In MN there is an organization called Haven Watch that has people waiting outside of the Whipple building where detainees are still being held - contrary to the recent walkthrough provided to Angie Craig and Ilhan Omar. If you recall, the weather in MN was in the -20's with windchills exceeding that. People were being released by being walked out of the building with no transportation, telephone, and not clothed for the elements. This organization saw a need and filled it. There would have been more stories like this in MN had they not.
I could write a book about all the efforts to protect and help immigrants in my hometown of Chicago and the many ways ordinary citizens have found to fight back. Nobody is "numb" there. Everyone knows it's an attack on the city's economy and infrastructure since 1/3 of Chicago's population is Hispanic and 20% is from Mexico. And speaking Spanish is enough to get you detained. People are fed up. I'm fed up.
And the Dems have to indict these fascists the day they take over Congress. No bond, no bail, only orange jumpsuits. Not only justice but retribution so this doesn't happen again.
The only orange I’d like to see is the whole regime in prison jumpsuits and shackled together, marching in the streets for the world to see as they are taken to Mississippi State Prison (the worst in America). Or, were there still hangings, to the gallows.
After due process, of course. We can’t become what we protest and not have trials.
I have said so many times — especially when people post they would like to see Trump's death — that I don't, because it would end my dream of seeing him led to prison in handcuffs.
I just want him to be forced to confront the fact that he can talk about "so much winning" forever (which he does) but he is the world's biggest loser. That would be a fate worse than death for him, as Mary Trump's book makes clear.
Yes, we have to listen to Mary’s insights on her uncle - she knows the creep. I want to witness him feeling *totally* powerless. Mary says that being powerless would be a nightmare for him. Oh! And I want him to give a speech during which the entire audience either falls asleep or wanders out of the room. He hates being boring, too.
Trump has brought out an ugly side to myself - I normally can’t stand to see anyone suffering, human or not - but when it comes to trump, his minions and maga, I’ve found myself to have quite a merciless streak.
I agree. I did not know I had so much hate in my heart. I also did not know I had so many racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, cruel friends until trump allowed the to show their worst selves.
Mary's book is well worth reading for anyone who wants to understand Trump. It's a hard read though. It took me six months because I'd read a chapter and have to put it down. Fred Trump Sr told his kids that you have to "win" 100% of the time or you were basically nothing, worthless. And you had to win at the expense of other people. It explains everything Trump is — and isn't, why he is a hollow shell of a person and never should have had any access to power over others. And why he talks over and over about how much he is "winning." He needs to convince himself.
You know, Americans on the whole are decent people. Grifter or not, liar or not, traitor or not — he is still the POTUS and will be treated with respect for the office if not for him. Maddening as that is, that is who we are and we can never forget that.
Normally I would agree with you, but as I believe Jay points out we have reached a whole unprecedented new level of deprivation. The country and the world have been flipped upside down. The chips are still in the air and where they fall will be a new normal. The stain on the sacred office of the president cannot be removed. It is up to us to build back better.
I agree, everything today is upside down. Build back better doesn't mean we must become cruel and lawless like them. Understand, I am all for punishment for all of them and the death penalty for traitors.
Sorry to see this thread. Jay just finished shining a light on the purpose and impacts on our hearts of the regime’s repeated cruelty, and here our own people are relishing the same.
We are not them, and we are not going there if we want to build the country of our dreams. Accountability, yes of course. Revenge cruelty? That’s not us.
I was just expressing anger. I am not into cruelty or revenge, just accountability. What my fantasy was expressing was anger, not a desire for revenge. I know from my life experience what it's like to not have a heart for others, and over my life I've gained that, and want to keep it.
“A reckoning will come for these criminals, if we collectively insist upon it, when our voices become votes in November.”
You can count on me! And a notable observation is that most of us don’t even KNOW what we don’t know! The news is silent on most atrocities, or sane washes and diminishes them. I’d never even heard about poor Alam. A travesty of justice!!
Thank you, Jay, for distilling the craziness into a coherent (and terrifying) streamlined alarm about what’s happening and what to watch for— and also for keeping us informed where legacy media fails miserably!
ACLU filed a lawsuit today in Kansas State court. My understanding is Kansas Supreme Court is actually fairly liberal, more so than Federal Supreme court, so better to fight in state court.
It's absolutely vile. They started with attacks on trans kids, but everyone knew they would ramp up. I know 17 trans people (none in Kansas, thank god) and my heart breaks for them. I'm worried that this will give our braindead, hate-filled Ohio legislature ideas. It makes me want to be back home in Chicago where this would be stopped dead in its tracks. Go, Illinois!
