Engaged Citizen

Last week, Timothy Snyder published a Substack on the five things we need to watch for in anticipation of Trump trying to manufacture a coup to prohibit November elections. While some of them may seem far-fetched, I honestly would not put anything past this administration to hold tight to power. We walk through the scenarios and give our own take.

We are a nation at war. We are a nation whose democratically elected president is actively trying to undermine and downright take away the vote of millions of people. ICE is in the airports, and some analytical readers of Project 2025 say it was always part of the design. We have primaries and elections coming up in every state. What can we do about any of it? Well, we can show up locally. We can raise our voices, call our representatives, protest on March 28, send letters, and vote. We are not powerless, even if it takes longer than we would like.

Let’s talk about what’s working. Protests are working. Going to city council meetings to refuse permits to privately run human warehouses works. Voting works. Calling your reps works. So does checking on your neighbor and documenting what you see. Shoot, we saw artwork in powerfully during the Super Bowl! We are far too creative a species to take this lying down!

In an unconventional move, Judge Fred Biery wrote these words in his opinion ordering the release of Liam and Adrian Conejo Arias: “Jesus wept.” I don’t read it so much as an imposition of Christian values on the legal system, but as highlighting the moral depravity of an administration that is willing to detain children to prove a point. I’ll link to her commentary below, but a Lawyer and Mother wrote that his use of this verse speaks less to a political failing (though it is) and more to a spiritual failing. In its simplest form, religion, from the Latin relegare, means to bind together. To practice being bound to one another does not require a particular doctrine, only a belief that each person is worthy of dignity and reverence, and to treat them as such.

The past week has brought an onslaught of events and emotions. We’ve seen ICE double down on Minnesotans, and we’ve seen these resolute midwesterners triple down en masse. It seems the whole state showed up for the protest on January 23. The very next day, we saw ICE brutally murder another citizen advocate, Alex Pretti. Minnesota hasn’t let up. Following the death of Alex Pretti, their National Guard was mobilized and armed with donuts, coffee, and cocoa for the residents they were called to protect. All of this in sub-freezing temps amidst one of the worst winter storms in recent history. I am both dismayed and inspired.

We recorded on MLK day in the US, and we end this podcast by reading one of his well known quotes from his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” It reads, “In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” The US has all but forgotten this truth of reality. We are all the faces of this country. I would ask each of us to examine the face we are showing and how we are using our power and privilege in such a time as this.

We address three topics this week: what we are learning about Venezuela, ICE actions against Renee Good in Minnesota, and voters’ privacy in the upcoming election cycle. As crazy as it seems, there are parallels between what Trump says his purpose was in Venezuela and what occurred in Minnesota. The abduction of Maduro was not about holding him accountable or limiting his power; it was about mimicking it. Days after criticizing Maduro for actions against his own people as a way to justify actions taken by the US, Trump justified ICE’s killing of Renee Good. Get this through your heads — the president of the United States is justifying the killing of an unarmed civilian and citizen. The administration is denigrating the victim, calling her a left-wing terrorist, and protecting its paramilitary. Trump is not interested in removing a dictator from power. Just look who he instated as the substitute! He is interested in minimizing his competition and asserting his own authority. As my friend Jimmy Patterson says in his Substack, “Some Grace Maybe,” our best recourse is to protest peacefully. This podcast is our form of peaceful protest. What is yours? The other recourse we have is to participate in elections and demand better. As we stand, our glorious state of Texas has handed over a complete list of registered voters to the DOJ. DNC litigators argue this violates federal election law and risks using the information to manipulate outcomes. Gov. Abbott is also trying to take control of Harris County elections — the largest Democratic stronghold in the state. All the more reason why we must vote and protest against the loss of freedoms. Stay informed and stay engaged, y’all. We got work to do!

…and many are asking for a refund on 2026 already! Shortly after midnight on January 3, the Trump administration took military action against Venezuela, which resulted in the extradition of Maduro and his wife to the US to be accused and tried for drug trafficking. All of this was performed without congressional approval. Strangely, Trump let Fox and Friends know before informing our elected officials! While there is a precedent for not obtaining approval for military action, the event underscores the broadening authority modern presidents exercise over military force. The jury is out on whether the actions taken were illegal, though many say they were a violation of international law. We’ll see how the UN responds.

