Feb 10, 2025
If you haven’t noticed, your Freedom has been shown the door; our treasury has been handed over to a criminal enterprise and your personal and private affairs have been infiltrated by an unelected, hostile actor, along with a cabal of young goons, all at the behest of a wannabe despot.
As well, our country has been ceded to oligarchs, fascists, misogynists, misfits, loyalists and propagandists who lately have no respect for the separation of powers, individual rights or civil liberties.
It’s not a time to despair, it’s time to fight back. When they come for you, your neighbors, journalists, and people who love and think differently, be ready to defend them.
By any means at your disposal.
It’s advisable to protect yourself. Carry cameras (not just on your phone – if anything leave it off as much as you can), travel in groups, pairs at the least, but three is better, letting trusted folks know where you are. The government has threatened, stated and acted upon instituting violence on it’s inhabitants, citizen or non-citizen, as a method to cement it’s grip on power. Other countries are advising visitors to either refrain from visiting here and/or let their friends and neighbors know their itinerary. The U.S. Government is now DETAINING PEOPLE INDEFINITELY, MISTREATING THEM and INDISCRIMINATELY SENDING THEM TO PRISONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
You better perhaps think about getting a weapon and learn how to use it to defend yourself from partisans who have no empathy, concern or even feeling for your well-being. You may experience violence from the government or it’s para-military and extra-judicial agents, so choose arenas of protest and dissent wisely and protect your home as part of the “castle doctrine”. The Constitution (remember that?) confers inalienable rights to you – EXERCISE THEM.
The misinformation and lies are running deep; their motive is to keep us mistrustful of each other, angry, and as such, under control. Media outlets and their owners have bent over to Trump so badly they may have an orange tinge around their lips. Ignore the demagogues that won’t bend, talk to and engage your neighbors for common understanding. As long as we’re split, we’re not effective at restoring civil liberties and eliminating corruption that is taking hold.
Pray for our country and each other’s well-being; the Time of the Monsters has begun.
A few more musings to follow up, part as a practical mental health exercise and part to fight this coup:
Get back to good old-fashioned gardening. Buy your seeds and plan it out now. Between warehousing people in camps and otherwise driving them underground, they once were a good portion of our agricultural production and distribution system and produce, fruit and dairy commodities may have unstable prices or not be available. We did it during Covid and had a banner garden; if there’s civil unrest and authoritarian creeps decide marital law and restrictions on movement are imposed, it may be a good diversion and time spent. If you don’t have canning supplies, get them now – not in September when regular demand strips the supply (especially lids). When this fight is won we’ll all have some great tomatoes.
Check on your friends and neighbors. R or D, they may not show it but are just as freaked out as anyone else, especially if they’re not white or straight, or may be disabled and/or depend on any government compact (even VA, which Musk is sabotaging as we speak). Try to be available for any Federal employee who needs to talk; they’re enduring emotional terrorism right now as well. Many folks who voted for him may be aghast over what’s happening, are really upset and need support (and info like what’s below); others may be cheering the chaos; don’t bother with them, they don’t get it (or actually, they do) and they just as soon revel in other’s pain in order to feel validated. Musk has his mitts on your Social Security, can hold it for ransom and has indicated as such, and for many, especially elderly, that’s the only way to survive month to month. …as if his goons holding the nuclear codes aren’t alarming enough.
If you have a pending tax refund (or pay online) you may want to consider changing banks or bank accounts after you receive it. Your routing info, account number and personal information has been breached by Musk’s goons; with the arbitrary and cruel statements coming out of the administration, there is a propensity for it to disappear should you be considered in the “out” group (i.e., DEI, “liberal”, who knows what else).
You may feel helpless; do not. If you have an extra dollar, send it to the ACLU or Indivisible – they are on the front lines of fighting this coup. Go to advocate.com for a list of 26 reputable organizations also fighting this. Join them, send money, or both. Consider joining organized protests (keep an eye on who is organizing them, tho). Call Congress, D or R, your home district or any of them, every single day. (202) 224-3121. Don’t let up. Let your local rep know your feelings, too, especially some R’s who seem to be laying low right now. Democrat attorneys general are filing lawsuits; support them with calls or emails. Believe it, you will feel better engaging in the fight.
Take time out. Trees don’t argue, go for a walk in the forest or beach. Try Bhangra dancing (I did!) Give yourself 15 minutes in the morning before coffee and before picking up the phone to do a “brain dump.” Stay in touch with loved ones and friends who you care about and care about you – once a day. You’ll be in much better shape for the fight and there is peace in good relationships.
And a final, more somber note: Recognize that this is the Federal government inflicting emotional, psychological and mental violence on it’s people. It is not “representation.” It has been made stressful on purpose. The “Flood The Zone” strategy invented by Steve Bannon has a purpose; to frustrate, bewilder, demoralize and create fear in everyday people in an effort to get them to “check out” so they can seize what they can – power, the treasury, your civil liberties – permanently.
There will be, and already have been, a multitude of distractions (“Gaza Riviera”, Canada as a state, lol)- so keep your eye on the ball – an unelected, hostile individual has an unconstitutional “task force” taking over our U.S. Treasury. This is not process, this is not constitutional, this is not the “people’s work” – this is not “government”, this is not “Freedom.” And it may get worse; as the perpetrators of this coup continue, they may get frustrated by the courts, dissent, protests and the opposition and choose to ignore any safeguards we have had, including using military, paramilitary or extrajudicial force against it’s citizens. I hope cooler heads prevail and this isn’t to freak folks out, but who knows what the end game of all this is, but it seems like 1933 all over again.
I’ve posted a few cartoons, but I’m so f*cking angry that I will have to chill off an on, so I’ll catch you later.
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January 6 is the anniversary of the attack on our democracy.
I can remember walking with my wife at a park when I heard of the events unfolding.
I was unspeakably angry, ready to deck any Republican I saw – if I could only find one.
I still am angry, and will be til the end of my days. I understand anger is not healthy, but I will channel it int he best, most helpful ways I can.
This was a dress rehearsal for authoritarians who would love to enrich themselves, have poisoned our relationships with each other and say to hell with your freedom. As Liz Cheney said, “There are no bystanders in this fight.” If you want to be ruled by them, then go on about your business.
If you don’t, better get ready for a fight, because they’re not stopping until they rule, unchecked. And never forget January 6 – it’s just the rehearsal.
Thanks for tuning in.