Re: the Kansas anti-trans laws: it's worse even than what you wrote. By invalidating their drivers' licenses effective immediately, trans Kansans can't even drive to the DMV to change their license legally - they have to be driven to the DMV or take transit, then relying on transit (if they have access) or friends and allies to transport them to work, medical appintments, etc., until they get their new licenses, just to avoid risking arrest and being jailed. And we know how trans people get treated in prison. That may actually be the goal - set up arrests, then let the jail system do the rest. This administration is truly evil, as are its state-level avatars.
And the justification in Kansas will be that officials are just following the new law.
Not sure if TCM was trolling last night with, "Judgement at Nuremberg," (although "Gaslight" on SOTU night was obvious), but the presentation was still timely. Essentially, the defense attorney based his rationale on the fact that the accused judges were merely following [new] laws when they ordered arrests, deportations to the camps, and such atrocities as sterilization procedures (this last actually aligned with older U.S. laws). The judges asserted that they had no choice, given their positions. Nothing new under the sun.
“Looking back on the story of Hirschfeld’s institute—his protocols not only for surgery but for a trans-supportive community of care, for mental and physical healing, and for social change—it’s hard not to imagine a history that might have been. What future might have been built from a platform where “sexual intermediaries” were indeed thought of in “more just terms”? Still, these pioneers and their heroic sacrifices help to deepen a sense of pride—and of legacy—for LGBTQ+ communities worldwide. As we confront oppressive legislation today, may we find hope in the history of the institute and a cautionary tale in the Nazis who were bent on erasing it.”
Additionally, the Lakota honor '2 spirit people.' In Lakota tradition, the concept often referred to in English as "Two-Spirit" is known as wíŋkte (or winyanktehca), which translates literally to "wants to be like a woman". Far from being marginalizedwinkte are historically viewed as sacred, blessed, or divine individuals who possess a unique medicine, often operating in a third-gender role that embodies both masculine and feminine spirits.
Katherine,thanks for mentioning the Lakota. I share often The Big Picture/Amelia Mavis Christnot’s post.Very informative and she writes about the history of recognized genders beyond just binary with Indigenous and other cultures.
I just finished reading the article. Thank you so much for sharing the link, Kathy. I didn't know of the fascinating Scientific American article. What a great piece, even if the end was so tragic. I don't think I ever knew about the Institute for Sexual Research. It is wonderful now to know that existed.
As a Jewish person who is a sister and an aunt to two wonderful gay men, and friend to a lot of LGBTQ+ people, including cousins and former dear colleagues at the school I taught at, I am appalled by what is happening now under our American government; it is pure evil.
Just a bad memory from the 70’s…when I worked for one of Les Wexner’s stores, the tag line on all ads, print & radio was “the store with all the beautiful girls”. Even more disgusting 50 years later.
Many people in MAGA have no expectations that any government will help them or make their lives better so talk about affordability is irrelevant. What they are concerned about is ' will the government hurt people we hate.' I try never to underestimate the human capacity for depravity.
They can expect (or not) whatever, but the fact is that a functioning constitutional democracy makes everyone’s lives infinitely better than the lack thereof.
I love your pieces. They are so closely aligned with my heart, mind and soul. I swear you are responsible for my continuing on with the resistance when I was ready to pack it in on November 5, 2024.
I would say the opposite of "numbing the public" has happened. When Trump came into office, there was a sort of general consensus that it was reasonable to remove undocumented immigrants. (Of course we were told they would focus on violent criminals.) Now people have turned against that whole project, now that they have seen the results, and in every community across the country they are standing up and fighting back. here in Cleveland, Ohio, more groups have come together to fight on behalf of immigrants and demonstrations are happening every other week. So the "numbing the public" strategy has failed.
After January 6th, many people searched online photos and identified the criminals who broke into our Capitol. I hope there are people who can track down these criminals and provide evidence to convict them of their crimes. And also, I saw the J6ers as traitors — is it legal to pardon traitors?!?
In MN there is an organization called Haven Watch that has people waiting outside of the Whipple building where detainees are still being held - contrary to the recent walkthrough provided to Angie Craig and Ilhan Omar. If you recall, the weather in MN was in the -20's with windchills exceeding that. People were being released by being walked out of the building with no transportation, telephone, and not clothed for the elements. This organization saw a need and filled it. There would have been more stories like this in MN had they not.
I could write a book about all the efforts to protect and help immigrants in my hometown of Chicago and the many ways ordinary citizens have found to fight back. Nobody is "numb" there. Everyone knows it's an attack on the city's economy and infrastructure since 1/3 of Chicago's population is Hispanic and 20% is from Mexico. And speaking Spanish is enough to get you detained. People are fed up. I'm fed up.
