Thanks to all the Bluesky people who just reply “it will get worse” to whatever you post, it both solves the problem and makes you feel better

The reality is this isn’t politics or governing anymore. These are gangsters who manipulated a system and are now operating on fully systemic corruption. They’ve made it very clear that they intend to ignore or corrupt any system of accountability. That’s the basis we have to resist from.

One of the best things you can do right now is read books. Buy them. Borrow them from the library. Gift them. Read history. Read fiction. Read science writing. Read anything that shows you the world is bigger than what fascists say it is. Read to remember why your resistance matters. 📚💙

1000% this. Public libraries are actually pretty radical--free to all, and based on the idea that info should be available to all. Get a library card! Use your library! Those numbers often play into their funding.

I want this at home, too. At the very least.

Inspectors General fighting back. Thank goodness.

Former friends who voted for him assured us that “checks and balances” would make it ok somehow so they could get their tax breaks. Glad that’s working out as well as expected.

Gentle reminder that almost every company uses AWS (Amazon Web Services) in some capacity. There is absolutely no way to fully sever yourself from enriching billionaires. They did this on purpose. Do not bemoan the fact that the game is rigged or lament every purchase you make. Just do your best.

When you are this deliberately argumentative and pedantic when you know exactly what a collective “we” represents I context you sound just like the “not all men” people and I yeet you out the airlock.

Remember when we canceled Howard Dean because he whooped too loudly?

you honestly love to see this

The reason people think the term cisgender is a slur is because that’s how they use the term transgender.

Being a person with deadly, incurable cancer who is nonetheless still alive for an indefinite timeframe gives me an interesting metaphor that helps me deal with things like large-scale corruption in government or commerce. Bear with me for a second while I try to explain.

Also when people post still photos of other people and political leaders supposedly also doing that salute, please ask them to post full videos of those moments for a proper comparison.

What the bishop did yesterday wasn’t just confront a man we all know doesn’t care and won’t change a thing. She made sure the people who feel insane witnessing all of this right now felt seen and cared for instead. And did it in the middle of his “moment”. That stuff matters in all of this.

This is how we actually can start to push back against oligarch-owned media. Make it a pariah

SHARE WIDELY. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. With mass deportations starting today across the country, it is vitally important - for both citizens and non-citizens - to know your rights. You have the right to remain silent. Assert it. You have the right to a lawyer. Ask for one. (1/3)

I’m not going to keep posting outrage at every turn. It’s not because I’m not paying attention. It’s not because I don’t see what’s happening. It’s because I DO and we need antidotes to that. Our brains and hearts need out of the fray sometimes. They need us exhausted. So I refuse to capitulate.

ProPublica reporters are dedicated to investigating government agencies and federal policy. Concerned public servants are some of our most important sources. We appreciate the difficult situations people weigh as they decide whether to reach out. Here's how to securely get in touch.

One thing I’ll say: We are all hurting. Hurt people hurt people and the temptation to clap back, be snarky and mean, to lash out in anger at strangers online will be stronger than ever. One of the best things we can do is refuse to do their work for them and mindlessly go after each other.

Democracy doesn’t die in the dark. It’s dies in the light of day surrounded by people in suits smiling for a photo.

I loved and admired this woman. She was one I would follow into battle. A true fighter and ally in every way. God bless you Cecile Richards. Rest in Peace and Power. www.cnn.com/2025/01/20/u...

I know it’s a scary day and I don’t have magic words but I’m out here with all of you, grappling with my own fear, and you’re not alone. We can do more together which is why they want us fearful and isolated. So. Come sit down. I’ll make us some tea.

My MLK day piece is up. open.substack.com/pub/sherrily...

…. I mean …

Charlie Brown sitting on our furniture like an awkward little person brings me much needed moments of joy in the dumpster fire of everything else.

Can I just say how much of a relief it is to start reading journalism again that actually says this stuff out loud instead of gaslighting and capitulating? The Contrarian off to a ripping start. 🔥

Hey folks so we're not doing "if you personally have not made a loud public statement about Bad Thing You're Not Accountable For then it's obvious you don't think it's bad," right? Right. Glad we had this talk.

i am watching clips from the hegseth hearings and it is a goddamn insult to this country that this chucklefuck was even nominated

I am a former incarcerated firefighter. I served in a California fire camp from 2009 to 2012. Misinformation is afire on the internet, so here are facts about the prison firefighter program, all in one place. A thread.

You know, I’ve had failures in my career that made me feel insecure at times but from now on I’ll just remind myself that I didn’t screw anything up as badly as Merrick Garland did.

They are all emotionally stunted playground bullies who want revenge for how insecure and afraid they feel at all times. It’s pretty pitiful if it wasn’t also dangerous when it’s given wealth and power

At least 11 librarians in LA lost their homes in the LA Fires. A thread of their gofundmes:

And it's launched! Check out The Contrarian - a new media platform devoted to the defense of democracy. Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen lead our merry band of contributors - and I'm proud to be one of them! contrarian.substack.com/p/this-is-th...

The most concerning thing is that the people banning apps cannot themselves use or understand most of the technology they want to suppress.

This is a heavy read so discretion advised. The way I once admired this man…I am heartbroken for all of the people he harmed.

I hate the 5am alarm in the dark but I honestly don’t hate that quiet coffee in the wee hours before the day has to start in earnest.

Setting my alarm for 5am will never not suck. Especially in winter.

Regularly updated list of @gofundme.com fundraisers for displaced L.A. residents that have reached under 30% of their goals. Please click, scroll, donate. open.substack.com/pub/personal...

1. Did you know that Girl Scouts has, for a long time, accepted trans girls and nonbinary scouts? Trans kids are under attack. Every year, I make a thread of trans and nonbinary girl scouts you can get your cookies from. Lets get our cookies from them this year in solidarity!

Today I rode a horse and ran errands and mopped floors and redid my spice cabinet and I’m about to do my nails and have a self-care spa evening. I am proud of my adulting today. Back to work tomorrow after a 3 week break 😬

Gavin Newsom made a website to fight the misinformation about the fires. Give it a read. REPOST gavinnewsom.com/california-f...

They’re also perfectly content to move the goal posts and if a fact disputes their worldview, they make it a conspiracy instead. You can’t win anti-intellectual arguments with intellect. Making hateful and willfully ignorant people social pariahs is the only way.

I’m convinced that a fundamental misunderstanding of the applicability of the first amendment is at the root of far too many issues

I also think people forget that building a platform with IMPACT always starts small and with intention. You cannot shortcut or easy-button trust and credibility. You build that brick by brick. Build something worth following.

Y’all, if you’re still focused in 2025 on follower count, you’re lost. Popularity, fame - it doesn’t matter. At all. What matters is what you stand for and how you treat people. A whole lot of popular, famous ppl out there don’t treat people well or stand for shit

Where/who are my people that actually want to just chat and interact rather than post about the dumpster fire all day? I need to retune my feed a bit again and now that there are more people here, I’m making sure I’m finding some less heavy content.

Literally less than an hour after I set up a form for a completely innocuous purpose to find community interest I have trolls sending vitriol and threats. This is exactly how democracy and community die in darkness. No spoons for that so someone else can take that on.

Finally: Altadena was a historically Black community, and many of the families who have been there for years are now of course also displaced. Here’s a master list of GoFundmes to help: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

That said, even if Discord isn’t quite the equivalent I have seriously considered standing up a server as a refuge for all the OG digital kids who just want their online coffee shop again