One of the things we talk about in this episode is stamina - how do we keep pressing for the kind of change we need to see in this country? How do we swing back toward democracy? Many are turning a blind eye to the lack of legal processes in our country right now, not least of all the Supreme Court. They are playing to a bully, but they are also getting a taste of power. We are a split population, but there is evidence that the bullies are losing popularity. There is evidence that the hydra is being chipped away. Deep change ultimately calls for long game energy, where short-term wins are achieved bit by bit. It took almost 15 years to oust Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. from power in the Philippines, but it was the people on the ground who played the long game. This is what we need right now so that we do not casually and passively slide further away from a government for the people by the people. Do we have it in us?

Though it’s been a couple of weeks, the Trump administration keeps on providing plenty of fodder for podcasts. The whole “let’s strike every boat coming out of Venezuela” strategy seems a great distraction to Trump’s growing unpopularity. When six democratic lawmakers pleaded to the military to remain faithful to the Constitution rather than a despot, Trump called for these people to be executed. Ummmm, what do we call an act of sedition called for by the president himself?? This is from the playbook of Christian Nationalism, an underlying philosophy of Project 2025. They call for political violence in the name of religion and patriotism. Looks to me like idolatry.

Amidst a democratic victory in the special elections, the current elected Democrats joined with Republicans to reopen the government, with the promise of a vote on healthcare forthcoming. While SNAP benefits have been restored, the rollout is slow and varies by state. ICE continues to rampage cities and traumatize residents. Amidst all of this, a push to release the complete Epstein files continues. While we recorded, Trump issued a statement to the Republicans to release them, which implies that his name has been redacted by some of his cronies thumbing through them over the last months. This administration sows chaos as a distraction and then plays the hero by “rescuing” us from the chaos they created.

“The cruelty is the point" was coined by Adam Serwer, a staff writer for The Atlantic Magazine, in his October 2018 essay of the same name. It became a widely used catchphrase to describe the political approach and policies of the Trump administration.  Defunding food programs for the poor, withholding pay from government employees, especially the ones the president doesn’t like, and limiting asylum to a few thousand people a year is cruel. There is a delight this administration takes in punishing its “enemies” as well as the poor and dispossessed. Sociologist Robert Bellah encouraged us to dig deep into shared cultural values beyond the self to create a moral society with a shared set of values. This is what he called a civic religion. Right now, however, it seems we are driven by capitalism and competition rather than collaboration. It is difficult for an individualistic society to make a shift toward collectivism. Still, I do think there is a second music playing, “one below the other…lower, steady, perhaps more faithful for being less heardyet always present” (Annie Lighthart). Let’s tune into it and beat our drums to the sounds of freedom and compassion.

In the language of dreams, houses symbolize the dreamer’s psyche or inner world. The state of the house — be it chaotic, old, in disrepair, clean, bright, or dark — reflects what might be going on for the dreamer. If we externalize this symbol into the waking world, we might say our house is broken. Quite literally, the White House, a symbol of democracy, has been busted open, and its gilded power has been expanded without process or approval. Dump trucks are carrying debris from the grounds early or late in the day. The whole thing is happening without photos or reportage. A secret project we all know is happening.

On Saturday, October 18, around 7 million (MILLION!) people marched around the country to support “No Kings Day.” Whether we realize it or not, the protests stretch all the way back to England circa 1215. King John signed the Magna Carta in Runnymede in support of the principle that everyone, including the king, was subject to the law. It introduced key concepts like the right to a fair trial, due process, and protection from arbitrary rule that would inform the US Constitution a few centuries later. Meanwhile, we’ve got a president who fancies himself above the law, so people took to the streets.

Somehow Marvin Gay’s epic song feels like an appropriate soundtrack to this week’s podcast. What’s going on in our country needs our attention. As ICE is being employed as Trump’s personal paramilitary, as recruitment for it increases and gets ever more lucrative, and as the Texas National Guard makes its way to Illinois, we ought to be singing along. We ought to be flooding the streets. We need to resist by staying informed, supporting causes for freedom, justice, and democracy, and documenting what’s happening around us. We also need to find moments for connection, joy, and ease. This, too, is important. The golden rule asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves, so now’s the time to ask ourselves how we are doing in that regard? Who do you consider your neighbor? We will need each other, for what affects one affects all. Thanks for listening.