I have donated to Haven Watch, and plan to keep donating. They are doing such good work, so needed.
Thank you, Jay… Our hearts are shredded and tattered, but they still fight on.
And the Dems have to indict these fascists the day they take over Congress. No bond, no bail, only orange jumpsuits. Not only justice but retribution so this doesn't happen again.
The only orange I’d like to see is the whole regime in prison jumpsuits and shackled together, marching in the streets for the world to see as they are taken to Mississippi State Prison (the worst in America). Or, were there still hangings, to the gallows.
After due process, of course. We can’t become what we protest and not have trials.
(Besides, the trials would be SO FUN to watch!)
I have said so many times — especially when people post they would like to see Trump's death — that I don't, because it would end my dream of seeing him led to prison in handcuffs.
I vacillate about his death. I don’t want him to die a free man. That much I’ve decided for sure.
I just want him to be forced to confront the fact that he can talk about "so much winning" forever (which he does) but he is the world's biggest loser. That would be a fate worse than death for him, as Mary Trump's book makes clear.
Yes, we have to listen to Mary’s insights on her uncle - she knows the creep. I want to witness him feeling *totally* powerless. Mary says that being powerless would be a nightmare for him. Oh! And I want him to give a speech during which the entire audience either falls asleep or wanders out of the room. He hates being boring, too.
Trump has brought out an ugly side to myself - I normally can’t stand to see anyone suffering, human or not - but when it comes to trump, his minions and maga, I’ve found myself to have quite a merciless streak.
I agree. I did not know I had so much hate in my heart. I also did not know I had so many racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, cruel friends until trump allowed the to show their worst selves.
Mary's book is well worth reading for anyone who wants to understand Trump. It's a hard read though. It took me six months because I'd read a chapter and have to put it down. Fred Trump Sr told his kids that you have to "win" 100% of the time or you were basically nothing, worthless. And you had to win at the expense of other people. It explains everything Trump is — and isn't, why he is a hollow shell of a person and never should have had any access to power over others. And why he talks over and over about how much he is "winning." He needs to convince himself.
It will never be a fact to him. Never.
You know, Americans on the whole are decent people. Grifter or not, liar or not, traitor or not — he is still the POTUS and will be treated with respect for the office if not for him. Maddening as that is, that is who we are and we can never forget that.
Normally I would agree with you, but as I believe Jay points out we have reached a whole unprecedented new level of deprivation. The country and the world have been flipped upside down. The chips are still in the air and where they fall will be a new normal. The stain on the sacred office of the president cannot be removed. It is up to us to build back better.
I agree, everything today is upside down. Build back better doesn't mean we must become cruel and lawless like them. Understand, I am all for punishment for all of them and the death penalty for traitors.
Part of being ‘better’ includes a revitalized adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law.
so would the public execution
lots of $ to be made with that.
My vision includes flogging while they are hanging, before they die. Flogging by people who care about others.
Sorry to see this thread. Jay just finished shining a light on the purpose and impacts on our hearts of the regime’s repeated cruelty, and here our own people are relishing the same.
We are not them, and we are not going there if we want to build the country of our dreams. Accountability, yes of course. Revenge cruelty? That’s not us.
I was just expressing anger. I am not into cruelty or revenge, just accountability. What my fantasy was expressing was anger, not a desire for revenge. I know from my life experience what it's like to not have a heart for others, and over my life I've gained that, and want to keep it.
It would be up to a judge whether they had to post bond or got bail, not "Democrats."
Of course.
Don't hold your breath Larry ;
The dnc has shown how spinless it is, not so different from the gop .
-Nate
“A reckoning will come for these criminals, if we collectively insist upon it, when our voices become votes in November.”
You can count on me! And a notable observation is that most of us don’t even KNOW what we don’t know! The news is silent on most atrocities, or sane washes and diminishes them. I’d never even heard about poor Alam. A travesty of justice!!
Thank you, Jay, for distilling the craziness into a coherent (and terrifying) streamlined alarm about what’s happening and what to watch for— and also for keeping us informed where legacy media fails miserably!
Cruelty is the MAGA mission.
Does anyone know of a group fighting the Kansas law in the courts? This "instant erasure" of trans people is staggering, but not surprising.
The Human Rights Campaign is fighting on the ground. The ACLU has filed suit in court I believe.
ACLU filed a lawsuit today in Kansas State court. My understanding is Kansas Supreme Court is actually fairly liberal, more so than Federal Supreme court, so better to fight in state court.
Thanks. Just donated to them.
The ACLU has already filed suit in Kansas
Thank you.
