(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . WISE WORDS FROM WISE PEOPLE: GNR [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-12-28 “And now I have to get back to work. Lots of people to feed! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy New Year!” “Neither,” she explained, turning serious. “A realist. I’ve had it with wishy-washy Democratic ‘centrists.’ A few years of the miserable Trump administration and we can get back to the real work of the country.” “The boil is on our collective ass,” she continued, laughing along with me. “And the only way we get up enough courage to lance the boil is for it to get so big and so ugly and so mean that no one can sit down!” “Biden couldn’t get done nearly enough. The reactionary forces have been building for years. They’re like the pus in an ugly boil.” After a pause she said, “We had to come to this point, you know.” She stopped me, her face turning into a frown. “Nothing we can do about him now, except get ready for his regime. Protect the people who’ll be hurt.” “Oh, you’re still in a funk over the election,” she said. “Don’t worry! We’ll do fine. There’s so much work to do.” I think about our armed services men and women. Our firefighters and police officers. Our teachers and social workers. Our nurses who acted with such courage and dedication during the pandemic. I think about all the other people who are putting in countless hours in our cities and towns and states to make our lives better. When I think about what’s good about America, I also think about the jurors, the prosecutors, and the judge in Trump’s trial in Manhattan, who took extraordinary abuse. Their lives and the lives of their families were threatened. But they didn’t flinch. They did their duty. I think it important not to overlook the many good things that happened under the Biden-Harris administration — the most aggressive use of antitrust and most pro-union labor board I remember, along with extraordinary legislative accomplishments. I had much the same feeling about the brilliant work done by the House’s special committee to investigate January 6, 2021, including chair Bennie Thompson and vice chair Liz Cheney. But the Watergate hearings demonstrated to me that we had not lost it. Democrats and Republicans worked together to discover what Nixon had done. It seemed to me then that we had utterly lost our moral compass and purpose. There have been times when I doubted America. I think the worst was 1968, with the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and then Bobby Kennedy, the riots and fires that consumed our cities, the horrific Democratic convention in Chicago along with protests and violent police response, the election of the dreadful Nixon, and the escalating carnage of Vietnam. Many traditional Democratic voters did not vote — either because they were upset about the Biden administration’s support for Benjamin Netanyahu or they were unmoved by Kamala Harris. Others chose Trump because their incomes have gone nowhere for years and they thought the system needed to be “shaken up.” Yet I continue to have an abiding faith in the common sense and good-heartedness of most Americans, despite the outcome of the election. You have every reason to be worried about what happens after January 20. Many people could be harmed. Love to everyone at the end of 2024. It is hard to face a year that we know will have challenges, but we are in it together and that is something very important and very real. If this time of year is hard for you, please know you are not alone. 22 Rwanda stopped Marburg (an Ebola-like disease) in its tracks due to excellent epidemiological work, contract tracing, and decades of investments in building up their health systems. 21 The Americas are again free of endemic measles now that Brazil has re-eliminated the disease . Vaccination coverage in the region has reached 87%. 17 Local and state health departments, like those in Santa Clara, CA, and Colorado state, started testing raw milk sold in their communities before federal wheels got rolling, accelerating progress toward our nationwide milk testing system. 16 Higher classroom air quality standards, like those adopted in California this year, will help limit student exposure to infectious diseases and pollutants in wildfire smoke. 12.First-generation vaccines and drugs successes . Lenacapavi, for example, was named Science’s breakthrough of the year . This is an HIV prevention drug that is close to 100% effective. 6. More accurate and precise data on race and ethnicity . In March 2024, federal standards were established to add Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) as a new category to all federal government documents 3. Cervical cancer deaths are decreasing among young women (the first cohort eligible for the HPV vaccine), which suggests the vaccine is working in wondrous ways. 1. Opioid overdose deaths declined after a staggering climb over the past decade. Large-scale initiatives, like Naloxone distribution and education campaigns, are partly to thank. — Seek out voices — both in politics and media — that you trust. And follow their lead. So, as a start, here are a few. Please let me know what you are doing that may also be helpful to others. Toward that end, I heard from a reader recently who asked for (well, sort of demanded) what she called action steps — ways that regular citizens can go forward at a time when democratic norms are being threatened daily and the dangers of a second Trump administration haven’t even begun in earnest. So thank you very much, and I hope you have a good week and year ahead. Keep the faith that America will come through this moment with our principles intact. And I want to report that — even after I removed the paywall here as a small gesture of community support after the election — the newsletter has grown. It now lands in more than 20,000 inboxes; paid subscriptions (a small fraction of that whole) have continued to rise as well. All of that encourages me to continue with this project, which began as an experimental 10-part podcast last year asking the question “can journalism save democracy?” Readers, as this holiday week begins, I want first to express my gratitude to all for supporting the American Crisis newsletter — whether you do that through a subscription, or simply by reading it when it comes your way on social media or elsewhere. I’m especially grateful to those who participate in the comments section, offering responses or ideas. Be assured I read them, even if I don’t respond to each one. In the past few days Russia has started moving some of its military assets from Syria to Libya, a move that is being bravely challenged by Libya’s Prime Minister. While things feel a bit perilous here in the US at the moment, we cannot lose sight of the progress we’re making against the world’s worst regimes. The loss of Assad has been a world altering event, weakening Iran and Russia, creating an opening for pro-democracy forces throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. a few accounts that show videos and report from Syria and countries like Georgia and now, remarkably Serbia, that are fighting for freedom, decency