's "get in good trouble") Piper. Then, in no particular order, Heather Cox Richardson, Joyce Vance, Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Karen Pence, Pope Francis (re cruel migration treatment) , Ruth Ben-Ghait, Dan Rather, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes, Robert Reich, Jim Acosta, Jen Rubin and the Contrarians, Steve Brodner, Brian Tyler Cohen, Jonathan Bernstein, Simon Rosenberg, Rachel Coyle, Jessica Craven, Sharon McMahon, Scott Dworkin, Ron Filipkowski!, Anne Applebaum, David Frum, Susan H. Glassser, Jane Mayer, Lucian Truscott IV, AOC, Jasmine Crockett, Chris Murphy, Elizabeth Warren, Tim Snyder, Harry Litman, Jay Kuo, Robert B. Hubbell, Ben Meisellas, Steve Schmidt, David Pepper, Judd Legum, Kristin Du Mez, Jeff Tiedrich, Josh Marshall, Paul Krugman, Andy Borowitz, Rich Wilson, Jeff Danziger, Ann Telnaes,͏ ͏Juan Cole, Will Bunch, Cher, Kevin Costner, Jon Hamm, Bennie Thompson, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Rebecca Gordon/TomDispatch, The Dean's List/Dean Obeidallah; American Bar Association, Blue Missouri, Indivisible, Sunrise Movement, Third Act, Democracy Forward, Public Citizen, Democracy Index, Democracy Docket, Democracy Now, ACLU, America, America/Steven Beschloss, David Pepper/ Saving DemocracyThe Action Network, The Freedom Academy et al. (Suggestions welcome.)
And, as Joyce Vance says, "We're in this together"--or via Jess Piper, from rural Missouri: "Solidarity." FIGHT BACK! WE ARE NOT ALONE WE GROW BY THE MINUTE--Every time Trump/Musk tries to destroy our Democracy.
( Google any name above for more info if you are unfamiliar.)
Thanks so much, Larry—a great list to share on your profile page. I’ll reshare because new Substackers need help!
Beautiful
Diane: You are so generous with Armando's little platform when Nancy, the Love of my Life (53 years together, 51 years married), my daughters, my 17 year-old-granddaughter, and my granddaughter's cats each yawn and walk away when Armando talks to his loved ones.
You are among dear friends.
Substack is a platform with human flaws.
You list such greats as Professors Heather Cox Richardson and Joyce Vance (We are in this together). Two of my favorites in the same spirit as yours are Jennifer Rubin and Norm Eisen, two joyful lawyers, and two who joyfully tell the truth in the face of oppression.
You and I share the core values.
These values did not come out of thin air.
They come from such as John Locke, "Second Treatise of Government," David Hume, "Treatise on Human Nature" (written when the great philosopher was between 17 and 24 years of age) -- a work that re-booted the early philosophy of Immanuel Kant into his three great critiques -- "Kritik der reinen Vernunft" (Critique of Pure Reason), Kritik der praktischen Vernunft (Critique of Practical Reason) and Kritik der Religion (as you can easily see: Critique of Religion).
In America the closest philosophical work was "The Federalist," which is very good, but highly imperfect, because our Founders tried to implement Reason -- the 18th c. was the "Age of Reason," "The Enlightenment." BUT -- the terrorism of slavery and oppression of First-Nation Peoples makes it hard to have consistent principles of humanity coexistent with instruments of terror. These terrors vitiate the pure reason.
But in the late 20th century, there was the great work of the late John Rawls of Harvard, "Theory of Justice" and "Liberalism" -- these works of Rawls bring the foregoing works of "The Enlightenment" into the 20th and 21st centuries.
A sound foundation in the works of John Rawls is a wonderful remedy to maintain reason and humane values in our age of brownshirt terror of the Elon-Musk/JD-Vance/Orange-Tramp State.
A society solidly built upon these core values would not be vulnerable to the Musk/Vance/Tramp perversion.
But we will endure!
They will SEE us.
They will HEAR us.
We will not go away.
We will, together, grow stronger.
YOU, Diane, are a dear, wonderful person of sound core values. It is a privilege to be in your company of friends.
We will be true to each other and resist and grow stronger with resistance.
Armand, you are truly too kind! You are one of the lighthouses I’m so happy to have found on Substack. These are bleak times, but we will prevail if we shout out from the rooftops, in courts, and on sane platforms. I know you’re as tired as I am fighting the silent, spineless leaders. But we are seeing more heroes emerge, and we must encourage more to fight for the majority who cannot fight for right. Thank you! When I looked back at my November 2024 posts, I was pretty grim but still believed the courts would zap the orange menace. Now we must be smarter and work under the red radar toppling over the 2025 game tables. It can be done!
Oh Diane ~ listening to 17 Jean Valjeans sing their hearts out to thunderous applause... what I didn't know I needed this morning. Thank you, friend.
Thanks, Michele—I did too💕
Diane K24: You are generous and a wonderful, wonderful friend.
Like you, I am in the TCM era of movies.
I hope Winnie enjoys, too. Arf, arf!
Diane, I add this--even as I agree with you: As Trump’s inauguration looms, as his threats to create detention camps loom, as prison stocks rise, as he plans to deport thousands from our nation, separating parents from their children looms,
Let us hear Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller (14 January 1892 – 6 March 1984), German theologian and Lutheran pastor, whose words appear on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial:
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me."
We must speak out to save democracy and condemn inhumanity.
Mary L. Tabor: Niemöller was part of a greater movement with Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann to form "die bekennende Kirche" ("the Confessing Church") -- in opposition to the National Church that was forming -- the "National Church" was loyal to Hitler and the Third Reich. The Confessing Church countered the Aryan racist cult and confessed the Christianity professed in the Protestant Confessions of Faith from the Reformation, with all -- gentile and Jew -- as One in Christ.
So, Niemöller himself was never silent.
Among the good, village people I first met in 1980, Pfarrer Niemöller ("Pastor Niemöller") was highly honored in the "Evangelische Kirche" ("Protestant Church").
The scariest feature we face: What will be the extent of the deportations and cruelty towards immigrants?!
Make no mistake.
This is happening now.
Florida and Texas have taken cruel and inhumane actions towards immigrants during these times.
Texas in particular has laid barbed wire traps in the Rio Grande which do NOTHING to deter drug smugglers or human-traffickers, but which catch, entangle and drown a mom and her young kids.
This is happening now.
The change will not be a change in kind.
The change will be a change in scale.
I think we need to join and contribute to groups that protect immigrant rights.
I so agree.