How are you feeling? The information cycle appears like a twister that’s sweeping us all up. However listed here are two issues I’m retaining entrance of thoughts about what’s occurring within the U.S. proper now (and please share your ideas within the feedback)…
1. Keep regular, keep centered. The Trump administration created a selected plan for kicking off his second time period: shock and awe. They figured they’d flood the media and overwhelm the general public, in order that we’d get so muddled we wouldn’t know what to do after which simply…freeze.
“For those who overwhelm the media — if you happen to give it too many locations it must look, suddenly, if you happen to preserve it shifting from one factor to the following — no coherent opposition can emerge,” defined Ezra Klein on his podcast final Sunday.
However don’t consider what Trump says, Klein urges. Trump makes wild, horrifying proclamations, however, as a lot as he could wish to, the President can’t rewrite the Structure, and lots of of his proposals are being stopped out of the gate. “Inside days, the birthright citizenship order was frozen by a choose,” writes Klein. “A choose froze the spending freeze earlier than it was even scheduled to enter impact, and shortly thereafter, the Trump administration rescinded the order, partially to keep away from the courtroom case.”
This isn’t to say that issues should not unhealthy — they’re. I don’t wish to decrease the wreckage. Persons are dwelling in immense worry, and lots of are being harmed, together with trans people, immigrants, federal staff, the record goes on. Even the threats Trump makes and the language he makes use of make individuals much less secure by selling racism, sexism and “us vs. them” pondering.
As a substitute of freezing in shock, nevertheless, we will act collectively. “The tempo and frequency of those offenses is supposed to flood the zone with shit, as Steve Bannon put it; to confuse, bamboozle, and immobilize us,” writes Jay Michaelson, a rabbi, activist, and former professor, in his e-newsletter Each/And. “They promised that they’d do ‘Shock and Awe’ and that’s what they’ve executed. Nothing right here needs to be stunning. Don’t lose your composure.” We’ll stand agency.
2. Get the 5 Calls app, which makes it very simple to name your reps. You can also make 5 calls in 5 minutes; they provide the telephone numbers and let you know precisely what to say about main points (like defending the Division of Schooling or preventing towards Elon Musk’s authorities takeover or opposing RFK Jr. for Secretary of Well being and Human Providers). It’s easy and easy, and these calls make a distinction.
Additionally, think about studying Indivisible: A Sensible Information to Democracy on the Brink, which affords crystal clear methods for preventing again over the following 4 years. Written by two very good, humorous individuals, this information felt bolstering to learn.
Please share your ideas under — these are extraordinarily tough occasions, however we’ve a number of good individuals on this nation and a number of power and bandwidth. Sending huge hugs and solidarity.
P.S. Poetry, if you happen to want some proper now.
(Photograph by Jess Woodhouse/Stocksy.)