and throwing off the yoke of the Russian-Iranian axis and other illiberal forces. Wow! Lara must have been told that she isn't getting the Florida senate seat. Trump's influence is definitely waning - pushback to him and his mini-me everywhere! Wow! Lara must have been told that she isn't getting the Florida senate seat. Trump's influence is definitely waning - pushback to him and his mini-me everywhere! FROM Ben Meiselas We will always stand with you, through the good days and the bad. We will prevail in the end, I promise you that During the holidays, I feel at ease, at peace, energized, and prepared to fight for this community with fearlessness and temerity—and with you always by our side. I see pro-democracy protests in the streets of Tbilisi and Belgrade pushing back against Putin’s control. I see the downfall of Putin puppets like Bashar Al-Assad in Syria. I see the strength of President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian heroes. I see world leaders like Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum standing up. And yes, I see Democrats in the United States getting back into the fight and calling out the oligarchs who prop up this mess. I’m actually very hopeful this holiday season—not just because I’m a “congenital optimist,” as President Biden described himself, but because this community has stood together through it all and is ready to fight back. You’ve turned what we do into more than just a “media network.” You’ve transformed it into a movement, a force, and a family—the Meidas Mighty! FROM JAY KUO With 2024 drawing to an end, I figured it might be useful to compile some strategies and tips, gleaned from experts and from my conversations with many readers, on ways to survive these next four years, both individually and collectively as a democracy. These are in no particular order, and some of them may or may not resonate with you. I hope you nevertheless find them helpful and even practical. Avoid the lure of nihilism You feel it sometimes in your gut, and you see it in others’ comments: a sense of doom and despair. “There is nothing we can do.” “They will get away with everything.” “Nothing we can say will ever get through to the other side.” “Face it, it’s the end of our democracy.” When I feel like throwing up my hands, I remember George Takei, and people like the late John Lewis, and I draw strength from their example. They did not let despair paralyze them or cause them to surrender. Be a voice of hope, not fear And a word of restraint to every reader who is itching to write in the Comment section, “What makes you so sure that Trump will leave office” or “There won’t be any more elections,” I urge you not to give voice to dark fears that are not likely to materialize. If you repeat such warnings in response to every hopeful rallying cry, you unwittingly normalize the notion that Trump can stay past his expiration date. That is exactly what he wants you to do. Don’t help him out. Instead, direct your energy into ensuring that Democrats are as successful as possible in 2026 and 2028. Others are working hard to find hope and a path forward. They, too, feel frustrated and scared. But the last thing they need is more weight dragging upon their hopes and actions. I wouldn’t stand by a firefighter battling a blaze and exclaim, “Why bother, it’s all just going to burn down anyway!” Likewise, I wouldn’t want to deflate the hopes of those striving to push back against MAGA Trumpism. It takes but a moment to pause and realize that a defeatist comment may feel cathartic in the moment, but could negatively affect the mood and the spirits of others fighting hard against creeping authoritarianism. Unplug from the network news The 24 hour news cycle has one mission: to draw you into its drama. Support independent journalism Stop wondering what Trump is distracting us from A very common but I believe mistaken take is that Trump’s daily dose of crazy is there to distract us from what he really wants to get done while we’re not paying attention. But after nine years of following Trump, I believe this is neither a helpful nor correct way to think about him. Trump has no master plan. He acts impulsively, often based on something he recently saw or someone said to him. Defend institutions It is institutions that help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well. Do not speak of “our institutions” unless you make them yours by acting on their behalf. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other unless each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about—a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union—and take its side. The great thing about this rule is that all of us can do something meaningful to help. Speak up for our court system and the rule of law, even when (or perhaps especially after) they fall short of expectations. The goal is to improve them as institutions, not to cast them aside. Support your local newspaper with a subscription. Rally at your state capital in support of laws protecting abortion rights. Support striking workers by avoiding companies that are anti-union. These acts seem small, but collectively they matter a great deal, and our institutions cannot succeed without support from the public. Don’t feed the rage cycle In our social media driven politics, it’s often the loudest and most obnoxious voices that the algorithms amplify. They find and uplift these voices based upon the reactions of others. Just as we must turn off the network television, we need to recognize online trolling and not give it added oxygen. What does this look like in practical terms? When a troll (or Russian or AI bot) leaves a comment meant to provoke a reaction from you, ignore it. Or report it. Do not engage; do not respond. Tag an administrator if you’re so inclined. Your experience online will be greatly improved if you practice this non-engagement. Support the front line fighters Sometimes the best thing an ordinary citizen can do is support those who are the political equivalent of first responders. These are the activists, lawyers, community organizers and local candidates who form a protective shield and provide a safety net for the most vulnerable. Find your community A powerful antidote to the challenges of our times lies in the strength not just of our institutions but of the communities that work to uphold them. And the internet has made it easier than ever to join civic minded groups and participate in democracy, whether in person or online. Commit small acts of resistance the experts say that it is not enough to simply imagine a better outcome. To help relieve anxiety and combat despair or paralysis, it’s critical to picture that better outcome and then take one small, positive step toward it. Maybe it’s donating to a cause, or calling your senator (Senate hotline: (202) 224-3121) or showing up at a local school board meeting to resist censorship in schools. In taking that small step toward an envisioned outcome, you become an active participant in helping to bring it about [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/28/2293267/-WISE-WORDS-FROM-WISE-PEOPLE-GNR?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/