It's absolutely vile. They started with attacks on trans kids, but everyone knew they would ramp up. I know 17 trans people (none in Kansas, thank god) and my heart breaks for them. I'm worried that this will give our braindead, hate-filled Ohio legislature ideas. It makes me want to be back home in Chicago where this would be stopped dead in its tracks. Go, Illinois!
Yes, a reckoning will come. Karma will arrive.
It will not come of its own accord. We The People must be tireless and loud in the call for accountability and punishment.
Oh, it would come of its own accord. Just not as quickly as most of us would like.
Re: the Kansas anti-trans laws: it's worse even than what you wrote. By invalidating their drivers' licenses effective immediately, trans Kansans can't even drive to the DMV to change their license legally - they have to be driven to the DMV or take transit, then relying on transit (if they have access) or friends and allies to transport them to work, medical appintments, etc., until they get their new licenses, just to avoid risking arrest and being jailed. And we know how trans people get treated in prison. That may actually be the goal - set up arrests, then let the jail system do the rest. This administration is truly evil, as are its state-level avatars.
And the justification in Kansas will be that officials are just following the new law.
Not sure if TCM was trolling last night with, "Judgement at Nuremberg," (although "Gaslight" on SOTU night was obvious), but the presentation was still timely. Essentially, the defense attorney based his rationale on the fact that the accused judges were merely following [new] laws when they ordered arrests, deportations to the camps, and such atrocities as sterilization procedures (this last actually aligned with older U.S. laws). The judges asserted that they had no choice, given their positions. Nothing new under the sun.
“Looking back on the story of Hirschfeld’s institute—his protocols not only for surgery but for a trans-supportive community of care, for mental and physical healing, and for social change—it’s hard not to imagine a history that might have been. What future might have been built from a platform where “sexual intermediaries” were indeed thought of in “more just terms”? Still, these pioneers and their heroic sacrifices help to deepen a sense of pride—and of legacy—for LGBTQ+ communities worldwide. As we confront oppressive legislation today, may we find hope in the history of the institute and a cautionary tale in the Nazis who were bent on erasing it.”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-forgotten-history-of-the-worlds-first-trans-clinic/
Additionally, the Lakota honor '2 spirit people.' In Lakota tradition, the concept often referred to in English as "Two-Spirit" is known as wíŋkte (or winyanktehca), which translates literally to "wants to be like a woman". Far from being marginalizedwinkte are historically viewed as sacred, blessed, or divine individuals who possess a unique medicine, often operating in a third-gender role that embodies both masculine and feminine spirits.
Katherine,thanks for mentioning the Lakota. I share often The Big Picture/Amelia Mavis Christnot’s post.Very informative and she writes about the history of recognized genders beyond just binary with Indigenous and other cultures.
https://thinkbigpicture.substack.com/p/human-sex-gender-nonbinary?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
I just finished reading the article. Thank you so much for sharing the link, Kathy. I didn't know of the fascinating Scientific American article. What a great piece, even if the end was so tragic. I don't think I ever knew about the Institute for Sexual Research. It is wonderful now to know that existed.
As a Jewish person who is a sister and an aunt to two wonderful gay men, and friend to a lot of LGBTQ+ people, including cousins and former dear colleagues at the school I taught at, I am appalled by what is happening now under our American government; it is pure evil.
Just a bad memory from the 70’s…when I worked for one of Les Wexner’s stores, the tag line on all ads, print & radio was “the store with all the beautiful girls”. Even more disgusting 50 years later.
Trump raped children. We have to stop all of this.
Many people in MAGA have no expectations that any government will help them or make their lives better so talk about affordability is irrelevant. What they are concerned about is ' will the government hurt people we hate.' I try never to underestimate the human capacity for depravity.
They can expect (or not) whatever, but the fact is that a functioning constitutional democracy makes everyone’s lives infinitely better than the lack thereof.
I love your pieces. They are so closely aligned with my heart, mind and soul. I swear you are responsible for my continuing on with the resistance when I was ready to pack it in on November 5, 2024.
Minor typo in the article. It mentions Les Werner, and that should be Les Wexner.
I would say the opposite of "numbing the public" has happened. When Trump came into office, there was a sort of general consensus that it was reasonable to remove undocumented immigrants. (Of course we were told they would focus on violent criminals.) Now people have turned against that whole project, now that they have seen the results, and in every community across the country they are standing up and fighting back. here in Cleveland, Ohio, more groups have come together to fight on behalf of immigrants and demonstrations are happening every other week. So the "numbing the public" strategy has failed.
After January 6th, many people searched online photos and identified the criminals who broke into our Capitol. I hope there are people who can track down these criminals and provide evidence to convict them of their crimes. And also, I saw the J6ers as traitors — is it legal to pardon traitors?!?