To my friends in tech. You went into tech/startup land to change the world for the better. So stop bending the knee, dust yourself off and speak out. Be brave. We need all of you.

The Václav Havel Library is one of Czechia’s great democratic institutions. Under Tomáš Sedláček’s leadership, it keeps Havel’s voice alive and creates space for the conversations the world needs right now www.prahain.cz/politika/tom...

Czech President Pavel embodied the values of dignity and freedom in meeting the Dalai Lama. True leaders uphold conscience and human rights in the face of pressure. With respect, I admire your courage and values, pane prezidente Pavle apnews.com/article/czec...

“We cannot claim to care about democracy only when it costs nothing. Pres Trump, like Mr. Orban, no doubt believes that everyone can be bought. America’s elites are proving him right. There is a Hungarian phrase I heard often: “Van az a penz”— “There’s always a price” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...

Democracy survives the same way it always has — not because the outcome is guaranteed, but because ordinary people decide it’s worth the risk. This week’s #NoMercyNoMalice: Resist www.profgalloway.com/resist/

The Trump Administration Is About to Incinerate 500 Tons of Emergency Food www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...

The Trump admin just fired over 1,300 people at the State Dept. It is wrong & makes America less safe. These are patriots who served w/courage, integrity & deep commitment to our country. I am profoundly grateful for their service. They deserve far better than this. www.politico.com/news/2025/07...

Thx for inviting me to talk about one of my fav products!

“The cruelty of these cuts is matched only by their stupidity. Medicaid beneficiaries will lose, but so will the rest of us” Lawrence Summers: This Law Made Me Ashamed of My Country www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/o...

Shared values aren't just words in speeches. They're how we treat each other when it matters most. Right now, the human cost of abandoning these values far exceeds the financial cost of defending them. My thoughts here: bijansabet.com/2025/07/03/s...

The 14th Amendment is clear. So is the history. Heather Cox Richardson breaks it down in plain terms. Read and share: open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...

Fulbright works. I saw it firsthand in Czechia. This week’s board resignations are another blow to a program that builds trust, not politics. My thoughts here bijansabet.com/2025/06/12/t...

Having witnessed democratic resilience in Central Europe, I'm encouraged by Kenneth Roth’s assessment: Trump's shock and awe is giving way to institutional resistance. Courts, Congress, civil society are responding. Resistance is working. Keep the faith www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

A story from 1939. A quiet connection between Czechia and Nantucket. I wrote about it here bijansabet.com/2025/06/02/n...

On Memorial Day, we honor Americans who died for freedom. In towns across Czechia, I remember standing beside families and strangers who have not forgotten. Their names live on. Not just in stone. In the hearts of those who still care. Let us all care.

Madeleine Albright was born on this day in Prague. She never forgot where she came from or what America gave her family. As Secretary of State, she stood for freedom, NATO, and the U.S. + Czech bond. Her example still lights the way.

Bill Burns, fmr CIA Director/U.S. Ambassador/career diplomat, sounds the alarm. Hiring freezes. Aid slashed. Diplomats sidelined. America’s security is on the line. youtu.be/dC9Pt3iOUDQ?...

You can take the boy out of the Czech Republic but you can’t take the Czech out of the boy

Nearly three months since I left Czechia and I miss it every day This was one of the last interviews I did before leaving. Thank you Janek for your friendship, your humor & for capturing what it meant to me Czechia became a second home. I’ll carry it with me, always ❤️🇨🇿 youtu.be/0MFIj8jrJ3k?...

"This is a moral moment. It's not left or right. It's right or wrong" ~Senator Cory Booker

The @economist.com is not pulling any punches

Many in tech forget: Steve Jobs had flaws (who doesn’t?), but he called out Rupert Murdoch personally for Fox News’s toxicity—“You’re blowing it…this is going to be your legacy.” Elon Musk embraces and fuels far-right extremism. The difference couldn’t be sharper.

Saw David Černý’s “Eraserhead” in Santa Monica for the first time yesterday. Felt like a little piece of Prague in California. Warmed my heart.

We’re almost at 250,000 people signed up to attend 1,000 events in all 50 states. Please join us in the streets on Saturday: handsoff2025.com?SQF_SOURCE=i...

Chamonix on film

Sold the Tesla. Driving a BMW EV now. Feels better in more ways than one.

If you accept that non-citizens have no right to due process, you are accepting that citizens have no right to due process. All the government has to do is claim that you are not a citizen; without due process you have no chance to prove the contrary.

Greatness is in the agency of others (alliances). We are becoming less great.

Yes, U.S. interest payments are rising. No, it's not the end of the world. The real threat? Using economic anxiety to attack democracy, climate action, and public services. Some thoughts:

This is shameful www.axios.com/2025/03/19/j...

The Czech Foreign Minister is exactly right

Cutting Voice of America is a strategic own-goal. These broadcasts aren't just media—they're critical lifelines of truth in regions strangled by authoritarianism. Chinese state media celebrating this move? That should tell us everything. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/m...

Some fav new/old tech

@dens.nyc loving teendrama 2.0 (and thx for the shoutout!)

Some places live in your imagination long before you arrive. Kenya was one of those places for me. Thoughts and film photos from the trip up on the blog bijansabet.com/2025/03/05/k...

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Clarity isn't just communication—it's courage, conviction, and the ability to lead through uncertainty.

Just last month, Secretary Blinken told @hcrichardson.bsky.social why strong alliances keep America secure and how Biden’s diplomacy delivered. Now, Trump is attacking NATO, emboldening Putin, and turning on our closest partners. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Watch here: youtu.be/Nv-eLBelHI0?...

Slava Ukraini 💙💛🇺🇦

History will remember this day— when an American President and Vice President abandoned all we stand for.

Powerful. The Czech people have stood with Ukraine from day one—with courage, with compassion, and with conviction. Grateful to Czech leadership and all who continue to defend freedom and democracy. Děkuji! https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/photos-thousands-rally-for-ukraine-on-prague-s-old

Three years ago, Russia launched its brutal invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. once led the free world against tyranny—now Trump blames Zelensky & shrugs at NATO. No wonder Germany is preparing for a future without U.S. leadership. A gift to Putin, a blow to democracy.

"I will speak out against authoritarianism until my last breath. I will not back down. I will not bow or scrape. I will never obey." ~ Marc Elias

Trump blaming Zelensky for Putin's war is disgraceful. Putin invaded a peaceful neighbor, bombed schools & hospitals, killed & kidnapped Ukrainian kids. I sat with GOP senators as they told allies they stood with Ukraine. Where is their voice now?

Many in tech backed DOGE in good faith, hoping it would cut waste. Others never bought the hype. At what point do pro-DOGE folks admit the truth—Musk is either wildly incompetent or actively deceptive?

Worse than Munich 1938. When Chamberlain appeased Hitler, Germany had the strongest military on the continent and hadn’t launched a big attack. Now, US has the strongest military on the continent, and Russia is weakened from 3 years of war. This isn’t from fear and hope, it’s helping the aggressor.

Abandoning Ukraine doesn't protect America—it weakens us, rewards Putin's aggression, and endangers our allies. Betrayal isn't leadership.

Elon Musk says RFE/RL is irrelevant. That's exactly what authoritarian regimes want you to believe. I've seen firsthand how RFE/RL fights for truth—and how its journalists risk everything to do it. Read my take here:

Like a long lost dream