Amidst all else that is getting media attention, Trump and his team managed to sign a little-noticed national security directive intended to target “radical left violence” or anything that is anti-Trump. Both individuals and institutions can be targeted if you indicate any of the following behaviors now identified as “violent:” anti-American (what it means to be an American is not clearly defined) anti-Christian (read: anti-Christian Nationalism) anti-Capitalist support for the overthrow of the US government (um, January 6th anyone?) extremism on migration (wait, so mass deportation isn’t extreme?) extremism on race (can’t even define what this means, but my guess is if I say Black Lives Matter, I am an extremist.) extremism on gender (there are only two, y’all. Anything else is considered extreme.) hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on religion, and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on morality (so “freedom and justice for all” might be viewed as hostile).

It’s impossible to avoid talking about the ugliness of political violence in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Whether we agree with him or not, there is no justification for shooting him. For us, as we are greeted with a barrage of repsonses to his death, the issue that rises to the top is around free speech. The First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” However, free speech is not upheld if it incites violence, harassment, or contains threats. If one person’s freedom of expression harms another, is it still considered free? I think we ought to hold ourselves accountable for how our speech can harm others, and it should be applied ethically and responsibly.

I know this episode's title is dire. The truth is that we are in a dire situation, we are facing hopelessness, and Josh and I believe we can’t go to sleep on it. I know many of us want to go on about our day to avoid feeling perpetually stressed. To a degree, this is okay—take in what you can and stand in where you can. But going to sleep on what is happening may inadvertently cause harm. How can we attend to reality without being consumed by it?

This whole episode is embedded in good news—and if not overtly fluffy good news, it's inspired by a fierce and compassionate woman who is quickly becoming my local hero: Rep. Ann Johnson. She is in league with Abraham Lincoln, who jumped from a 2nd story window in 1840 to break quorum, and with Professor Dumbledore, who disapparated to protest the asinine Minister of Magic in Harry Potter 5: The Order of the Phoenix.

We spend a few moments updating voter redistricting, our numbness to violence, and the uptick in cities threatening to be taken over by the military. We also discuss a conservative viewpoint expressed by David Brooks and others that the “nihilism” of the right is, in part, caused by highfalutin leftist language and ideas around equity and inclusion. We are curious what listeners think. Article linked in show notes.

In this episode, we talk about the militarization of the D.C. area as Trump moves the National Guard in, voter redistricting in Texas, and the impact of White Christian Nationalism on our society. We wonder what rights to resist the military/law enforcement have if they perceive an injustice is occurring. We commend the dissent of the Texas Democrats. As of our recording, the vote in Texas had not been passed. As of this upload, the vote to reorganize voting districts has been passed. A lot can happen in a day.

Our aim here is to help us consider that what is happening in our country politically and socially impacts the whole project of democracy. Today, we talk through voter redistricting, the quieter, more sinister goings on based on the Epstein Files, and several institutions that continue to “obey in advance” in order to capitalize on federal funding. In return, the Trump administration is scrutinizing these institutions even more.

The title of this podcast comes from an 1893 Francis Thompson poem that reads, “Near or far, to each other linked are, that thou canst not stir a flower without troubling of a star. All things interconnected are.” The underlying message, then, is that we are all connected. Nothing that happens to one of us can occur without affecting all of us subtly and directly. The three topics we cover this week are the ongoing dehumanizing treatment of our immigrant community, voting redistricting plans in our state, and the ongoing issue of the Epstein files. How might we view these issues through the lens of morality and compassion? And how can we keep tending to the smaller, quieter issues (redistricting) in the face of loud ones (immigration and unlawful deportation) that are commanding our attention?

We are in an era of feeling flooded - both literally and figuratively, emotionally and politically. We give time to talking about the flood along the Guadalupe River in Texas and the deep reality of grief that many are facing. We offer some resources to help those who might be suffering, like Bo’s Place in Houston. Then we turn to an increase in ICE raids across the country. Congress just passed the “Big Beautiful Bill” which provides huge amounts of money for the war against immigration.

We are at the end of Timothy Snyder’s book as a guide. Using the final chapters, we talk about the difference between patriotism and nationalism - an apt conversation as we engage in conflict in the Middle East and service members will surely have to ask themselves if they are enlisted for patriotic or nationalistic ideals. The highest ethic of their profession is rooted in patriotism - universal humanistic values guided by a longing to make the world and our country better. Nationalism, on the other hand, presumes superiority. So we are asked in this moment, what are we willing to stand for? Snyder ends with this simple, direct statement: “If none of us is prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny.”

