How important is this for our democracy's health? On a 1-10 scale, I say 9.5--meaning urgently important for everyone who cares about democracy to pay attention. This is not normal. And why would I say this? The playbook is being followed from 1933 on, that's why. www.opb.org/article/2025...

ABC News like any legacy media can say, statements that my city, Portland, is "war ravaged" are demonstrably false. That is the job of the media to say: the person in power says this, and we can confirm that statement is false. Sad to see the failure, again. www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3gE...

As a US Atty, I prosecuted and oversaw police excessive force cases. We took them seriously because they were serious abuses of power. What we're seeing now is the outbreak of an epidemic & instead of being condemned by fed'l law enforcement leaders, it seems to be tolerated if not encouraged.

We haven't started banning all books--yet. Books are dangerous. They provide stories, hope, facts, truth, inspiration, and calls for action that authoritarians fear. Here's one I recommend. Be dangerous. Read a book. #RudolfVrba www.rudyowens.com/new-biograph...

"The Grand Blanc shooting happened during a particularly violent weekend in the US. There had been multiple mass shootings – cases in which four or more people are shot or killed – reported in the US in public places heading into Sunday morning." #GunViolence www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

This was published in the Oregonian today. It failed to mention: Weekly peaceful protests for democracy/rule of law/against tyranny in many places in PDX, at least three MASSIVE protests (4/19, 6/14, 9/1) that had tens of thousands doing free speech peacefully-why? www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025...

So much fun to play with Seckou Keita and Francesco Turrisi. You can learn the banjo tab and history of this song, plus many more in my new book “Go Back and Fetch It Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo."

Ending the day on a light note, with a scene from Finland a month ago, in South Ostrobothnia, home of my Finnish ancestors.

Drone attack: Norwegian shipowner collaborated with Russian paramilitary group A Norwegian ship with a Russian crew was a few kilometers from Copenhagen Airport during the drone attack. danwatch.dk/droneangreb-...

Suggestion: He could do a town hall IN THE CITY OF PORTLAND. I don't recall that happening since January. We'd all like to hear directly from Sen. Wyden and others, as the voters of this state and from Portland. We actually deserve to hear directly from our elected leaders. bsky.app/profile/wyde...

Anyone who is a reporter should be paying attention to this published list of enemies. If you know ANYTHING about fascism you'd know that the first enemies sent to N*zi concentration camps were politicians. encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/a...

This is how it's done. We should be so lucky. One day.......

I feel very strongly that we must use the next three years to build a new opposition movement. I tried to lay out my reasons and what I think we need to do to make it happen. Please watch, comment, and share. youtu.be/_GUgnpAYMCc

Coverage of events in Oregon today after the administration announces it will send "troops" to Portland, my city. Fact check: the city is calm and the administration has used false descriptions calling "war ravaged." It's largely like any other US city today. www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...

Attorney Marc Elias is offering Americans bitter medicine. Reality is never what people fully want to deal with. But we're better off dealing with what we know is real, than what we would like reality to do. Face it, process it, and then move forward with clarity. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GUg...

It's a shame to listen to @npr.org trying to do coverage of so-called "extremism," without a critical lens focused on the raw data of what groups are responsible for that in the USA. I mainly listen this outlet now to see how far legacy media have folded and tilted right. www.npr.org/2025/09/27/n...

Scene 2, from "war ravaged" Portland, my home city. People are shopping today, and going about their lives, oblivious to the threats of troops that the administration claims are needed to calm a threatened metropolis. (Captain's log, Sep. 27, 2025)

From Oregon elected officials' live presser 2:13 PT, Sept. 27, 2025. Vid feed opens when you click link. www.kgw.com/article/news...

Governor Kotek is live now reporting from Portland, OR with local elected leaders (2:10 PT 9/27). Click link to open video feed. www.kgw.com/article/news...

KGW reports on the tour of the immigration detention center on Thursday (Sept. 25) by Oregon's two US senators and two members of Congress from metro Portland, all Democrats. It was published 9/26 and updated 9/27. www.kgw.com/article/news...

BREAKING: The FBI has fired agents photographed kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest that followed the death of George Floyd, AP sources say.

It's remarkably boring and normal today in "war-ravaged Portland." See for yourself. www.rudyowens.com/reality-chec...

Scenes from "war ravaged" #Portland, my city, where things are boringly calm and ordinary on 9/27/25. There are no riots or destruction. It's just an American city where ordinary folks are going about their lives. First rule regarding #Fascism: Never believe the lies. youtube.com/shorts/qKjIe...

CNN chooses 1 image to reinforce POTUS message about "war ravaged" #Portland, my city. Failed journalism. This is an image from one place where there are regular protests against the immigration services facility. 99.99999 percent of the city is not like this. CNN failed. www.cnn.com/2025/09/27/p...