In times of heightened social anxiety, it’s important to remember your strategies for self-care. First, learn to notice what triggers anxiety, then bring awareness ot the body and breath. Be sure to drink water and take breaks from social media and the news. When our nervous system is settled, we are better able to listen and respond calmly in chaos.

A few weeks ago, we talked about Chapter 6 in On Tyranny, “Beware the Paramilitary.” As the National Guard descends upon the state of California to assist ICE, we are witnessing the rise of a military state as local and national law enforcement agencies are called upon to do Trump’s bidding and serve his anti-immigrant agenda. We also saw the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States from the El Salvadoran prison, CECOT, to be brought to trial for some pretty egregious accusations that seem to have come from nowhere. We will see how our legal system holds up in these two incidents and whether justice will be served.

In a stable democracy, a free press and schools are two institutions that can generally be counted on to provide a wide range of views in an objective, expansive way. When governments start to control the media and limit the capacity of esteemed educational institutions, it threatens our ability to hold and honor differences and creates more divisiveness.

In the next two chapters of On Tyranny, Timothy Snyder juxtaposes the need to act more publicly while also protecting our privacy. We explore how we might show up and form alliances while also protecting our private lives from being scrutinized. Part of resisting tyranny is forming alliances with people we wouldn’t normally interact with to realize that we are part of an interconnected web of reality.

These two chapters in On Tyranny further the importance of investigating and Making Contact with others. It’s funny that one is kind of a solo act based on how we view the world, and the other is about how we relate to each other. So, this resistance to tyranny is not just about what we know in our heads, but also about how we move through the world in our bodies.

On Tyranny presents us with two more concepts: Be Kind to Our Language and Believe in Truth. Language is bent to create “alternative facts,” and a narcissist with authoritarian dreams will try to convince us that his truth is THE truth. We must be willing to read critically, read more, and question falsehoods. We must then call falsehoods out so that we contribute to upholding a larger, shared ethic of honesty.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of thoughtful action and being a voice of resistance, no matter how small or large your action.

We talk about chapers 5 & 6 in Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny as it relates to this week's news. The more we know, the better we are to ground ourselves in what is right.

Following through on our commitment to using Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny as a frame, we discuss Chapters 3 and 4 as they relate to current events. One directive is to “Beware the one-party state,” and another is to “Take responsibility for the face of the world.”

Using Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny as a guide, we go through the first two steps of resisting authoritarianism.

In this episode, we address four topics: two executive orders impacting schools and elections, the continued capitulation and resistance in institutions, and a significant deportation blunder.

In this episode 8 part 2, we add our discussion of Signalgate to the broader conversation. We also start to talk about the removal of aspects of history that don’t shine a positive light on America. This erasure is personal to our family. Enjoy part 2, and thanks for listening.

This is part one of two podcasts to be released this week. In this one, we return to a discussion about efforts to dismantle the DOE and how it impacts students.

In this episode we discuss the lack of a strong, cohesive democratic response…whicn may in fact fuel the people’s response to all that is happening. We also touch on the EA to dismantle the Department of Education, what we know and what we don’t yet know.

See Brian McLaren’s book Authoritarianism: Coming to a Country Near You.

We talk today with our dear friend Jaime, an environmental educator and conservationist. He offers us a dose of reality but never loses sight of the importance of his work.

In this episode, we discuss how restricting the free press and the ambush on President Zelensky are clear breaks from democratic practices. We also talk about art as a tool for resistance and the pursuit of freedom.

We explore what tactics Trump uses in his speech, why they are convincing, and how they impact our relationships abroad and with the media here.

In this podcast, we review the framework that undergirds the mission of this presidency: Project 2025. It’s essential to know the broad categories the Trump administration is trying to dismantle and why. We will follow the impacts of these broad categories throughout. Second, we go way back to civics class and reintroduce you to the branches of government and why they must keep each other in check. Josh described them as a game of rock paper scissors where no one branch ever gets too powerful. Trump is going for the “I have the right to do whatever I want as President” approach. We’ll see how this shakes down, but it ain’t comfortable to watch, that’s for sure.

A few references that we mention:1) Justice for All Immigrants, an affordable legal service for immigrants who want to get their status in order, is offering an online “know your rights” workshop. 2) If you haven’t already, you can view Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde's full sermon here.3) A few sources we like are Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters From an American, The Contrarian, and Stacy Abrams’ podcast “Assembly Required.”