And now coverage of the statements by POTUS to send "full force" to my peaceful home city, Portland. I'm going to go shopping shortly and later run. It's a nice day. People are walking around like, well, it's a fall day in America. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Statement by my junior US Senator, Jeff Merkley (D), on the president of the USA's announcement to send "troops" into a peaceful major US city, my home, #Portland, OR. Portland like all cities has problems, but it's fine. People are walking dogs, riding bikes, etc. www.facebook.com/reel/1928141...

The White House has now created a new theater for authoritarian stress-inducing optics of creating fear. That's a distraction. Portland is fine. I live here. We have issues like all cities. People are sipping coffee at the bakery next door now on a sunny fall day. www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...

Last night I saw a women in her 70s holding a sign at the weekly Sellwood Bridge Friday Night Protests in #Portland. She knew what was coming. I'm glad my neighbors are more ready than those who should be! Ordinary Americans protest every Friday for our Constitution and democracy on this bridge.

Statement today, 9/27/2025, by US Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR), on the president of the USA's statement to send "troops" to my city, and her city, #Portland, OR. For those of here tracking history and events, we can can, we knew the day would come. www.facebook.com/reel/1544210...

Full media statement by Portland Mayor Charlie Wilson published Sept. 26, 2025, around 9:30 p.m., PT re threat of force coming to Oregon/Portland, by POTUS. www.portland.gov/hello/news/2...

I wake up today to see: The president of the USA has "authorized" "full force" in sending "troops" to Portland, my home. Last night Mayor of PDX, 2 members of Congress said "don't take the bait." www.bbc.com/news/article...

Iowa Public Radio covers the arrest of the superintendent of the largest public school district in IA--a man with Guyanan ancestry. His name Ian Roberts. He is also a former Olympian. "Roberts gave a lot of credit to his mother for the person he is." www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/202...

Scenes from America this evening, Friday, September 26, 2025, as a long work week ends. Looks like people on the Sellwood Bridge, in Portland, OR, were at it again.

Read this one if you care about the institutions that we've relied on as a country since its founding. snyder.substack.com/p/hegseth-pu...

"The acting U.S. attorney in Sacramento has said she was fired after telling the Border Patrol chief in charge of immigration raids in California that his agents were not allowed to arrest people without probable cause in the Central Valley." Source: Los Angeles Times www.yahoo.com/news/article...

That’s Ben Hodges as in the former U.S. Army Commander in Europe. But hey, silver linings, right? World must be so peaceful that the “Secretary of War” has nothing better to do than hang out on Twitter, trolling retired officers who outranked him.

How many who fell for this overlap with QAnon and low reading levels? "Pastors apologize for false rapture prediction that sent social media into frenzy" www.koin.com/news/pastors-apologize-for-false-rapture-prediction-that-sent-social-media-into-frenzy/

BREAKING: Sinclair FOLDS and ends its preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live! The show will return tonight on Sinclair's ABC affiliates.

Loyalty of a professional army is key to a dictator. H*tler did it in 1934, after the "Night of the Long Knives," when his rival "Brown Shirt" thugs were destroyed--mass murdered in one swoop. Then the Wehrmacht bent. Pay attention when generals gather quickly. encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/a...

This was shared today by the head of DOD: apnews.com/article/woun... It appears to be an attempt for media to not cover the other story reported earlier in the day, 4 hours earlier about a meeting being called of top US military commanders in VA next week: apnews.com/article/pent...

As fascism in the USA took new directions today, as it does nearly every day now, I'm finding inspiration in a new biography on Holocaust hero/Auschwitz escapee Rudolf Vrba. He was almost killed 25 times during WWII. He never bent his knee/submitted. He helped save 200,000 lives! rudolfvrba.com

🚨BREAKING: The U.S. Department of Justice Thursday sued six states — California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania — over their refusal to hand over sensitive voter registration data. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

My assessment of the charges against Jim Comey, what the government will have to prove, what happens next and what we can expect the judge to do, & why this is ultimately about Donald Trump, as much as if not more so, than it is about Comey. open.substack.com/pub/joycevan...

Swalwell: It's an awful day for what's supposed to be a free country. This is a mad king picking off each of his political enemies.

A dark day for the rule of law in America. We fought a revolution to not be subject to the arbitrary powers of a tyrant.

This would be absurdist theater if it weren't real. But since we already saw the post that will be evidence that will appear in court calling on the AG to exact retribution on enemies, this is a totally different level bizarre. Do they feel this confident now? www.yahoo.com/news/us/arti...

Breaking: Filed by US Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI). "Enough is enough – we need leaders who put science over chaos, facts over lies, and people over politics.” michiganadvance.com/briefs/haley...

Leadership in my country declared what amounts to a trade war with our historic ally and trading partner and closest friend, Canada. That leadership has threatened to erase #Canada from the map. Repeatedly. And guess what? They vote with their wallets. Can't blame 'em. www.wweek.com/news/state/2...

Adoption is expensive, and adoptees pay the ultimate price

This is, without any exaggeration, exactly how Putin and Orbán proceeded — using antisemitism to discredit the idea of civil society and political opposition, and as an excuse to undo the rule of law. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...